Before You Apply

Before you apply for student funding, find out about eligibility requirements and funding allowances:

• Eligibility requirements
• Living allowances and funding limits
• Calculating financial need
• Parental contribution
• What to expect
• Funding Restrictions

Eligibility Requirements

Am I Eligible for Student Funding?

When you apply for student funding in Alberta, you will be considered for both federal and provincial loans and grants.  To be eligible to apply, you must:

  meet certain citizenship requirements.  You must be a:

• Canadian citizen, or
• permanent resident (landed immigrant), or
• protected person (including convention refugee), as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

  be a resident of Alberta

If you are an independent student, you are considered to be a resident of Alberta if:

• Alberta is the last province you have lived in for 12 consecutive months while not a full-time post-secondary student, or
• you are attending a school in Alberta and have never lived in any Canadian province for 12 months in a row.  In this case, attach a letter to your application to explain your residency situation.

If you are a dependent student, you are considered to be a resident of Alberta if:

• your parent(s) live in Alberta

Other situations may affect residency requirements.  Contact the Student Funding Contact Centre if you have questions.

  prove financial need

Your student funding is calculated based on the information you provide.

  be enrolled as a full-time student

You are considered to be a full-time student if:

• you are taking at least 60% of a normal full course load, or
• at least 40% if you are a student with a permanent disability 
• Tip:  Contact your post-secondary institution to find out what is considered to be a full course load.  It may vary between schools.
• Tip:  If you drop to part-time status you are considered withdrawn and your loan amount will be adjusted.

  maintain passing grades

You must maintain passing grades in at least 60% of a full course load to meet the minimum academic requirements.

  pass a credit check

You will undergo a credit check before receiving student funding if:

• you are a first-time applicant, and
• you are 22 years old or older

If you have a bad credit history within the three years prior to applying for student funding, you may not be eligible to receive student funding.

Am I Eligible for Student Funding if Studying Outside Alberta?

If you are a student studying outside of Alberta but within Canada, you have full access to Alberta student funding programs and benefits.

Am I Eligible for Student Funding if Studying Outside Canada?

• Considering studying outside of Canada? You should be aware of student funding eligibility rules and helpful tips to prepare.
• Studying Outside of Canada  
• Do you need student funding to study outside of Canada?  Make sure your program/school is approved for student financial assistance.
• Complete an assessment to see if your school is approved.  
• To initiate a review of a school outside of Canada, submit a Request Designation Review Form.  

If you are a student studying outside of Canada, you may receive Alberta student loan funding if you are:

• enrolling in medicine, dentistry, law, veterinary medicine, optometry, chiropractic study or pharmacy program
• enrolling in a graduate level program
• pursuing an undergraduate program of studies when:
• your program of study is not offered in Canada.  Requires a copy of the program and/or courses as shown in the institution calendar.


• you have received advanced post-secondary credits that enable you to graduate one full semester earlier.  Requires confirmation of your credit standing and expected graduation date from both an Alberta institution and from the institution you will attend.


• you receive a major scholarship that reduces the overall cost of your program.  Requires confirmation of the amount of your scholarship and the number of years the scholarship may be received.


• your spouse/partner is studying outside of Canada and qualifies for provincial assistance under one of these criteria or is enrolled out-of-country in graduate studies, medicine, law, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, chiropractic study or pharmacy.  Requires proof of your spouse's/partner's registration if they are not receiving Alberta student funding.

Important: You will be considered for Canada student loan funding only unless you provide the required documentation.