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Alberta Student Aid (loans + grants + scholarships via Heritage Scholarship Fund)

Alberta residents: one application at studentaid.alberta.ca covers federal and provincial loans, grants and scholarships. Apply 6 weeks ahead.

Reviewed by G Paul · verified August 31, 2026

Government of Alberta

Administered by

What you will need

Online application via studentaid.alberta.ca (federal + provincial integrated)
Alberta residency proof
Canadian citizenship / permanent residency / protected-person documentation
Proof of acceptance or enrolment at a designated post-secondary institution
Income information (yours; parents' if dependent; spouse's if applicable)
Bank account for direct deposit

About this award

Alberta Student Aid is the Province of Alberta's student financial aid program, administered jointly with the federal Canada Student Financial Assistance Program. Alberta participates fully in the federal program — a single online application via studentaid.alberta.ca assesses you for both federal AND provincial aid in one step. The package combines repayable loans (federal + provincial) with non-repayable grants and scholarships. The provincial component is funded statutorily through the Alberta Heritage Scholarship Fund (governed by the Heritage Scholarship Act), which also funds named scholarships including the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for high school achievement, the Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship, and the Alberta Citizenship Award. URL quirk: the portal is at studentaid.alberta.ca (not alberta.ca/studentaid as some external links suggest); always use the studentaid.alberta.ca URL when applying. Application is rolling throughout the program year — apply at least 6 weeks before classes begin so the federal and provincial assessments complete in time for tuition.

Who qualifies

You qualify for Alberta Student Aid if you (1) are an Alberta resident under provincial residency rules; (2) are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person; (3) are enrolled (or accepted for enrolment) at a designated post-secondary institution — in Alberta or elsewhere in Canada; (4) demonstrate financial need per the integrated assessment. Both undergraduate and graduate students may apply. Trades, college, and university programs all qualify with specific eligibility nuances per program type. Companion scholarship programs (Rutherford, Graduate Excellence, Citizenship Award) have additional layers — consult studentaid.alberta.ca for each.

This is what the award's own page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm with the provider before you apply.

Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person
Open to graduate, trades or undergraduate students
Resident of Alberta

How to apply

Read the award's own page
Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.
Check this year's deadline
We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's own page will have it.

More details

Apply through studentaid.alberta.ca 6+ weeks before classes start — the federal and provincial assessments run in parallel through this single portal.

The Alexander Rutherford Scholarship is a separate named-award stream administered through the same portal — if you're a recent Alberta high school graduate with strong Grade 10/11/12 grades, look at Rutherford as a stackable supplement (sibling entry on FundMyCourse).

Alberta has tightened private-institution eligibility in recent cycles; if you're studying at a private institution outside Alberta, double-check eligibility before assuming the integrated package applies.

For graduate students, the Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship is the key Heritage Fund-administered merit award — separate from Tri-Agency CGRS-D/M.

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