Obtaining Designation Status

For information on the designation of programs offered at Alberta publicly-funded post-secondary institutions and private career colleges, please see the relevant sections in this chapter.

All other types of post-secondary programs in Alberta and for educational institutions/programs outside of Canada, designation must be applied for by the educational institution or a student. This is done by submitting a Request Designation Review form. Alberta Student Aid will notify the applicant of the designation request outcome approximately 8 weeks after receipt of the form. As part of the Pan-Canadian Designation Policy Framework, post-secondary programs located outside of Alberta, but within Canada must be designated by their own jurisdictional authority.

Note: Designation reviews may exceed the standard processing times during periods of high volumes or when additional information is required from the student, the institution, or a jurisdictional authority.