Eligibility Criteria

AHS Reg.: ss. 1(g) and 2

Citizenship and Immigration Status

To be eligible for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement, a student must be a:

• Canadian citizen, or
• permanent resident of Canada, or
• protected person, as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).

A student must have a valid Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN) to be eligible for financial assistance from Alberta Student Aid. Students with questions about applying for a SIN may contact:

• Service Canada at 1-800-206-7218.

Protected persons must be able to document that their protected person status is valid at the start of their current study period.

Protected persons must provide copies of the following documentation:

• a temporary Social Insurance Number (SIN) card or confirmation of SIN letter showing a 900 series SIN number, and
  
  
• a Notice of Decision issued by the Immigration and Refugee Board or Verification of Status document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Protected Persons Status Documents issued prior to January 2013 are acceptable as well.

Students with only a study permit or a work permit (e.g., visa students) are not eligible.

Students must also meet Alberta residency criteria and other eligibility requirements to be eligible.

Residency

AHS Reg.: ss. 1(g) and 2(4)

To be eligible for the Alexander Rutherford High School Achievement Scholarship, a student must be an Alberta resident at the time of high school grades.

To be considered an Alberta resident, one of the following conditions must apply:

• one parent or legal guardian has maintained permanent residence in Canada for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies and be residing in Alberta.
  
  
• Alberta is the last place the student has maintained permanent residence for 12 consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies.
  
  
• a person or member of a class of person declared by the Minister to be a resident.

Additionally, a student is not eligible to receive a scholarship with respect to any grade unless the student or their parent(s)/legal guardian were a resident in Alberta throughout the whole of that grade.

Border Community

AHS Reg.: ss. 1(b) and 2

As the town of Lloydminster is a border community, and is located both in Alberta and Saskatchewan, all students living in Lloydminster are eligible. Students must live in Lloydminster and attend Holy Rosary High School or Lloydminster Comprehensive High School. The student may be required to submit their transcript.

Program Eligibility

To be eligible for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement, a student must be:

• enrolled in at least 60% of a full course load during a semester in an undergraduate post- secondary program of study at a Minister approved or designated post-secondary institution in Alberta or elsewhere, or
  
  
• enrolled in at least 60% of a full course load of a post-secondary program at a private career college in Alberta or elsewhere (licensed under the Private Vocational Training Act),
  • A post-secondary program at a private career college is considered full-time when the licensed post-secondary program is 12 weeks or longer and has 20 or more instruction/practicum hours per week.
    
    
• registered in an apprenticeship education program as defined in the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act (STAEA).

A student enrolled in Open Studies is eligible provided the student is enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies (at least 60% of a full course load at the post-secondary institution).

A student enrolled in an upgrading program, a graduate program, or professional program is not eligible.

A professional program means:

• a winter-session course at The Banff Centre, and
• a program of study at a post-secondary institution in medicine, law, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic studies, or any other program that exceeds a total of four years of post-secondary education and is designated by the Minister of Advanced Education as a professional program.

Designated Programs
A designated program is an undergraduate program with a minimum course length of 17 weeks of full time post-secondary studies and when approved by the Minister of Advanced Education allows eligible students to apply for student loans, grants, scholarships, and awards. See the Designation for Loans and Grants in the Student Aid Policy Manual for more information.

Qualifying High School Course Requirements

AHS Reg.: ss. 2(1)(b), 2(2), 3(a), 3(b)

A student must have completed high school on or after September 30, 1980 in order to be eligible. The official mark found on an official Alberta Transcript of High School Achievement is used in the assessment of the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship.

Course requirements and award amounts will also vary depending on when a student graduated from high school.

Completion or Graduation Date
As a general rule, the graduation date is the date, which appears on the official high school transcript. If the student did not graduate, the completion date is determined using the most recent academic year where three or more courses were completed as indicated or shown on the high school transcript.

For students who graduated high school on or before March 31, 2008

For students who graduated high school on or after April 1, 2008

Notes:

• French and Français are not the same course and are not interchangeable.
• A course cannot be repeated after a higher-level course has been taken in the same series.
• Average marks are not rounded up when calculating eligibility for scholarships.
• The value of the scholarship is calculated on the overall average in five designated courses as listed under each grade level.
• Courses listed in the Coursework in Alberta Accredited Schools section and the Private Music Study section of an official Alberta Transcript of High School Achievement are acceptable (excludes Driver’s Education).
• Only marks obtained before the start of post-secondary study can be used.
• Courses with a 'Pass' on a high school transcript are equivalent to a 50% mark.
• CALM course can be taken in any grade, but the final mark will be calculated in Grade 11.

