Undergraduate financial aid application process

General information for all undergraduate applicants

If you are an undergraduate student planning to attend AU and apply for government student financial assistance, there is important information for you to know.

Before applying for government student financial assistance, the following steps should be followed:

1. Apply to become an AU student or already be one.
2. Wait to receive acceptance into your desired program of study.
3. Transfer credit evaluation completed if requested.
4. Review AU's Support Services to access a number of student support services.
5. For assistance with assessing your readiness to attend AU as a full-time student, complete the Full-time readiness assessment, or if you need help with career choices, contact a specialist through our contact page.
6. If you experience barriers to studying efficiently at AU due to a disability, please contact Accessibility Services. Get more information on attending AU as a funded student with disabilities and full-time status for students with permanent disabilities.

Full-time students

As a full-time undergraduate AU student, follow these steps to apply for your loan:

1. Students apply online for financial assistance from their home province. Your home province is the province you lived in for 12 consecutive months before becoming a full-time student. 
   • Processing of applications may take up to 12 weeks from the time that complete documentation is submitted. Students must apply by the application deadline.
   • Funding approval is due at least 1 month before the start date with no holds or reviews. This is a requirement for all students seeking to attend AU as full-time funded students. Students not approved by the deadline for the desired start date will need to reapply.

Once you have applied for your student loan, you will need to complete the Full-Time Course Registration Plan.

Your specialist will register you for your courses provided funding approval is in place 1 month prior to the start date of the study period.

Part-time students

Your home province is where you have most recently lived for 12 consecutive months while not attending as a full-time post-secondary student. If you are an undergraduate student studying part-time, use the following steps when applying for your funding:

1. Submit a Student Financial Aid Course Registration Plan for part-time studies.
2. Complete and submit the application form as per your provincial funding agency.
3. Students applying for part-time student financial assistance must self-register by the 10th of the month before the study period start date. 
   
   • The deadline is 2 months before the desired start date or no later than 3 months before the contract end date of applicable courses.
   • If the course is complete, with final grades posted, it is too late to apply for funding.
   • Before submitting your request, all previous part-time funded courses must have been successfully completed, with the final passing grade(s) posted.
   • Minimum of one 3-credit course to a maximum of three 3-credit courses for 6-month semester.
   • You may apply for only 1 semester per funding period (not multiple semesters).
   • Courses applicable to the part-time study period must start on the same date.
   • Re-registration, 0 credit, audit, challenge, and courses that have previously been awarded credit are not eligible for funding.

When do I have to apply for my student loan?

You must submit a Student Financial Aid Course Registration Plan and apply for funding by the required date. Completing the 2 steps below will initiate critical processes including the completion of provincial or territorial program information forms and the confirmation of enrolment forms by AU and your funding agency. See the start dates, application open dates, and deadlines corresponding to your studies.