Quebec Perspective Scholarship Program (PBPQ)

You are considered a full-time student if you are registered in and successfully complete:

• at the undergraduate level, a minimum of 12 credits
• at the master’s level, a minimum of 9 credits
• at the doctoral level, a minimum of 9 credits, or full-time thesis status

When assessing your eligibility for PBPQ funding, the Quebec government may also deem you to have full-time status if you are a part-time student enrolled in 6 to 11 credits and also fall into one of the following categories:

• You are at least 20 weeks pregnant.
• You are a single parent and live with your child, who is, was or will be younger than 12 years of age on September 30, 2022.
• You live with a child (your own or your spouse’s) who is, was or will be younger than 6 years of age on September 30, 2022.
• You live with a child (your own or your spouse’s) who has a major functional disability or mental disorder.
• You have a recognized major functional disability.
• You are unable to continue your studies for at least one month due to a serious episodic disorder stemming from major permanent mental or physical health problems confirmed by a medical certificate.
• You participate in the Réussir Program run by the Ministère du travail, de l’emploi et de la solidarité sociale.

Students in the concurrent Bachelor of Music/Education program have to be registered in a minimum of 12 credits for the term in question, the majority of which must come from these courses (following the Education curriculum) to qualify.

Students in this program are also eligible to apply for PBPQ in the Spring/Summer of Year 1-2 when they are taking the First and Second Field Experience courses (7 credits).

EDEA 206 (1 cr)
EDFE 205 (2 cr)
EDEA 208 (1 cr)
EDFE 208 (3 cr)

No, as long as you have already been recorded at McGill as a Quebec Resident, your status will be confirmed to the government. To view your current McGill tuition status, please see Access to fee information. 

Your Quebec Resident tuition status itself isn't the only consideration; you must also be a Canadian citizen or Landed Immigrant. If your McGill record reflects this, then this information will be transmitted to the Quebec Government on your behalf. To view your current McGill tuition status, please see Access to fee information.

No. For tuition status changes to take effect for the current term, all proofs of citizenship and requests for Quebec residency must be submitted no later than the last day of classes for that term. Claims/documents submitted after that date will only serve to update your status for the following term, meaning that you will not be eligible to request PBPQ funding retroactively.

No, you must have valid Canadian Landed Immigrant status and a valid CSQ in order to be considered eligible. 

No, you must be registered on a full-time basis in the term in which you are applying for funding.

The Government of Québec is the authoritative source for this program, and is the ultimate authority with regard to eligibility.

Undergraduate students in a freshman (U0) program may be eligible for PBPQ if they successfully complete a minimum of 12 credits at the U1 level in a given term. Students in the Faculty of Science will have to declare their major in an eligible program to be eligible for PBPQ.

A student can receive up to $7,500 in combined scholarships, awards and/or bursaries in a calendar year with no impact on their AFE assessment for the academic year. Example: up to $7,500 in scholarships/awards/bursaries received in 2023 will have no impact on a student’s 2023-2024 AFE assessment. However, 100% of the income from scholarships/awards/bursaries that exceeds $7,500 in a calendar year will be included in AFE’s calculation of a student contribution. Example: a student receives $10,000 in combined scholarships/awards/bursaries in 2023. The student contribution in their 2023-2024 AFE assessment will include $2,500 from scholarships/awards/bursaries. For more information, please refer to “Calculation of Your Contribution” in the AFE Student Financial Assistance handbook.

No, the government aid program you are participating in has no impact on your PBPQ funding eligibility.

The PBPQ funding is not based on financial need so most government aid programs will consider these awards as part of your resources. Some jurisdictions will shelter up to a certain amount of all awards from their need assessment. You are advised to inform yourself about how your specific government aid program may treat institutional awards.

Per the Government of Quebec's website: "After we receive confirmation from your educational institution that you completed your study term based on the criteria of the program, we will send you the scholarship amount. This will be paid by direct deposit, which means deposited directly into your bank account."

Per the Government of Quebec's website: "You will receive a tax slip which you must attach to your income declaration (tax return). This slip will be available in your Student Financial Assistance File. Revenu Québec does not consider the scholarship to be taxable income."

The Quebec government will determine your eligibility based on, among other things, the academic program in which you are enrolled for the term for which you are applying for funding. Accordingly, if you change into or out of eligible programs, your PBPQ funding eligibility may be impacted.

Per the Government of Quebec website, "Some activities cannot be used in calculating the hours or credits required for eligibility under the scholarship program, such as... a course for which the credits have already been earned." Accordingly, if you repeat a course, your eligibility in the semester in which you enrolled for that repeated course may be negatively impacted (eg. due to it being excluded from your total credit count for that term). 

If I change levels of study, can I continue to qualify for funding?

Per the Government of Quebec, "The activities (courses) that are considered in the calculation of teaching periods or credits for eligibility for the PBPQ must contribute to obtaining the desired diploma. For example, it may be an internship or a session abroad (exchange), the credits or periods of which completed contribute to obtaining the diploma.... Cooperative internships as they are defined by the Canadian Association for Cooperative Education are not considered in the calculation of teaching periods or credits under the scholarship program."

No, your PBPQ funding is based on the eligibility criteria, not on your personal income.

Failing a course will not affect your PBPQ funding application as long as you have successfully completed the minimum credits required to maintain eligibility for that term.

Yes, assuming you are a resident of Quebec and meet the program criteria, however, an exchange could lengthen the processing time of your PBPQ funding application.

Your PBPQ eligibility could be negatively impacted for the term in which you are readmitted if the terms and conditions of your readmission limit you to less than full-time status. 

No, students receiving the Quebec Excellence Scholarships for Students in Education Programs are not eligible to apply for PBPQ funding.