Eligibility Criteria

Citizenship and Immigration Status   

To be eligible for the Northern Alberta Development Bursary, a student must be a:

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

Students must also 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
  Tel: 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 program eligibility requirements to be eligible.

Program Eligibility

To be eligible for the Northern Alberta Development Bursary Program, a student must:

• Be enrolled in a full-time program in a post-secondary institution that is designated for provincial funding.
  • Be registered in a program at least 12 weeks in length to be eligible for half a bursary or 16 weeks in length to be eligible for the full bursary.
  • Preference will be given to students attending a study period of at least two semesters in length if there are more applicants than available bursaries.
  • Students enrolled in apprenticeship classroom instruction, integrated training, pre-employment, or non-credential programs are not eligible.
• Not be in default of an Alberta student loan.
• Be a resident of Alberta for 12 consecutive months before the start of their program.
• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Live and work for one year of full-time employment in northern Alberta for each year of bursary funding.
  • Students have up to six months after graduation to find employment related to their fields of study.

Northern Alberta Development Council Bursaries

SFA Reg.: Schedule 2, s. 17 & 23

The following specialty bursaries fall under the Northern Alberta Development Bursary:

• Northern Alberta Development Council Bursary – a return of service bursary of up to $7,000 per year (for a maximum of two years) for students completing their final two years of post-secondary studies. It is an incentive to encourage students to train for high demand jobs in northern Alberta including education, social work, medical and health, engineering and technical fields.
  
  
• Medical and Dentistry Student Bursary – a return of service bursary of up to $14,000 per year for the full length of the medical program (maximum four years). It is an incentive to encourage Alberta medical or dentistry students to practice in northern Alberta upon graduation.
  
  
• Nurse Practitioner Bursary – a return of service bursary of up to $10,500 per year for the full length of the practitioner program (maximum three years). It is an incentive to encourage nurse practitioners to practice in northern Alberta upon graduation.
  
  
• Pharmacy Student Bursary – a return of service bursary of up to $7,000 per year for the full length of the pharmacy program (maximum four years). It is an incentive to encourage Alberta pharmacy students to live and work in northern Alberta upon graduation.
  
  
• Veterinary Student Bursary – a return of service bursary of $7,000 per year for the full length of the veterinary program (maximum four years). It is an incentive to encourage Alberta veterinary students to live and work in northern Alberta upon graduation.

First Nations Métis and Inuit Bursary

SFA Reg.: Schedule 2, s. 23

The First Nations Métis and Inuit Bursary is a return of service bursary for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students of varying amounts:

• Students in pre-apprenticeship training, or in a certificate or diploma studies can access up to $7,000 for their studies.
  
  
• Students in a Bachelor’s, Masters’ or PhD program can access $11,500 per year for any year of their studies.

Students must provide proof of Indigenous ancestry: a First Nations status card, Métis card, Inuit card, letter from the Band or Métis Settlement, or letter from an Indigenous organization the student is actively involved with.

Bursary Partnership Program

SFA Reg.: Schedule 2, s. 23

The Bursary Partnership Program is a return of service bursary that encourages employers or organizations to invest in northern Alberta by sponsoring post-secondary students.

• The program will match sponsor’s amount of up to $3,500 per student per year. 

Application Process

Application forms are available on the NADB website:

• Northern Alberta Development Bursary Program

For more information, contact the Northern Alberta Development Bursary team:

• Email: bursariesnad@gov.ab.ca

Selection Process

A selection committee chooses recipients based on the pool of applicants and the following criteria:

• program of studies and the demand for career program in northern Alberta,
• knowledge of northern Alberta,
• academic record,
• answers to essay questions, and
• financial need.

Payment

The bursary payment will be made after the recipient signs the return of service agreement and Alberta Student Aid confirms the recipient’s confirmation of eligibility.

Events of Default

A student commits an Event of Default under a return of service agreement if the student:

• does not use the bursary for the purposes of which it was intended;
• is no longer a full-time student in the program of study for which the bursary was given;
• withdraws from their program of study (voluntarily or otherwise);
• fails to maintain a passing grade in the program of study in any academic year;
• fails to notify the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade (JET) of change to the student’s educational status or contact information within 30 calendar days;
• fails to obtain full-time employment in a related field of study within 6 months of completion of their program of study;
• fails to continue the full-time employment for the full amount of the Return of Service Period, unless otherwise approved by the Minister of Advanced Education;
• fails to maintain a full-time residence within the NADC Boundary;
• fails to provide written information regarding the student’s employment status and location of employment and residence; or
• was not entitled to receive all or part of the bursary, as determined by the Minister of Advanced Education.

In the event that the student commits an Event of Default, the student is responsible for paying the Bursary Repayment to the Minister. The Minister may consider any partial fulfillment of the Return of Service Period and reduce the Bursary Repayment on a pro-rata basis.

If the student commits an Event of Default, the Minister of Advanced Education will give written notice to the student advising the student of the amount of the Bursary Repayment and require the student to make the required Bursary Repayment to the Crown.

• If the student has a direct loan, as defined in Schedule 2 of the Student Financial Assistance Regulation, the amount of the Bursary Repayment will be added to the balance of that direct loan.
  
  
• If the student does not have a direct loan, the amount of the Bursary Repayment will be converted to a direct loan that is deemed to be made under Schedule 2 of the Student Financial Assistance Regulation and set the terms and conditions of that direct loan.

Deferral Process

SFA Reg.: Schedule 2, s. 17 & 23

Decision-making authority for the NADB program falls under Advanced Education (AE) and the Student Financial Assistance Regulation Section 17 and 23 – Northern Alberta Development Bursary. Advanced Education works with the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trades (JET) to administer and deliver the program.

A maximum of two deferrals can be granted per student for a maximum of 24 months.

The following outlines the deferral process as established by AE and JET. A deferral request may occur when student is not meeting their obligations under the Return of Service agreement they have signed with the Minister of Advanced Education.

The student may request a deferral of the time to find employment or to complete the Return of Service Period under certain circumstances. The student should contact the JET program officer to request a deferral. 

Tier 1 Deferral Review is completed by Jobs, Economy and Trades (JET):

The Program Advisor at JET has the authority to grant deferrals for the following reasons and length of time:

Change in Field of Studies

Students may change their field of studies while attending post-secondary studies. The new field of studies will be used for return of service provided the new field is in a high or medium demand occupation as listed in the current occupations scoring guide at the time of the change, and not at the time of the award being granted. If the new field of studies does not meet this requirement, the bursary will be converted to a loan and will follow the repayment process of an Alberta student loan.

Tier 2 Deferral Review is completed by Advanced Education (AE):

Any other request that falls outside of those listed in Tier 1 will need to be reviewed to determine if it is an exception that should be made on a case-by-case basis.

After JET has advised the student that they are not meeting the terms of the agreement and their bursary will be sent for repayment, the student may request a review provided there is a special circumstance. 

• Special circumstances may include medical issues or problems, injury, or unique situations where it is not possible to meet the terms of the agreement, or where additional time may be required to find employment in the student’s field of study.
  
  
• A special circumstance does not include the desire to live and work outside of the NADC Boundary.

The student will be asked to provide a request for deferral due to their special circumstances to bursariesnad@gov.ab.ca. The student will need to clearly indicate what they are requesting and provide rationale (e.g., seeking approval to allow employment to be used towards their return of service obligation).