Career and Technology Studies (CTS) Courses

Grade 10 and Grade 11:

• Three one-credit CTS modules can be combined and used as an elective course at the Grade 10 and Grade 11 level; or
• Two groups of three one-credit CTS modules can be combined; or
• Groups of one credit CTS modules and one and two credit option courses can be combined to total three credits.

Grade 12 as of April 2006:

• Five one-credit CTS modules can be combined and used as an elective course; or
• Two groups of five one-credit CTS modules can be combined; or
• Groups of one credit CTS modules and one to four credit option courses can be combined to total five credits.

To be combined:

• All courses must be from the same level e.g. Introductory, Intermediate or Advanced; and
• Courses can be from different subject areas, e.g. computer courses with welding courses; and
• Marks will be calculated and the total average combined will be used for Grades 10, 11 and 12.

COVID-19 Measures for Grades 10 to 12 Unassigned Credit (UCT) Courses

AHS Reg.: s. 2.1

For the purposes of the 2019-20 academic year, a student who obtains credit that corresponds with one of the following course codes applied by Alberta Education is deemed to have obtained a grade of 90% for that course:

• UCT 1999
• UCT 2999
• UCT 3999

These courses can be used to determine eligibility for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for the 2020-21 application year and beyond.

Additional Information

Out of Province

Eligible students who complete high school outside of Alberta must submit an official transcript of their high school marks for their province.

Upgrading Courses

Upgrading high school credit courses recorded on an official Alberta High School Transcript of Achievement are accepted. Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) exam marks are not eligible.

Any upgrading high school credit courses should be completed prior to applying for the Rutherford Scholarship.

College Preparation or Upgrading Courses

Only upgrading courses recorded on an official Alberta Transcript of High School Achievement are accepted. Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) exam marks are not eligible.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Courses

IB courses can be used as either core or option courses in Grades 10, 11 and 12. Students who attend United World College will be assessed at 80% for all courses.

Green Certificate Courses

Green Certificate courses are accepted as options for Grade 12. These courses are not sequential and may be taken in any order. Each Green Certificate course is coded as a 33 Grade 12 level and all credits earned in Green Certificate courses count toward Grade 12 graduation requirements.

The Green Certificate Program allows students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 to participate in an agriculture-related apprenticeship, earn credits and complete the Technician Level of a Green Certificate in any one of nine specializations. It consists of 21 courses in seven primary agricultural specializations.

Alberta Home Education

Home education may be eligible as long as your program follows the Alberta Programs of Study curriculum. Students in home education must obtain both course evaluations and recommendations for credits from a high school principal and an official Alberta Transcript of High School Achievement.

Rutherford Scholarship Application Process

Students must apply online at studentaid.alberta.ca.

After verifying their account and applying online, students can login to their secure account to view correspondence from Alberta Student Aid, upload any required documentation, update their contact information, and report changes to their application.  

Students can browse the Student Aid Verified Accounts page at studentaid.alberta.ca for instructions on how returning students can verify and regain access to their personal, secure account.

Apply Online | Alberta.ca Account

Students can apply online for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement and receive emails from Alberta Scholarships in their Alberta Student Aid account. The Alberta Student Aid account is protected by Alberta.ca Account. All students require a verified Alberta.ca Account to access their Alberta Student Aid account.

To learn more, see Student Aid Verified Accounts.

Students having difficulty accessing their Alberta.ca Account can contact the Alberta.ca Account Help Desk.

Step 1: Students should be enrolled full-time in a post-secondary institution and apply when they:

• their official high school transcripts are available;
• they have completed any high school upgrading credit courses they are taking;

Note: High school upgrading credit courses must appear on an official Alberta High School Transcript of Achievement.

• they plan on attending full-time post-secondary studies in the current academic period;
• they have completed high school on or after September 30, 1980.

