Eligibility Criteria

Applicants to the Access Fund are required to meet the following criteria:

Must be current U of A undergraduate students who have paid SU fees. Only undergraduate Students' Union members may use the Access Fund.

Have demonstrated financial need based on a modest standard of living and the Access Fund monthly guidelines:

*Does not include $530 per child

Have borrowed the maximum available in government student loans, or not have access to or have been denied such funds, and have exhausted all other funding sources, with the exception of lines of credit and credit cards.

Have paid into the Access Fund and not opted-out for the term applying in.

Are in satisfactory academic standing (as determined by faculty).

Contribute a minimum of $1350 towards school expenses either through summertime savings or part-time earnings during the academic year.

Maintain employment: students are expected to contribute to the cost of their education through part-time work wherever their course loads and schedules allow.

Have not defaulted on government student loans or University of Alberta emergency student loans.

Provide current bank statements from accounts in their possession.

Please note that the Access Fund was not intended to provide funding for students on a regular basis. The maximum lifetime limit a student may now receive is $6,000.

What if I don't meet the above criteria, but am still in financial need?

Students who do not meet the above criteria and wish to be considered should submit a letter with their application, detailing their exceptional circumstances; the Selection Committee will decide based on the information provided. In no circumstance will any applicant who is not an undergraduate student or who has not paid Students' Union fees be considered.