Government aid for students include grants and loans to help full-time and part-time students cover the cost of post-secondary education, including tuition, books, living expenses and more.
- Grants don’t need to be paid back.
- Loans do need to be repaid after you finish school.
- Your province will assess your eligibility for grants automatically when you apply.
Note: If you are an Academic Upgrading, English as an Additional Language, or Transitions to Employment student, you are ineligible for this funding, and need to apply for funding through the Foundational Learning Assistance Program instead.
Not sure how to get funding? Find important information about where and how to apply.
Who can get student aid in Canada?
To be eligible for a Canada Student Loan or Grant, you must:
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have protected person status
- Have been accepted into a qualifying post-secondary program
- Can demonstrate that you need financial help to pay for school
General information about student loans and grants
Need to learn more about Student Aid in Alberta? Alberta Student Aid has you covered with their Loans and Grants Funding Guide.
Resources for managing or repaying your student loans
Connecting with us
Questions about applying for financial assistance?
There are multiple options available for you to connect including via phone, email or in person. Book an appointment with a student advisor—choose from in-person, virtual or phone meetings.
Hours of operation
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Drop-in
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 8:30 am - 11:00 am
Thursday: 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Visit us at the Student Service Centre, CELT, Main Lobby. View our campus map.
Drop-in time availability is subject to change.
Online
Phone
Call us at 780.644.6000 to book an appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for loans for Spring or Summer semesters?
Yes, include semester details in your application and Service Request comments.
In Alberta, applications for spring/summer student aid open in March, but other provinces have different processes and timelines. If you areplanning to study in spring/summer, connect with us in February to get started on the process.
Do I need to reapply each year?
Yes, you must reapply each year to receive funding for the upcoming school year, which runs from August 1 to July 31.How do I know to apply for full-time or part-time funding?
Your status as a full-time or part-time student depends on the number of courses you are taking. Apply for:
Full-time funding if you’re taking:
- At least 60% of a full course load, or
- At least 40% if you have a permanent disability.
Part-time funding if you’re taking:
- Less than 60% of a full course load, or
- Less than 40% if you have a permanent disability.
To find out what counts as a full-time course load for your program, check the Costs and Courses tab on your program’s webpage. If you aren't sure, consult with the Alberta Student Aid website for more details on eligibility, or connect with a student advisor at NorQuest.
How do I know which province to apply through?
It depends on your residency status. Check the how to apply page for the guidelines for independent or dependent students.I need to provide my tuition, mandatory fees, books costs and study dates on my student aid application. Where do I find this?
- If you are already enrolled you can find information about tuition, fees and study dates on your MyQuest account.
- If you have not yet enrolled, you can find the fees estimates on the Costs and Courses tab of each program webpage.
- A list of books and their prices can be found on the The Core's website.
The government says NorQuest needs to confirm my enrolment. Why haven't you confirmed my enrolment yet?
NorQuest College is unable to confirm your loan until we receive a request from the government, 30 days before your classes start. We will confirm your enrolment within 21 of receiving the request from government.What happens if I change my course load while getting student aid?
If you switch from full-time to part-time studies (or drop courses), you might lose your funding. Any future payments could be canceled.
Your school will automatically let your lender know about changes after the add/drop deadline and up until the course withdrawal deadline.
We strongly recommend speaking with a Financial Aid Advisor before dropping any courses—they can help you understand how it may affect your funding. It's also a good idea to connect with a Retention Advisor to discuss any changes to your course plan.