Alberta Student Aid Helpful Hints & FAQ
- Canadian citizens, permanent residents, protected persons as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
- Registered / qualified to register in full-time studies at an accredited post-secondary institution.
- Apply EARLY – at least 60 days prior to the start of the semester
- Applications must be received at least 30 days prior to the study end date
- Apply every academic year
- Fall loans typically open by mid-June
- An Alberta Verified Account:
- All students need to verify their account through Alberta.ca Account to access the Alberta Student Aid system. Getting a verified account can take up to 10 days. This is intended to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing your personal information ensuring your data is secure.
- Alberta Student Number (ASN):
- Your ASN is required on the Alberta loan application. If you do not know your number, you may use the Learner Registry to obtain your ASN.
- Social Insurance Number (SIN) :
- The name indicated on your loan application must match the name on your SIN card.
- Academic Information (*Program Name* ; Student ID number)
- Program (Degree/Certificate), Specialization (Major) and Year of Study
- The program entered on your Alberta loan application must match your Uleth registration.
- To find your correct program: Click link to confirm your program information – students in a combined degree pathway will enter one of their degrees (contact us for further instructions) https://bridge.uleth.ca/StudentSelfService/ssb/studentProfile
- BACHELOR OF MANAGEMENT STUDENTS – will select BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION as their program
- Start & End Dates:
- The loan application is loaded with specific dates for fall, spring and summer
- If you are or will be participating in an exchange please contact our office for further details
- Tuition and Fees :
- Costs for tuition and fees will populate on the application after choosing your program, and study period.
- Enter these amounts in the appropriate fields
- Financial Information:
- Includes money you'll get from your parents or other sources, values of awards you'll receive, and expected reduced yearly income while you are in school
- Line 15000 of your most recent income tax assessment
- Dependent students – your parent(s) Line 15000 from the previous tax year
- If you are a sponsored student, please contact our office for instructions on entering that information.
The following costs are considered when determining part-time eligibility:
- Tuition and mandatory fees
- Books, supplies and instruments
- disability-related costs (if required)
- transportation - (if required)
- Childcare - (if required) provide receipts if you need more than $724 per month, per child
Types of Funding for part-time loans
- Part-time Federal Funding
- Canada Student Grant for Part-time Studies
- Canada Student Grant for Part-time Students with Dependants
- Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities
- Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities
- Alberta Part-time Grant
- Access the Part-time Application - Loan Application Form
Q: I'm planning to withdraw completely (drop all of my classes), what happens to my loan?
A: If your loan is through Alberta and you withdraw within 30 days of the start of term you will be required to repay all funds received for that study period before you will be eligible to receive further funding. If you withdraw after 30 days you do not need to repay, however the loan does count against your lifetime loan limit. Please note, if you withdraw completely or to part-time more than once you will be subject to an 18-month waiting period before being able to reapply for future funding.
Q: I'm planning to drop a class, which will make me part-time (<9.0 credit hours), what happens to my loan?
A: If your loan is through Alberta and you withdraw within 30 days of the start of term you will be required to repay all funds received for that study period before you will be eligible to receive further funding. Once all funding has been repaid, you can reapply for a part-time loan. If you withdraw after 30 days you do not need to repay, however the loan does count against your lifetime loan limit. Please note, if you withdraw completely or to part-time more than once you will be subject to an 18-month waiting period before being able to reapply for future funding.
Q: How many years can I get full time funding?
A: You are only eligible for full-time funding for the specified length of your program + 1 year. Ex. a 4-year bachelor program would be eligible for 5 years of funding.
Q: Where do I find the name of my program?
A: For your student aid application, your program is the degree/certification you are working towards. Please review your student profile on the Bridge to obtain the correct program information. https://bridge.uleth.ca/StudentSelfService/ssb/studentProfile
Q: I can't find Bachelor of Management on my Alberta student loan application.
A: Please select Bachelor of Business Administration as your program name.
Q: I can't find the Nursing Prep Program on my Alberta student loan application.
A: Please select Bachelor of Arts General Social Science.
Q: I am in a combined degree, how do I enter my program into my application?
A: A combined degree pathway is not a program option on the student aid application. We recommend students choose the degree listed 1st for the first 3 years, then choose the 2nd degree for the remaining applications. For example: a BA/BBA student would choose BA for the first 3 years, then choose BBA for the remaining years of their programming.
Q: I have previous loans, but am not taking out a loan this year, how do I prevent entering repayment?
A: Students who have student loans from previous years but are no longer accessing loans are responsible to inform the lenders that they remain a full-time student if they wish to remain payment and interest free. Review link for further details Keep your loans interest-free | Alberta Student Aid.
Q: Instead of applying for loans and grants, can I apply for grants only?
A: Yes, you would apply as usual, after completing all sections and submitting your application, a box will appear and you will be asked to enter the Amount of Assistance Requested. If you enter 1 for the total amount requested, you will be assessed for grants only.
Q: I will be an open studies student, am I eligible for loans?
A: Yes, but Alberta Student Aid will fund full-time open studies for up to 12 months ONLY. OSAP (Ontario) does not provide funding for open studies.
Q: I am going on an exchange, can I receive funding?
A: Please contact our office, it is important to apply with the correct start and end dates, and there are supporting documents provided by our office that are required.