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Eligibility search tool

The school and program designation search tool is being updated and is currently unavailable.

Ineligible programs

Students enrolled in the following programs are not eligible to receive student aid:

  • Adult basic education
  • Commercial Truck Driving Training or Class 1 Extended Driver Training
  • High school equivalency
  • Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)
  • Literacy training
  • Programs that do not lead to a credential such as personal or professional development, hobby, self-interest, or continuing education programs
  • Programs that are less than 12 weeks in length
  • Private career college programs with less than 20 instruction/practicum hours in a typical school week
  • Upgrading or college preparatory courses
  • Additional training or exams offered by professional bodies, organizations, or associations that are required to practice a profession (medical residency, law articling, accounting designation, etc.)

Funding is also available to help adult Albertans get the basic education, upgrading or English as a Second Language they need for further training or a job. Learn more about funding for academic upgrading and adult learning.

How to request designation

If you don’t find your school or program listed in the search tool, you can submit a request to have them designated.  

If your program isn’t designated

If you find your school but not your program, follow these steps: 

  1. Download and complete a Request Designation Review form
  2. Email the completed form to designationinquiry@gov.ab.ca  
  3. Wait  to hear back about the results of your request  
If you find your program, but it is only listed for part-time, this means you can’t receive full-time student aid. You must apply as a part-time student.  

If your school isn’t designated

If you can’t find your school in the search tool, then you need to find out if it can be designated. How you do this depends on where the school is located.  

Step 1: See if your school is eligible

School location

Determining eligibility

Canada

Contact your school to see if they’re designated for student aid by the province they are located in.   

If so, Alberta will designate them too.  

United States

Check the Federal School Code Search to see if your school is approved by the United States Department of Education.   

If your school has Title IV Status, you may be eligible for student aid. If not, you can’t receive student aid.

Outside North America

Your school must be:  

  1. in continuous operation for a minimum of 2 years 
  2. accredited or approved for student aid in its own country 
  3. listed in at least one of the following: 
    1. Association of Commonwealth Universities 
    2. International Association of Universities 
    3. U.S. Department of Education – FAFSA (Title IV Status)  

Medical degree program outside North America

Your school must be:  

  1. in continuous operation for a minimum of 10 years  
  2. accredited or approved for student aid in its own country  
  3. listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools 
  4. also listed in at least one of the following: 
    1. Association of Commonwealth Universities
    2. International Association of Universities 
    3. U.S. Department of Education – FAFSA (Title IV Status)  

Step 2: Inform Student Aid

Once you’ve confirmed that your school is eligible for designation, then you must: 

  1. Download and complete a Request Designation Review form 
  2. Email the completed form to designationinquiry@gov.ab.ca  
  3. Wait to hear back about the results of your request