Quick Tips

To be eligible for funding from Alberta Student Aid, you must be considered a resident of Alberta. The rules are different for dependent and independent students. See Chapter 2 for the definitions of dependent and independent students.

If you are a dependent student, you are considered a resident if:

At least one parent lives in Alberta on the date in which your study period begins.

If you are an independent student, you are considered a resident if:

Alberta is the last province you have lived in for 12 consecutive months without being a full-time post-secondary student, or
You are attending school in Alberta and have never lived in any Canadian province for 12 months in a row. In this case, submit a Residency History form and/or a letter to explain your residency situation.

Residence Eligibility

You cannot receive student aid from both Alberta and another province or territory for the same time period.

Alberta Student Number

You must enter an Alberta Student Number (ASN) to apply for Alberta Student Aid.

You must enter your ASN on your application. You can find your ASN on your Alberta Transcript of High School Achievement.
If you do not know your ASN or need to request an ASN (if you moved to Alberta from another province or country), visit Alberta's Learner Registry Lookup ASN.
You can also call and ask for a Request for Alberta Student Number form. Due to privacy reasons, ASN's will not be given over the telephone. Call:
- Edmonton Local: 780-427-5318
- Toll free in Alberta: 310-0000

Total income

Total Income, Line 15000 of 2023 income tax return or Expected Total Income for 2024 is used to determine eligibility for federal grants, federal student, parent and spouse/partner contribution amounts. The lesser income amount is used in the calculation. Total Income, Line 15000 of 2023 income tax return is used to determine eligibility for the Alberta Student Grant.

Independent Student Information

If you are an independent student, your total income is used. If you have not filed your income tax return, enter an estimate of your 2023 total income.

Dependent Student Information

If you are a dependent student, your parents’ (and step-parents’) total income is used to determine eligibility for certain loans and grants. To be considered, answer 'yes' to the question 'I wish to be considered for federal grants and loans, and the Alberta Student Grant', and complete Part B of Schedule 1: Parental Information on your original Application for Financial Assistance. If you choose 'no', you may be considered for Alberta student loans only.

Spouse/Partner Information

For Canada student loan and grant eligibility for married/common law students, your spouse/partner may be expected to contribute to your post-secondary education.

The contribution amount is based on family income (Line 15000 of 2023 income tax return or Expected Total Income for 2024) and family size.

If family income is at or below the threshold amount (see Income Thresholds for Canada and Alberta Eligibility), no contribution is expected.
If family income is above the threshold amount, the contribution is calculated at 10% of family income above the threshold amount.

No contribution is expected from spouses/partners who are full-time students, in receipt of Alberta Income Support Benefits, Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), Canada Pension Plan (CPP) disability benefits or Employment Insurance (EI Benefits).

You must complete a Schedule 2: Spouse/Partner Information and provide your spouse’s/partner’s income. If your spouse/partner has not filed an income tax return, enter an estimate of their 2023 total income.

Grant Eligibility

The Total Income you enter from Line 15000 of your 2023 income tax form or Total Income for 2024 affects your grant eligibility for federal grants. The Total Income from Line 15000 of your 2023 income tax form affects your eligibility for the Alberta Student Grant.

The income amount entered for Total Income and Total Income for 2024 affects grant eligibility. If a change to these amounts is submitted after any portion of funding has been paid, grant eligibility will not be reassessed.

Indigenous Heritage

Advanced Education uses the personal information of Canadian First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students (as indicated under Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982) to measure the effectiveness of student aid programs and to research ways to improve Indigenous student success rates.

Declaring your Indigenous heritage is optional. If you declare your Indigenous status on your original application, your eligibility for federal student aid may increase.

Youth in Government Care

If you declare your status as a current or former youth in government care on your original application, your eligibility for federal student aid may increase. Declaring this information is optional.

You may be eligible for the Advancing Futures Bursary. Learn more at alberta.ca.

Attending more than one school

If you’re simultaneously attending part-time at more than one school and your total course load adds up to full-time, this is known as concurrent enrolment. You can apply for student aid as a full-time student.

In this case, you choose one of your schools to be your 'primary educational institution', and you complete your Student Aid application with their information. Once you’ve submitted your application online, upload a Schedule 3 form for Concurrent Enrolment/Exchange Field Study Programs, Part 1.

Include the following information with your submission:

course names, numbers, and course weights (preferably in credits);
study start and end dates; and
all associated costs.

You will be considered concurrently enrolled if the course weights from each institution add up to a full-time course load. Your primary institution will be responsible for confirming your registration. If you have any questions, talk to an advisor at your primary institution.

Full-time Status
If you are registered in at least 60% of a full course load at your primary institution, you do not need to submit a Schedule 3. Instead, apply for full-time funding and only list your primary institution. If you are taking courses at other institutions, submit documentation through Request for Review so these costs can be considered.
Upgrading Credits
You cannot count credits from high school upgrading courses towards a full-time course load.

