Students pursuing post-secondary education in Alberta can apply for loans, grants, and scholarships from Alberta Student Loan. For assistance with tuition, fees, books, and living expenses, students enrolled in programs at accredited private career institutions may be qualified for province and federal student aid. Student funding is not available to students enrolled in non-licensed programs at private career institutions. Let’s dig in deeper to learn more about Alberta Student Loan and make the process of loan easy for International students.
Table of contents
Also Read: Universities in Alberta
Types of Student Aid
A combination of loans and grants are available to qualified full- and part-time students.
- Even if you fail to complete the program, the loan must be repaid after it expires.
- Grants are not repaid unless your eligibility does, which is rare.
- Your financial status and academic standing will determine how much compensation you receive. There are yearly and lifelong loan limits, so unless you lower your balance, you won’t be eligible for any more student loans.
If you apply for student aid, you can lose any additional income support you may be receiving from the Alberta government. Before you apply, get information from your caseworker.
Also Read: Education loan for Canada: Eligibility, Application, Top Banks
Full-time Loans
- Utilise your online MyAlberta Digital ID to submit a full-time loan application to Alberta Student Loan. Through your account, you can look up the current state of your application. Your lender will evaluate your application.
- Before the scheduled loan release date, Student Financial Support may verify that approved loans have been disbursed. Before we can process the confirmation of enrolment, students have to be enrolled in full-time courses for every phase of their application for a loan period.
- Students who are taking out their first loan, have never taken out a loan before, have taken a break from full-time studies for more than two years, or have received funding from another province or territory must fill out and sign the Alberta Student Loan Agreement (ASAA) as well as the Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA).
- An ASAA/MSFAA is a one-time loan arrangement in which the borrower accepts all of the loan’s terms and conditions.
- Any unused funds will be forfeited if the MSFAA or ASAA fails to be received by the service providers or if issues regarding the MSFAAs are resolved prior to the research period’s end date.
- Even if your enrollment has been confirmed, the lender must complete both the ASAA and MSFAA before they pay any money.
- Between seven to ten business days after the Financial Aid Office accomplishes your confirmation of enrollment, Alberta Student Loan will transfer your funds straight to your personal bank account.
- Your federal & provincial monies might occasionally be distributed separately. In order to ensure that the loan amount released to them is accurate, students who are anticipating a loan disbursement ought to monitor the MyAlberta Digital ID accounts. If you weren’t given your funds within the specified timeframe, kindly contact your lender.
Also Read: Education Loans to Study Abroad for Indian Students | Leverage Edu
Part-time Loans
- Download a paper application for part-time loans from the Alberta Student Loan ‘Applications and Forms page. The application’s Section 5 – Page 3 is finished by Enrolment Services. Using your My UCalgary account, you can fill out your application and include it as an attachment to a Service Request.
- A Student Award Letter (SAL) will be available for students whose loan applications have been approved on their MyAlberta Digital ID account. This crucial letter includes information regarding your next steps, approved financing, disbursement dates, loan amounts, and approved funding. Please take the time to read this letter because it will help you make a budget for the upcoming school year that will cover all of your living and educational expenses.
- To register with the NSLSC, applicants who apply for the first time will also receive a Notice of Assessment that includes a 10-digit part-time MSFAA. Students must use the links supplied by their NSLSC account to finish their online MSFAA. Once this phase is finished, students will get a confirmation email in their NSLSC inbox.
- Before a scheduled loan payout, Student Financial Support can confirm that a loan has been granted as early as 30 days in advance. Before we complete the confirmation of registration, students must be engaged in part-time courses for the entirety of their loan application period.
- The National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) will send your funds straight to your private bank account within 7–10 business days after the Student Financial Assistance Programme completes your confirmation of registration.
Also Read: List Of Approved Foreign Universities For Education Loan
Applying for a Student Loan
- Applications for loans become available in mid-June for classes beginning in August.
- Alberta Student Loan accepts applications for both full-time and part-time aid from students who are deemed Alberta residents. You are evaluated for all grants and loans offered by both the federal and provincial governments using a single online application. Applications for the following academic year are made accessible in June, and processing times range from four to six weeks.
- Your eligibility is determined by comparing your costs and resources using a financial need model, as used by the Alberta Student Loan Programme. The equation is:
Education and living costs – Contribution = Financial Need
Application Dates
| Full-time applications | July 5 to 12 |
| Part-time applications | July 4 to 11 |
| Request for Review | July 4 to 11 |
| RFR Schedule 4(Request for Review) | July 13 to 20 |
Student Eligibility
Students who want to receive financial aid through Alberta Student Loan must either:
- A citizen of Canada as defined under the Citizenship Act,
- According to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), a permanent resident;
- According to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act’s (Canada) definition of a protected person.
Also Read: Understanding The Education Loan Application Process
Things to Consider
Given below are a few things to be considered when applying for Alberta Student Loan:
- Investigate the private professional college you intend to enrol in.
- Check to see if the programs on offer fit your career objectives.
- Check the credentials to see if they are reliable enough to advance your career.
- Know both the college’s and your own rights and obligations.
- Find out if the institution and the course of study qualify for student aid.
- Check your eligibility for financial aid for students.
Also Read: Secured Vs Unsecured Education Loans: Which One To Choose And Why?
Protection From Fraud
It’s crucial to safeguard your identity as well as your personal data from fraud or theft. The details you provide when your student loan application are your responsibility.
- On the Alberta Student Loan website, only submit an online application.
- Apply on your own behalf.
- Never allow anyone to apply for financial help on your behalf. Staff and recruiters from private career colleges are included in this.
- Never disclose your bank account information, social security number, or student loan information to someone you do not know.
- Contact the Alberta Student Loan Service Centre at 1-855-606-2096 and select Option 1 if you require assistance.
- Make sure the data you include on the application is accurate and truthful. Giving false or misleading details could result in the cancellation of your funds or legal action.
- If you suspect that you have been the victim of identity fraud or theft, contact Student Aid right away.
Also Read: How To Get Student Loans For Living Expenses And Ways To Use Them!
FAQs
Ans: Anytime prior to or through your study period, you may apply. If you are nearing the conclusion of your course of study, Alberta Student Aid is going to handle the submitted application if it has been submitted at least 30 days prior to the completion of your course of study. The optimum time to apply for a September study period is early July.
Ans: Both the government of Alberta and the government of Canada offer loans and grants to students. For both, you only need to submit one application.
Ans: Your education loans won’t be forgiven unless you are a medical practitioner who meets the exact eligibility requirements.
Hope this blog gave you all the necessary information regarding Alberta Student Loan. Stay in tune with FlyFinance to avail yourself of study abroad loans and international money transfer services. Connect with our finance experts at 1800 572 126 to get end-to-end assistance.
