Eligibility for Student Aid Alberta Funding
Government student loans are available based on your financial need and province/territory of residence.
Demonstrate Financial Need
Your allowable costs – your resources = financial assistance (loans and grants)
If your allowable costs outweigh your resources, you are considered in financial need.
Allowable costs
- Tuition and mandatory fees
- Books, supplies and instruments
- Living costs (amount is determined by your situation)
Dependent student
- Out of regular high school less than four years, or
- Have not been available for full-time work for at least two years since leaving regular high school.
Independent student
- You are 23 years or older, or
- You have been out of high school for more than 4 years, or
- You have been available for full-time work for two or more years since you left high school, or
- You are married or common law, or
- You are divorced, separated, or widowed, or
- You are single with dependent children.
Your Resources
- Savings (applies only to federal portion of loan)
- Expected contribution ($1,500) unless you are a single parent
- Parental contribution (dependent students only-- applies only to federal portion of loan)
- Part-time income while in school (applies only to federal portion of loan)
- Spouse’s income
- GICs/stocks/bonds
- Child support/alimony
Items not considered a resource: your home, vehicle, GST rebate or child tax credit.
Register in Full-Time Post-Secondary Courses
- While you don’t have to be accepted to your program to apply for loans, you must be registered in a full-time course load in the program for which you applied for funding (in all semesters) before we can confirm your enrolment.
- Minimum full-time course load = 9 credits in Fall or Winter term. Minimum full time course load for Spring/Summer sessions is as follows:
- 3 credits in a one-month session (e.g., one 3-credit course within the month of May)
- 6 credits in a two-month session (e.g., two 3-credit courses May through June)
- 9 credits over the entire spring/summer period (May through August), with no study gap of 30 days or more.
- Only post-secondary programs (certificates, diplomas, degrees) are eligible for student loans. For upgrading and ESL programs, see Alberta Works funding.
Maintain Full-Time Course Load
You must maintain your full-time status for the entire period of studies to keep your funding for the year.
Other Considerations
- First-time loan applicants 22 and older will undergo a credit check
- Previous student loans must be in good standing
- Any bankruptcies must be discharged, and if a bankruptcy included student loans, the appropriate wait time must have passed.
