Post-secondary schools offer help for students affected by war

Winnipeg’s post-secondary institutions are offering extra supports to international students impacted by the ongoing war in the Middle East.

The University of Manitoba’s international centre, the student affairs team, and various faculties are working with students to provide counselling, spiritual care, academic accommodations and flexibility on timing of tuition payments.

Academic help can include assignment and exam deadline extensions, delays and rescheduling, a U of M spokesperson said. Students can work with their professor or an academic adviser to arrange for accommodations.

The University of Winnipeg’s international student services team is reaching out directly to students affected by the war in Iran to check on their well-being and to support them as needed.

“Any accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with our focus on responding to each student’s individual needs,” Caleb Zimmerman, executive director of marketing and communications at the U of W, said in an email.

The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. The Associated Press reports that as of Thursday, the death toll from the war has risen to more than 1,900 in Iran and more than 1,300 in Lebanon.

Data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada shows more than 23,000 study permit holders from Iran and about 1,800 from Lebanon were in Canada as of Dec. 31, 2024.

RRC Polytech offers a global emergency support bursary for international students impacted by humanitarian crises and emergencies. It offers up to $4,000 to students registered in a minimum eight-month program who are in good standing with the college.

Students can also request counselling and accessibility services like emotional support or academic accommodations, such as exam deferrals.

RRC Polytech has only received one eligible application for the support bursary since Jan. 1.

Noris Zeid, a member of the board of directors at the Manitoba Islamic Association, said international students tend to struggle with expenses and the ongoing conflicts only exacerbate things.

“There’s wars all over the Middle East, especially like Afghanistan and Pakistan and these places, the students who live there have been impacted,” Zeid said Wednesday. “There will be a ripple effect here.”

Students tend to struggle making ends meet due to the high cost of tuition for international students, Zeid said. Statistics Canada reports international undergraduate students pay, on average, $41,746 per year for their studies.

Members of the Islamic association’s grand mosque saw an increased number of students in need during Ramadan. They organized food giveaways, but the mosque can’t always keep up with everyone seeking help.

“There’s a lot of people that go under the radar, whether they’re international students or just regular Canadians. A lot of people slipping through these cracks,” Zeid said.

On Tuesday, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Hours after the announcement, Iran and Gulf Arab countries reported new attacks, though it was not clear if the strikes would scuttle the deal.

— with files from The Canadian Press

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca