Iqaluit, Nunavut – July 22, 2020 – With support from the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), Kakivak Association has allocated $263,000 to create the Inuit Post-Secondary Education Student Relief Program. The program is intended to provide short-term financial assistance to help address critical needs related to the COVID-19 Pandemic for Inuit students from the Qikiqtani Region.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created many additional barriers for post-secondary Inuit students,” says QIA President, P.J. Akeeagok, “for these students any additional financial support can make a big difference, this program can be accessed to pay for expenses from rent and tuition to books and childcare.”

“We want to give Inuit students the support they need to continue their studies,” says Joe Attagutaluk, Kakivak’s Chair, “this student relief program will help alleviate some of that financial pressure and assist students in getting back to what’s important – their studies.”

The student relief program is available to all Qikiqtani post-secondary students including students living outside of the Region that have been, and continue to attend full-time or part-time classes at an accredited colleges or universities either in person or online.

The Program will cover approved, eligible expenses for the period March 1 to September 30, 2020. Reimbursement of eligible expenses already incurred prior to the date of application may be possible, provided adequate records of the expense are available and these expenses have not been reimbursed or funded through any other program.

This program would allow eligible students to recover the costs such as transportation and accommodations related to COVID-19 that might not have been covered under other funding.  As well, this program can help students to prepare for going to back to school by securing suitable housing, attending summer classes, purchasing a computer, and securing childcare.

Eligible expenses include:

• Transcript and application fees;
• Tuition and other student fees including for online and summer courses;
• Initial professional certification and examination fees;
• Books and supplies;
• Computers and related equipment and supplies, and connectivity costs;
• Supplemental tutorial, guidance and counselling services;
• Rent and other living expenses, including for dependents if applicable;
• Transportation support, as needed;
• Expenses associated with travel home, including for dependents, as applicable; and,
• Child care, as needed.

The guidelines for the program are available at:

http://kakivak.ca/Kakivak_IPSE-Student-Relief-Program-Guidelines.pdf

The application for the program is available at:

http://kakivak.ca/Kakivak_IPSE-Student-Relief-Program-Application.pdf 

For more information, please contact:

Qikiqtani Inuit Association:

Sima Sahar Zerehi, Director of Communications,

Qikiqtani Inuit Association

szerehi@qia.ca

867.975.8413

1.800.667.2742

Kakivak Association:

info@kakivak.ca

867.979-0911

1.800.561.0911