Good afternoon,
Today, I am pleased to announce that the General Authority (GA) College Fund and Post-Secondary Bursary Fund are once again available for the 2023/24 academic year, and that we have expanded support and eligibility for each fund.
The GA first announced these funds in the fall of 2022. They are intended to provide financial support for youth and young adults attending a post-secondary education program in Manitoba. The College Fund pays up to the full cost of tuition as well as related costs for youth and young adults attending technical/vocational training or college. This fund is now available to provide tuition for two-year academic programs (previously only one-year programs were eligible).
I would also like to announce today, as part of the 2023-24 GA Post-Secondary Bursary Fund, individual bursaries for youth and young adults will be increasing from $1,500 per school year to $2,000. GA Post-Secondary Bursaries are intended to provide financial support to youth or young adults pursuing post-secondary studies at a recognized university or college in Manitoba. To be eligible for a bursary, similar to the College Fund, the agency must be already supporting or plan to support the applicant through an AYA or the Support for Young Adults program (Social Services Administration Act). The youth or young adult must be accepted into a program at a recognized university or college in the province with studies commencing during the 2023/24 academic year. Students receiving a Manitoba tuition waiver are not eligible for either the College or Bursary Fund.
In addition to announcing the continued availability of these funds, and enhancements to each, we would also like to welcome youth feedback – specifically from those who received support from either fund last year. Workers can contact Jennifer Fallis (Jennifer.Fallis@gov.mb.ca) for more information, and youth will be compensated for their time providing feedback in the form of a gift card. Our hope is that these positive enhancements to the two programs will result in an increased number of youth and young adults pursing their studies and achieving their academic goals in the coming years.
Best Regards,
Jay Rodgers
Chief Executive Officer