Sir James Lougheed Award of Distinction

Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid)

Get up to $20,000 for your graduate research studies outside of Alberta — apply between August 1 and November 30.

Published by G Paul · last checked October 23, 2026

Total value

$20,000

Deadline

Nov 30, 2026

Level

Graduate

Open to

Alberta

Apply on the official site ↗

What you will need

Completed application form submitted via Alberta Student Aid account
Official post-secondary transcript with an original signature or seal
Resumé listing all attended institutions, scholarships, awards, publications, and exhibitions
Two reference letters from professors or associate professors
Essay (maximum two pages, single-spaced, minimum 10pt font) describing your program, research/creative goals, and future plans

About this award

You can receive one of 7 awards of $15,000 if you are at the Master's level, or one of 8 awards of $20,000 if you are at the Doctoral level. If you are enrolled in a doctorate program but have not yet completed one year of graduate studies, you are only eligible for $15,000. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you are an Alberta resident pursuing high-level academic research at an institution anywhere in the world outside of your home province. You must apply between August 1 and November 30. No specific notification date is posted publicly — check your Alberta Student Aid account or call their office to confirm when you will hear back about your application. A committee of professors from universities and colleges in Alberta evaluates your application based on your previous academic achievements, your program of study, appraiser evaluations, and your essay. Up to fifteen students may be eligible for these awards each year. Ask Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid) during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. Renewal conditions aren't listed, but you can receive a lifetime maximum of two awards. If you are counting on this for multiple years, confirm with Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid) what you need to maintain to qualify for a second award.

Who qualifies

To qualify, you must be a Canadian citizen, a Permanent Resident of Canada, or have refugee or protected-person status in Canada. Visa students are not eligible. You must also be an Alberta resident, which means one of these must be true: your parent or legal guardian has lived in Canada for 12 consecutive months before you started post-secondary and lives in Alberta; Alberta is the last place you lived for 12 consecutive months before starting post-secondary; or your spouse or partner is an Alberta resident. You must be enrolled full-time for both fall and winter terms at a post-secondary institution outside of Alberta in a master's or doctoral program focused on academic research, such as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). To qualify for a doctoral level award, you must have completed at least one full year of graduate study or a master's degree. Please note that professional doctoral programs focused on practical application, such as Doctor of Medicine or Juris Doctor (law degree), are not eligible.

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

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

How to apply

Read the award's official page
Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.
Order your transcript1–2 weeks
Your school's registrar can take a week or two.
Ask for reference letters2 weeks
Give your referees at least two weeks' notice, and send them your résumé.
Write your essay
Be specific about what you did and what changed because of it. Proofread it twice.
Submit your application
Save a copy, and submit at least a day before the deadline shown above.

Tips for applying

EssayAvoid writing a generic summary of your degree. Instead, provide a detailed description of your proposed study and explain exactly what you plan to achieve during and after your time abroad. Use a font size of at least 10 point and ensure your layout is single-spaced.
ReferencesAvoid choosing references who only know you casually. Instead, select two professors or associate professors who can specifically affirm your research accomplishments and your program of study. Ask them to be explicit about your academic achievements in their letters.
StrategyAvoid submitting photocopied or faxed transcripts. Instead, contact your school registrar to request official transcripts with an original signature or seal. Ensure these are sent directly to Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid).
RealismAvoid assuming this is a guaranteed fund if you are in a professional degree. Instead, double-check that your program is research-focused and not a practical professional degree like medicine or law, as those are strictly excluded.

Questions students ask

How do I apply?

Use the Apply on the official site button on this page: it opens the official application page in a new tab.

When is the deadline?

Applications close on November 30, 2026. Submit a day or two early: application sites get busy at the end.

Can international students apply?

No. You need to be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person.

Similar awards

Share this award

FundMyCourse.ca · checked Oct 23, 2026