B.C. institutions of higher education are offering students from Russia possible financial support in case their access to funds has been impacted by ongoing sanctions against Moscow during the attack on Ukraine.
In a statement from Simon Fraser University (SFU), officials say they are "in direct contact with current SFU students from Ukraine and Russia regarding assistance that may be required."
"In addition to providing information about support services and guidance on a case by case basis, the university is making allowances for these students to register for summer semester if they have outstanding account balances as well," the statement said.
SFU also emphasized that support services are available to any student experiencing financial challenges, and one such support is the possible availability of emergency funding. Affected students are encouraged to contact the school's Financial Aid and Awards Office directly to discuss options.
Meanwhile, according to officials at UBC, there are about 160 Russian students at the school this year – in addition to about 60 Ukrainian students.
UBC spokesman Matthew Ramsey said the war has obviously created “a challenging time for not only our Ukrainian and Russian students, but for all of our students, faculty and staff who are watching events unfold.”
Ramsey added that the school is aware that – in addition to psychological stress – some students may now face changes in their financial ability due to the sanctions placed on the Russian financial system by the West.
“We encourage any student experiencing financial challenges of this kind to contact their enrolment services provider so we can assess their situations on a case-by-case basis and provide the most appropriate supports,” he said.
Students, depending on the situation, may be eligible for tuition deferrals or emergency bursaries, according to Ramsey.
Countries including Canada, the United States, Great Britain, Germany and Japan have levied heavy sanctions against Moscow since the beginning of the war, with Russian banks being expelled from SWIFT essentially blocking off most avenues of foreign financial activity linking to Russia.
The move means many Russian national’s access to their bank accounts while being abroad – the situation facing international students – has been compromised by the sanctions.
