How to Apply for Canada Student Loan Repayment Assistance (RAP) in 2026

What is the Repayment Assistance Plan for Canada student loans?

The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) is the Government of Canada program for borrowers who are having financial difficulty repaying government student loans. Depending on your family income, family size and loan circumstances, RAP can reduce your required monthly payment or reduce it to $0 for six months.

You can apply as soon as your student loans enter repayment and at any time while you are repaying them. If you continue to need help, you must qualify again by submitting a new application every six months.

If you are looking for financial aid before or during post-secondary studies rather than help repaying an existing loan, see how to apply for student financial aid, grants and loans in Canada.

Who can qualify for student loan repayment assistance?

You may qualify for RAP if:

• you live in Canada, subject to the recognized exceptions below;
• your government student loans are in repayment; and
• you are up to date on your loan payments.

The Government of Canada describes a loan as being in repayment once at least six months have passed since you graduated or left school.

Can you qualify for RAP while outside Canada?

The federal rules recognize limited exceptions to the Canadian residency requirement. You can satisfy the residency rule if you are a reservist or the spouse of a reservist deployed abroad, or if you are participating in an international internship for one year or less. The current RAP application also recognizes a Canadian Armed Forces member stationed abroad.

What are the RAP income thresholds in 2026?

If your monthly gross family income is below the applicable federal threshold, you may qualify for no required student loan payment for six months.

Earning more than the threshold does not automatically mean you are ineligible. The Government of Canada states that borrowers above these thresholds may still qualify for reduced monthly payments.

These are federal thresholds. The provincial portion of a student loan can have different income thresholds.

What income does RAP use?

The current federal application asks for monthly gross family income before taxes and deductions for two periods: the month in which you sign and date the application and the immediately preceding month.

If you are married or living common-law, family income includes your combined income. Examples identified by the official application include employment earnings, certain investment earnings, Employment Insurance, workers' compensation, Canada or Quebec Pension Plan benefits, superannuation, support payments, monetary gifts, lottery winnings, awards, scholarships, fellowships, bursaries and grants.

The current form identifies several amounts that are not treated as income for this calculation, including income tax refunds, GST/HST credits, federal and provincial child tax benefits, refundable tax credits, the Canada Child Benefit and the Canada Disability Benefit. The form also provides instructions for support payments and other specific income situations.

What if your gross family income is $0?

If you report $0 gross family income for either month, the application requires you to explain how you are meeting or met your living expenses. The form provides examples such as support from parents, another family member or a friend, personal savings, or another source that you describe.

What do you need to apply for RAP?

The official application requests information including:

• your personal and contact information;
• Social Insurance Number;
• Canadian residency status;
• marital status;
• number of dependants;
• gross family income for the two required months;
• details of applicable government student or apprentice loans not already held by the NSLSC or Canada Apprentice Loan Service Centre; and
• applicable student or apprentice loan information for your spouse or common-law partner.

You may be required to provide proof of income. The official instructions say that if proof is requested, you should provide photocopies and keep the originals. For self-employed borrowers, examples of acceptable proof include a monthly business bank statement, a letter from a financial institution or a letter signed by an accountant.

If you have a spouse or common-law partner, you may also be asked to complete a spousal form as part of the eligibility assessment.

How to apply for RAP online

The federal online application is available through the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC).

1. Sign in to the NSLSC through My Service Canada Account.
2. Open the repayment assistance application.
3. Enter the requested family, income and loan information accurately.
4. Provide the required consent for verification and administration of your RAP application.
5. Review and submit the application.
6. Watch your NSLSC account and correspondence for the assessment result or a request for additional information.

The current RAP application authorizes relevant taxpayer information to be verified with the Canada Revenue Agency for RAP administration and eligibility purposes.

How to apply for RAP by mail

You can instead complete the official Repayment Assistance Plan Application. Complete all required sections, sign and date the form, and include copies of supporting documents if required.

For loans administered through the NSLSC, mail the application to:

National Student Loans Service Centre
P.O. Box 4030
Mississauga, ON L5A 4M4

The current application states that if you have student loans with a financial institution and do not have any loans administered by the NSLSC, you must submit the application and supporting documents directly to that financial institution.

How much does it cost to apply for RAP?

There is no federal application fee to request Repayment Assistance Plan support.