Program name

Enter the actual name of the program you will be enrolled in as printed in your institution program calendar.

Program Specialization/Major
Enter the actual name of the specialization/major that corresponds to your program as printed in your institution program calendar.

Example 1:
Program: Bachelor of Arts
Program Specialization/Major: Philosophy

Example 2:
Program: Apprenticeship
Program Specialization/Major: Welding

Program length

You are expected to complete your program within the number of years specified by the school, plus one additional year (if required).

For example, if you’re enrolled in a four-year degree program, you are eligible for student aid for five years. If you’re enrolled in a two-year diploma program, you can receive full-time student aid for three years.

When this limit is not used in completing a program or study period, it cannot be carried forward to a subsequent program. Open Studies or a Qualifying Year also count toward this limitation. Students with disabilities are exempt from the ‘program length + one year’ limitation.

Learn more about how the length of your program affects your eligibility for student aid.

To continue receiving student aid, you must make reasonable progress through your program. Below is a list of additional academic progress limits:

Open Studies
Successive short-term programs
Scholastic progress (repeating the same year of study)
History of withdrawals or dropping to part-time
Early withdrawal

Read more about academic progress to determine whether one of these scenarios applies to your situation.

Completion date

Will you complete your program by the period of study end date?

Select 'Yes' if you expect to meet your graduation requirements by the period of study end date on this application.

You can still select 'Yes' if your convocation ceremony will occur after your period of study end date.

Dependent children information

There is a standard budget for child care expenses.

If you and/or your spouse/partner are expecting a child during the 2023-2024 loan year, advise Alberta Student Aid of the actual birthdate of your child by submitting a Level 1: Request for Reconsideration.

You may also qualify for the Child Care Subsidy Program from Alberta Children's Services.

Child support payments

Do not enter child care costs in this field.

In order for child support to be considered, you must provide a copy of the Court Order and:

- proof of payment for the past four months, or
- a copy of Maintenance Enforcement records showing the child support

If no legal documentation is available, you can provide proof of payment and signed statements from both parties detailing child support.

Voluntary contributions from parents

Enter the monthly amount for any money you receive from an RESP. Although contributions based on parental income are not required by Alberta Student Aid, you must report any funding you expect your parents will voluntarily provide.

Employment Insurance

If you are receiving Employment Insurance (EI benefits) and want to keep receiving this benefit while in school, you should get approval from Alberta Seniors, Community and Social Services before your studies begin. Some students may not be eligible to keep EI benefits while attending school.

If you stop receiving EI benefits after applying for student aid, submit a Level 1: Request for Reconsideration.

Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped

If you receive AISH benefits to cover your living costs, you will be considered for the cost of tuition, mandatory fees and books/supplies.

Indigenous Services Canada

Enter funding you receive from the:

Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP)
Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategy
Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategy to eligible First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students

Income from other sources

Students in receipt of Alberta Income Support benefits are not eligible to receive support benefits while receiving student loans and grants to attend full-time post-secondary studies. Students should notify Alberta’s Income Support program of their plans to return to full-time post-secondary studies before applying for student loans and grants.

Education costs for the 2024-25 study period

It is important that you enter all tuition, fees, books, supplies and instrument costs for all terms in the study period for which you are applying for student aid (e.g. Fall and Winter).

Costs for a full course load are determined by your school. If you have higher costs, you must provide documentation from your school.

Computer costs

Enter your actual computer or computer-related costs (including internet) up to a maximum of $500.

Non-registered investments

Includes mutual funds, GICs, stocks, bonds, ETF investments for you and your spouse/partner.

DO NOT include savings or any type of investment in your Registered Accounts: RRSPs, TFSAs, or LIRAs.

Annual resources targeted to your education costs

If you receive gifts or financial contributions from individuals other than your parents, enter the amount in this field. Do not include savings, RRSPs, line of credit or any other resources reported on other fields of the application.

Scholarships, bursaries and fellowships

Scholarships, bursaries, and fellowships do not affect your eligibility for Alberta student loans and grants but are used to calculate your eligibility for Canada student loans and grants (an $1,800 exemption is applied).

Requesting an amount

If you leave this field blank, Alberta Student Aid will do a calculation for you and you will receive the total amount for which you are eligible.

If you want to limit the amount of funding you receive, you may enter a lesser amount in this field.

Keep all documents

You must be able to provide documents related to your costs and resources, if asked. The types of documents include:

Bank Statements
Rental / Lease documents
Utility receipts
All Tax Slips (T4, T4A, etc.), and documents that verify the value of the asset/ investment that generated the interest income, dividends and capital gains that you reported on your income tax return.