History of the Access Fund

Established in 1995 through a referendum vote by the students at the University of Alberta, the Students' Union Access Fund is a unique program through which bursaries are made available to University of Alberta students in financial need.

The Access Fund exists to bridge the gap between public student financial assistance programs and legitimate financial hardship to enable undergraduate students to continue their education. Supported by student contributions of $14.37 per term ($6.32 in the Spring and Summer terms), the Access Fund is truly a 'students-helping-students' initiative.

The Fund targets those students with the greatest need and seeks to provide sufficient rather than cosmetic assistance. The Access Fund is audited annually and an annual report is available upon request.