Requirements for Programs at Educational Institutions Outside of Alberta

Upon receiving a request for designation of a program outside of Alberta, the program is reviewed by Alberta Student Aid to determine if it meets Alberta’s designation criteria. Requests for program designation can come from a potential or current student, the institution or from another jurisdiction. The person who made the request will be notified of the outcome of the designation request.

In addition to meeting the Alberta designation requirements for the specific program or institution type above, a program delivered at an educational institution outside of Alberta must meet the following additional criteria to be eligible for Alberta and Canada designation.

Requirements for Educational Institutions Outside of Alberta but Within Canada

In addition to meeting the General Program Designation Requirements and the Alberta designation requirements for the specific program or institution type above, a program delivered at an educational institution outside of Alberta but within Canada must be designated by the educational institution’s home province or territory to be designated for Alberta student loans and grants.

Recognition is given to designated post-secondary programs that are outside of Alberta but within Canada as a result of the Pan Canadian Designation Policy Framework. As part of the Framework, all participating jurisdictions have committed to including a number of common elements in their designation policies to ensure a degree of consistent quality programming in jurisdictions across Canada. Common elements are listed above in the section detailing the Pan Canadian Designation Policy Framework.

Students can check which institutions in Canada are designated by referring to the Master Designation List.

Requirements for Educational Institutions in the United States of America (USA)

In addition to meeting the General Program Designation Requirements and the Alberta designation requirements for the specific program or institution type above, a post-secondary program delivered at an educational institution in the USA must be approved for “Title IV” funding by the United States Department of Education to be designated for Alberta and Canada student loans and grants.

The Federal School Code Search tool can be found on the U.S. Department of Education website. If the institution is available in this database, it is approved for “Title IV” funding.

Requirements for International Educational Institutions

Institution and Program Designation Requirements

In addition to meeting the General Program Designation Requirements and the Alberta designation requirements for the specific program or institution type above, a program delivered at an international educational institution must also meet the following requirements to be designated for Alberta and Canada student loans grants:

  1. The educational institution is approved for student financial assistance or accredited in its home country.
  2. The educational institution must have been in continuous operation for at least two years prior to seeking designation status.
  3. The educational institution is listed in one of the approved international program references.

 Approved International Educational References

International post-secondary educational institutions must be listed in one of the following five references:

Online Resources:

  • Association of Commonwealth Universities
  • International Association of Universities
  • The United States Department of Education, Title IV Funding

Print Resources:

  • International Handbook of Universities (Palgrave MacMillan)
  • Europa World of Learning (Routledge Publications)

Designation for Accredited International Medical Programs

Institution Designation Requirements

To be designated for Alberta and Canada student loans and grants, an educational institution must be:

  1. approved for student financial assistance or accredited in home country,
  2. listed in one of the approved international educational references, and
  3. listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Program Designation Requirements

To be designated for full-time Alberta and Canada student loans and grants, an international medical program must meet the following requirements:

  1. be recognized by appropriate authorities or offered by a fully accredited educational institution,

    Students should check with the higher education authorities in the country the program is being offered if they have any questions.
  2. be post-secondary in nature and result in a certificate, diploma or degree credential,
  3. be a program of 12 weeks or more in length,
  4. if the Minister considers the employment of graduates to be relevant, the potential for employment for graduates of the program is acceptable to the Minister, and
  5. have been in continuous operation for at least ten years.