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Q.3.1 Government Student Loans

The Financial Aid office facilitates the confirmation and disbursement of approved government student loans to enable students to receive their funding.

Student loans are available to Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are studying full- or part-time in a degree-granting program.

Students apply for loans through their home province/territory of residence (not the province where you will be attending university) and are considered for both federal and provincial loans and a variety of grants. Applications become available online in mid-June for any program starting on or after August 1st of the same year. Loan applications take 4-6 weeks to process.

Loans: are determined and awarded based on financial need. Loans remain interest free while studying full-time but must be repaid upon graduation or any break in study longer than 6 months.

Grants: are determined and awarded based on financial need and other criteria. Grant eligibility is automatically assessed with a student loan application. Grants do not have to be repaid.

Alberta Students

Alberta residents who require financial assistance to pursue post-secondary education may obtain student loans by applying online through Student Aid Alberta. Students submit one loan application and may be eligible to receive any combination of Federal loans, provincial loans and grants.

Students with questions about loan eligibility and the application process can contact Student Aid Alberta directly for more information.

Student Aid Alberta
Box 28000 Station Main
Edmonton, AB T5J 4R4
Telephone: 1-855-606-2096
Website:

Out-of-Province Students

Students who reside in a province other than Alberta are eligible for government student loan funding and can apply through their home province or territory of residence. Students submit one loan application and may be eligible to receive any combination of Federal loans, provincial loans and grants.

Students with questions about loan eligibility and the application process can contact their provincial loan office directly for more information. Additional information can also be found on the Federal CanLearn website.

National Student Loan Service Centre (NSLSC)
PO Box 4030
Mississauga, ON L5A 4M4
Telephone: 1-888-815-4514
Website:

Part-Time Students

The Federal government offers loan and grant funding options for part-time students. Loans are interest bearing and can be approved to cover tuition, general fees, books and supplies (educational costs) only. Federal grants for high need part-time students are awarded on the basis of financial need and provide for tuition, fees, books, transportation, child care and incidentals. Visit the Federal CanLearn website for more information ().

Additionally, Alberta loan borrowers can access a provincial grant of up to $600.00 per academic term. These grants are awarded to Alberta residents on the basis of financial need, and are intended to help cover the costs of tuition, books, child care and travel if required. Students must apply using a paper loan application and must have the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓÆµµ¼º½ complete one section of the application before it can be submitted to Student Aid Alberta for consideration. Visit the Student Aid Alberta website for more information and to obtain a paper application ().

For all other provinces, part-time student loans may be available. Please contact your provincial lender for further information.

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