Kativik Regional Government Funding for Nunavik Inuit Students

Who Runs Nunavik Post-Secondary Funding

Kativik Regional Government (KRG) is the public administration for Nunavik, established in 1978 under provincial legislation implementing the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement of 1975. Day to day, post-secondary sponsorship for Nunavik students runs through Kativik Ilisarniliriniq, the regional school board known until 2017 as the Kativik School Board, working alongside KRG and community organizations.

If you are an Inuit beneficiary from a Nunavik community, Kativik Ilisarniliriniq is your point of contact once you leave the region for college or university, on top of any support KRG or your community offers locally. Other Inuit regions run comparable organizations, for example the Kakivak Association's funding for Baffin region Inuit students, so check the equivalent body for your own home region if you are not from Nunavik.

What Counts as Nunavik Beneficiary Status

Eligibility ties to enrollment as an Inuit beneficiary under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. Kativik Ilisarniliriniq and Quebec's provincial aid system both ask for proof of this status alongside your school acceptance, so confirm your enrollment record before you submit either application.

What the Sponsorship Covers

Kativik Ilisarniliriniq describes its post-secondary sponsorship as covering more than tuition: help choosing a school and program, housing arrangements, extra support if you are a single parent, and access to a wider range of programs than the region can offer locally. Kativik Ilisarniliriniq sponsors a significant number of Nunavik students in post-secondary programs outside the region each year; confirm current enrollment figures directly with the post-secondary team.

Exact allowance amounts are not published on the public site and depend on your program, location and household situation. Confirm your specific package directly with the post-secondary team before you commit to housing or travel costs.

How It Works With Quebec's AFE

Quebec's Aide financiere aux etudes (AFE) is the general provincial loan and bursary system open to Quebec residents, including Nunavik beneficiaries who meet the standard eligibility rules. Kativik sponsorship is a regional program on top of this, not a replacement for it.

Apply to both where you qualify: submit your AFE file through the standard provincial process, and register separately with Kativik Ilisarniliriniq for the regional sponsorship. The two offices do not share one application, so keep your acceptance letter and proof of Nunavik beneficiary status ready for each.

Staying in the Region: Adult Education

If you want training without leaving Nunavik, Kativik Ilisarniliriniq also runs an adult education sector (secteur adultes) offering courses and programs based in Nunavik communities. This sits apart from the post-secondary sponsorship stream, which is for students studying outside the region, so pick the stream that matches your plan.

Timing Your Applications

Submit your AFE file as soon as Quebec opens the academic year's application period, generally months before classes start, and register with Kativik Ilisarniliriniq at the same time rather than waiting for your AFE decision first. Both offices process faster when you apply early and supply full documentation on the first try.

How to Apply

Register through the Kativik Ilisarniliriniq post-secondary page , which links to the student portal for applications and ongoing case management. For adult and community-based programs, check the adult education section instead.

Contact the post-secondary team directly at student.services@kativik.qc.ca with questions about eligibility, deadlines or your specific funding package. Apply as soon as you have a school acceptance so your sponsorship and AFE file are both in place before your program starts.

Look Beyond the Regional Package

Ask your school's financial aid office about scholarships open specifically to Indigenous or Nunavik students, since several Quebec universities and colleges run their own funds alongside the provincial and regional systems. Layering Kativik sponsorship, AFE and a school-specific award covers a larger share of your costs than relying on one source.

What to Ask Before You Commit

Before you accept an offer, ask Kativik Ilisarniliriniq how your sponsorship handles a program change, an extended timeline, or a reduced course load. Nunavik students studying far from home sometimes need to adjust their plan partway through a degree, and knowing the rules in advance avoids a funding gap.

Ask the same question of Quebec's AFE office, since provincial rules around program changes and course load do not always match Kativik's own policies. Confirm both in writing before you finalize your school and housing choices.

If Your Circumstances Change

Tell Kativik Ilisarniliriniq as soon as your program, school, address or household situation changes, since your sponsorship package is tied to the details on file. The same applies to your AFE file: report changes directly to Quebec's aid office rather than waiting until your next renewal.

A change in circumstances does not automatically end your funding, but an unreported change can delay a payment or create a repayment issue later. Contact both offices as soon as something shifts rather than assuming it will sort itself out.