UCP/ Alberta Student Aid Has Scrapped Alberta Student Grants for All Undergraduate Students

After speaking to Alberta Student Aid for the second time, and clarifying the educational requirements it has been discovered that all grants for Alberta students pursuing an undergraduate/bachelors degree have been scrapped. This change comes unannounced and for some students who are the most financially vulnerable, (those who are single parents, or financially responsible for a parent) this results in a loss of $6,000 in grant money. On the web page for Alberta Grants it states that The Alberta Maintenance Grant and The Alberta Low-Income Grant are being amalgamated into the new Alberta Student Grant for Full-Time students and yet it now disqualifies all students enrolled in anything except:

- a one year program including Open Studies and University Transfer,
- an apprenticeship program under the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Act, or
- a graduate level program (masters or doctoral degree)

All students enrolled in a Bachelor's/Undergraduate degree are exempt from receiving this necessary grant, and students who previously relied on this funding for themselves and their families are left with a $6,000 decrease in Alberta Grant funding while still trying to budget with the increased tuition costs. 

The Minister of Advanced Education is Demetrios Nicolaides and can be contacted at 780-427-5777

I urge you to contact your MLA and bring up this issue with them and to share this petition. To find out who your MLA is go to this link and type in your address https://streetkey.elections.ab.ca/ and you can find their contact information!!