Money, food, and housing
Work out what you need before your next pay or aid deposit, and find campus or community support when the numbers don’t add up.
Start here
Start with what you need today
Do you have enough to eat today and a safe place to stay tonight? If either answer is no, contact your campus food pantry or student services office, or dial 211 in Canada for help finding nearby food and housing services. You can ask for help before you make a budget.
Put it into practice
Write down the next seven days
Note what you have available now, the amounts and dates of money you know is coming in, and the essentials due this week. Include rent, groceries, medication, transport, and required school costs. Keep unconfirmed aid or extra shifts in a separate column so you can see the gap clearly.
Ask about short-term support
Look up your school’s financial aid office and student union. Ask about emergency bursaries, food support, and tuition payment arrangements, and check who qualifies, when help could arrive, and whether you need an appointment.
Get help early with a housing problem
If you might lose housing or can’t pay rent, contact your residence office or an off-campus housing adviser early. If there’s a notice or deadline, give them the date and ask about a local tenant information service or legal clinic. If staying where you are is unsafe, ask 211 about emergency options near you.
Put next month’s costs on one page
Once immediate needs are covered, add upcoming tuition instalments, books, transit passes, deposits, and other costs that don’t come out every week. Ask the financial aid office which grants and bursaries you can apply for and how your course load or student status affects eligibility.
A $35 gap before payday
You have $45 until Monday, with $25 in transit and $55 in groceries to cover before then. That leaves a $35 gap. You could check the pantry’s hours today, keep enough aside to get to class and work, and ask financial aid whether there is emergency help you can access this week.
What to say when you ask for help
“I’m a student and I’m short on food and rent before my next pay. Could you tell me what I can access today and which emergency bursaries or housing supports I might qualify for? If you need documents, how should I send them securely?”
If you’re still stuck
If the first office can’t help, ask for the name and contact details of the office that can, and say when you need an answer. If a campus service is closed, dial 211 or use its directory to look for a meal program, food bank, or emergency housing service in your area. Call ahead when you can to check hours and what to bring.
See more support optionsResources to go further
- 211 Canada
Find community services by location, including help with food and housing.
- Financial Consumer Agency of Canada: Managing your budget as a student
A checklist of school and living costs to account for, plus ways to plan around student income.
- Canada Student Grants and Loans: Where to apply
Links to each province or territory’s student financial assistance office.