The Alberta government has announced an increase to living allowances used to determine eligibility for student aid funding, bringing Alberta in line with the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program.
The revised allowances will cover the cost of essential expenses such as food, clothing, personal needs, transportation, rent or mortgage, and utility costs. This move aims to better reflect the current cost of living, ensuring that financial aid adequately supports students across the province.
According to provincial authorities, these adjustments will bring Alberta in line with national standards, providing students with more accurate financial assistance based on their genuine living costs.
Starting August 1, students who are attending full-time career college programs exclusively online may be eligible for federal loan and grant funding. Those not already covered by federal funding could also qualify for provincial assistance covering tuition and book costs.
However, Alberta Student Aid will no longer provide provincial funding to students attending private career colleges located outside of Alberta, effective August 1, with some exmptions for students in their final year of a progarm that supports sectors with high labour demand like dental hygienist training in Ontario.
