Financial Aid Limitations

Program Length + 1 Limit

Alberta Student Aid follows the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program's 'Periods of Study + 1 Limit'.

Students are eligible for funding for the specified number of years in their program of study, plus one additional year. Students with a documented permanent disability or persistent or prolonged disability are exempt from the Program Length + 1 Limit but are still subject to Lifetime Loan Limits.

Example:

If the Program Length + 1 Limit is not used in completing one program, it may not be carried forward to a subsequent program. Completed study periods in Open Studies count towards the Program Length + 1 Limit.

Open Studies

Students enrolled in studies which are referred to as 'Open Studies' or 'Qualifying Year' may be eligible for student financial assistance for up to one year (12 months) provided:

• the student enters studies following an undergraduate degree, to satisfy prerequisite requirements for a specific graduate program, or
• the student cannot enter into an undergraduate degree and is enrolled in relevant courses.

Funded months of Open Studies will be counted as part of the student's program of study for the program length +1 limit as well as Lifetime Loan Limit policies.

Part-time courses taken through Open Studies are included in the maximum 12 months of funding.

Successive Short-Term Programs

A student who receives funding for two successive short-term programs will not be eligible to receive funding for a third short-term program until a period 18-months has passed. Students who switch between two short-term programs (i.e., who do not complete the first program before moving to another program) will be considered to have been in two short term programs.

The Successive Short-Term Programs policy applies to short-term programs where there is less than an 18-month gap from the last day the student attended full-time studies for which they received funding, to the start date of the following short-term program for which they have applied for funding.

Example: A student takes a 1-year Office Administration program. The same student then enrolls in a Medical Office Administration program. After they complete the Medical Office Administration program, the student decides to take a Hairstyling program. The student may receive funding for the first two programs of study (Office Administration and Medical Office Administration). They will not be eligible for funding for the third program of study (Hairstyling) for an 18-month period. The program the student takes would count whether they complete it or not.

After the 18-month period, returning students may reapply for funding to attend any short-term program of study.

Short-term programs are:

1. any program that that has a program length equal to or less than 12-months, or
2. any program offered at Private Career Colleges, regardless of program length.

Example: A student takes a 2-year program at a Private Career College. The same student then enrolls in a 1-year short-term program the following year. After the second program, the student decides to take a third short-term program at a Private Career College. The student may receive funding for the first two programs of study. They will not be eligible for funding for the third program of study for an 18-month period.

Attendance and Non-Completion

Reg.: Schedule 2, s. 8(1)(e), s. 13 and s.1(n)-(q)

Scholastic Progress (Repeating the Same Year of Study)

Any student who fails to advance by continuing in the same year of study more than twice will lose eligibility for further funding for a period of 18-months. Students with a documented permanent disability or persistent or prolonged disability are exempt, but are still subject to Lifetime Loan Limits. After the 18-month period, returning students may reapply for funding to attend any program of study.

Example: If a student applies for year 1 of a 4-year program three years in a row, the third application for Year 1 will be rejected.

History of Withdrawals or Dropping to Part-Time Studies

Any student who withdraws or drops to part-time studies from two study periods after attending 30 days or more and has received student aid funding will no longer be eligible for further funding for 18 months from the date of their second withdrawal or drop to part-time studies.

After the 18-month period, returning students may reapply for funding to attend any program of study.

Example: First Application – A student starts school in September and is enrolled full-time and receives full-time funding and withdraws or drops to part-time studies in November. Any remaining unpaid funds will be cancelled.

Second Application – The student starts school in January and is enrolled full-time and receives full-time funding and withdraws or drops to part-time studies again in March. Any remaining unpaid funding will be cancelled.

If the student applies again on a third application, the student will not be eligible for further funding for 18 months from March.

Early Withdrawal

Any student who received funding for full-time studies but never attended, dropped to part-time studies or withdrew from studies within 30 days of the program session start date must repay all funding received in relation to that study period. It will be the student’s responsibility to provide documentation of all funds repaid in order to be eligible for further funding.

A student who drops to part-time studies within 30 days of the program session start date and repays all full-time funding received, may submit an application for part-time funding.