How long does a RAP application take to approve?

The Government of Canada does not publish a single fixed processing time for all RAP applications. This is important for people searching for how long RAP takes to approve: there is no official number of days that can be promised.

Your application must contain the information needed for the assessment, and you may be asked for additional supporting documentation or proof of income. The NSLSC, Canada Apprentice Loan Service Centre or applicable financial institution sends you the result after the application has been assessed.

Should you keep paying while waiting for RAP approval?

Submitting an application does not mean you have already been approved. The official application states that if you are not approved for RAP, you remain responsible for your regular loan payments under your existing payment terms.

If a payment is due while your application is being assessed and you are unsure what to pay, contact the NSLSC about your account rather than assuming the payment has been suspended.

What happens when your RAP application is approved?

Your monthly payment is changed to an affordable amount for the approved period and may be reduced to $0. RAP assistance is provided in six-month blocks.

For standard RAP, the Government of Canada pays any interest owing on the federal part of the loan that your reduced payment does not cover. After you have received 60 months of RAP or 10 years have passed since you finished school, the federal government begins paying down both principal and any remaining interest.

As long as you remain eligible, the balance continues to be paid down. The Government of Canada states that the maximum repayment period after leaving school is, in most cases, 15 years for standard RAP.

Do you have to reapply for RAP every six months?

Yes. You must reapply every six months if you still need repayment assistance. Your eligibility and circumstances are reassessed for each new period.

The current official application states that RAP is available in six-month blocks during repayment, to a maximum of 180 months.

If you do not reapply, you are responsible for making the payments required under your regular loan terms.

Can you get RAP if your income is too high for a $0 payment?

Possibly. The published income figures are zero-payment thresholds, not an absolute maximum income for every RAP applicant. The Government of Canada specifically states that if you earn more than the listed threshold, you may still qualify for a reduced monthly payment.

What if your student loan is not up to date?

Standard RAP eligibility requires your loans to be up to date on payments. If you have missed payments, contact the NSLSC to discuss your repayment options and what is required for your particular account.

The Government of Canada's repayment guidance says borrowers can contact the NSLSC about repayment options whether or not they have already missed a payment.

What if you have a disability?

If you have a recognized permanent disability or persistent or prolonged disability, you may qualify for the Repayment Assistance Plan for Borrowers with Disabilities (RAP-D). RAP-D can reduce payments for six months, potentially to $0, and eligible disability-related expenses can be considered in the assessment.

RAP-D has disability-specific requirements and documentation. If a severe permanent disability prevents you from working and repaying your Canada Student Loans, a different federal benefit may apply. See how to apply to have Canada Student Loans cancelled because of a severe permanent disability.

Does one RAP application cover provincial student loans?

The current federal application states that borrowers with student loans from Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan, and applicable Canada Apprentice Loans, can use the single application for the applicable federal and provincial RAP programs and interest relief for some provincial loans.

Prince Edward Island is different: the Government of Canada states that PEI student loan borrowers must also apply for repayment assistance through the province. Provincial rules and income thresholds can differ from the federal rules.

Can RAP affect future student grants and loans?

There is an important restriction for borrowers receiving longer-term standard RAP assistance. Once the federal government has paid toward the principal of your loan while you are on RAP, you cannot receive additional federal student grants or loans until your unpaid student loans are repaid.

The Government of Canada states that this restriction does not apply in the same way to RAP-D. Provincial or territorial restrictions can differ.

Are there other ways to reduce Canada student loan debt?

RAP is designed around financial difficulty and affordable monthly payments. It is different from targeted loan forgiveness. If you work in an eligible occupation and community, you may want to check Canada Student Loan Forgiveness for eligible work in rural or remote communities.

What should you check before submitting your RAP application?

• Make sure your loan is actually in repayment and your payments are up to date.
• Report gross family income before taxes and deductions using the months requested on the application.
• If you report zero income, explain how your living expenses were covered.
• Include applicable spouse or common-law partner information.
• Provide supporting documentation if requested.
• For a paper application, make sure it is signed and dated.
• Do not assume a submitted application has already changed a scheduled payment.
• Reapply before you need another six-month period of assistance.

The official form warns that false or misleading information, including omissions, can lead to restrictions on future student or apprentice financial assistance.