Alberta Student Loans

Alberta student aid is available to Alberta residents using the criteria outlined below.

Full-time loans

  • Apply for full-time loans through your online MyAlberta Digital ID through Alberta Student Aid. You can check the status of your application through your account. Your application will be assessed by your lender.
  • The Student Financial Support can confirm approved loans as early as 30-days before scheduled loan disbursement. Students must be enrolled in full-time studies for all terms of their loan application period before we can complete the confirmation of enrolment.
  • First-time loan borrowers, students who have had a break in full-time studies of more than two years, or students who have received funding through another province/territory must complete and sign the Alberta Student Aid Agreement (ASAA) and the Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA).
    • An ASAA/MSFAA is a one-time loan agreement in which the student agrees to all terms and conditions of their loan.
    • Any undisbursed funding will be cancelled if the MSFAA or ASAA are not received by the service providers or issues with the MSFAAs are resolved prior to the study period end date.
  • Both the ASAA and MSFAA must be processed by the lender before they disburse any funds even if your enrolment has been confirmed.
  • After the Financial Aid Office completes your confirmation of enrolment, Alberta Student Aid will release your funding directly to your personal bank account within seven to ten business days.
  • On occasion, your federal and provincial funds may be disbursed separately. Students who are expecting a loan disbursement should always monitor their MyAlberta Digital ID account to verify that the loan amount disbursed to them is correct. Please contact your lender if you have not received your funds within the quoted timeline.

Part-time loans

  • Apply for part-time loans by downloading a paper application from the Alberta Student Aid ‘Applications and Forms’ page. Enrolment Services completes the Section 5 - Page 3 of the application. Your application can be filled out and added as an attachment in a Service Request through your My UCalgary account. Please indicate which term(s) you would like reflected on the application in the service request.
  • Students who have been approved for loans will be able to see a Student Award Letter (SAL) on their MyAlberta Digital ID account. This important letter outlines approved funding, disbursement dates, loan amounts and details about your next steps. Read this letter carefully as it will assist you in creating a financial plan for the upcoming academic year to ensure all your education and living costs are met.
  • First time applicants will also receive a Notification of Assessment which includes a 10-digit-part-time MSFAA that is to be used to register with the NSLSC. Students must complete their online MSFAA by using the links provided through the NSLSC account. Students will receive a confirmation letter in their NSLSC inbox once this step is completed.
  • The Student Financial Support can confirm approved loans as early as 30-days before a scheduled loan disbursement. Students must be enrolled in part-time studies for all terms of their loan application period before we can complete the confirmation of enrolment.
  • After the Student Financial Support completes your confirmation of enrolment, National Student Loans Service Center (NSLSC) will release your funding directly to your personal bank account within 7-10 business days.

Students with permanent disabilities

If you are a student with a permanent disability, please reach out to Student Accessibility Services to have them fill out a Schedule 4 form as you may be eligible for certain grants. For more information about this process or how a permanent disability is defined, visit the Alberta Student Aid website.

Changes to your application

Students are now able to log in to their Alberta Student Aid account and amend their application program, specialization, year of study, study period or cancel their applications.

Note: If funding is paid, the student should also upload an electronic document from the school’s Registrar’s Office confirming their correct program information. Schools in Alberta must ensure the study period and costs information is in the Provider and Program Registry System.

Request for review

If your circumstances change after you have been approved for funding, you may want to report these changes to Alberta Student Aid. In some circumstances, you may be required to report changes in accordance with your loan agreement. Changes can be reported to Alberta Student Aid by submitting a Request for Review through your Alberta Student Aid account .

What should I report?

  • Change in personal information (marital status, legal name)
  • Change in number of dependent children
  • Change in monthly costs/resources

The institution is obligated to report any changes to your course load that could impact your eligibility for receiving funding to your loan lender. If your confirmation status is ever at risk, you'll receive an email and will also be visible to you on your student portal.