Step 2: Login to their personal account and select the following option:

Apply for the Alexander Rutherford High School Achievement Scholarship

Receiving Your Alexander Rutherford Scholarship

Students will be notified in writing of the results of their assessment once Alberta Student Aid confirms their grades/marks based on the final official high school transcript. If the student is eligible, Alberta Student Aid will send a request to the post-secondary institution to confirm the student’s current enrolment by the end of the student’s first month of study or within one month after the application is approved, whichever comes first.

Once the school receives the request for Confirmation of Registration, they have 30 days to respond.

If the confirmation is not received within 30 days, Alberta Student Aid will send the student a Confirmation of Registration form. Students will need to take the form directly to the school to be completed. The student has 30 days from the date Alberta Student Aid sent the form to them to return the completed form to Alberta Student Aid.

Students Attending Out-of-Province Schools

Students can login to their Alberta Student Aid account and download a Manual COR Worksheet. After a school official has authorized the worksheet (confirmed full-time enrolment), students can return the document using Upload eDocuments in their secure account. The completed worksheet must be returned to Alberta Student Aid within 30 days from the date of the school authorization and before the period of study end date.

Alberta Student Aid will mail a cheque to the student approximately one month after the school confirms enrolment.

Based on the applications received for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship from April 1 to March 31 annually, the recipients of the following three related scholarships are determined.

Dr. Ernest and Minnie Mehl Scholarship

The Dr. Ernest and Minnie Mehl Scholarship is provided to the top student, as determined on the first writing of diploma examinations for the academic year.

The recipient is selected from the applications for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement. A separate application is not required.

The Dr. Ernest and Minnie Mehl Scholarship is provided to the student who:

1. has qualified for an Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement,
   
   
2. achieves the top average in grade 12 of all applicants within the same application year as those selected for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement, based on diploma examination results in subjects specified by the Minister, as attested to in an Alberta Education transcript, and
   
   
3. completes all grade 12 courses prior to enrolment in an post-secondary institution in Alberta or elsewhere.

In calculating the average under b. above, only the grade earned for the first writing of a diploma examination is used.

The subjects specified by the Minister are:

• One of:
  • English Language Arts 30-1, 30-2, or
  • Français 30-1
    
    
• And:
  • Social Studies 30-1 or 30-2
    
    
• Plus any three other subjects:
  • Mathematics 30-1, or 30-2
  • French Language Arts 10-1
  • Biology 30
  • Chemistry 30
  • Physics 30
  • Science 30

One scholarship valued at $3,500 is available. In the event of a tie, additional scholarships may be provided.

Mildred Rowe Weston Memorial Scholarship

The Mildred Rowe Weston Memorial Scholarship is provided to the top three students based on their Grade 12 averages.

Recipients are selected from applications for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement. A separate application is not required.

The Mildred Rowe Weston Memorial Scholarship is provided to the stop three students who:

1. have qualified for an Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement,
   
   
2. achieve the top average in grade 12 of all applicants within the same application year as those selected for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement, and
   
   
3. have completed at least three courses through the Alberta Distance Learning Centre (ADLC) as shown on an Alberta Education transcript with school code 0099.

Three scholarships valued at $1,000 are available. In the event of a tie at the third recipient, additional scholarships may be provided.

Rutherford Scholar Award

AHS Reg.: s. 3

The Rutherford Scholar Award is provided to the top ten students as determined on the first writing of diploma examinations for the academic year.

Recipients are selected from applications for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement. A separate application is not required.

A Rutherford Scholar Award is provided to the top ten students who:

1. has qualified for an Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement,
   
   
2. achieves one of the top 10 averages in grade 12 of all applicants within the same application year as those selected for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for High School Achievement, based on diploma examination results in subjects specified by the Minister, as attested to in an Alberta Education transcript, and
   
   
3. completes all grade 12 courses prior to enrolment in post-secondary institution in Alberta or elsewhere.

In calculating the average under (b.) above, only the grade earned for the first writing of a diploma examination is used.

The subjects specified by the Minister of Advanced Education are:

• One of:
  • English Language Arts 30-1, 30-2, or
  • Français 30-1
    
    
• And:
  • Social Studies 30-1 or 30-2
    
    
• Plus any three other subjects:
  • Mathematics 30-1, or 30-2
  • French Language Arts 10-1
  • Biology 30
  • Chemistry 30
  • Physics 30
  • Science 30

Ten scholarships valued at $2,500 are available. In the event of a tie at the tenth recipient, additional scholarships may be provided.