Calgary 
Alberta students will be able to apply for more than $107 million in scholarships, awards and bursaries beginning Aug. 4 through Alberta Student Aid.
The funding, available for the 2026-27 school year, is expected to support about 50,400 students. Unlike student loans, scholarships, bursaries, grants and awards do not need to be repaid, which can help learners complete post-secondary programs with less debt.
One of the expanded programs is the New Beginnings Bursary, aimed at helping low-income students enter high-demand programs. The bursary will support 2,400 students in 2026-27, up from 1,000 the previous year.
Per the news release, its total allocation is also increasing by $7 million, bringing available funding to $12 million.
“Investing in students is an investment in Alberta’s future,” said Myles McDougall, Minister of Advanced Education. He said the financial supports reduce barriers, recognize achievement and help students gain skills needed in Alberta’s workforce.
Heritage Scholarships will continue to provide another source of non-repayable assistance. These awards are funded through investment income from the Alberta Heritage Scholarship Endowment.
The Alexander Rutherford Scholarship, which recognizes high school achievement, provided almost $50 million to more than 24,000 students in 2025-26.
Joe Lougheed, chair of the Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation, said the scholarship endowment was created to produce long-term benefits for Albertans while supporting education and student achievement.
This year, applications for 20 scholarships and awards are moving online. The change is intended to make the process easier to access and bring more of the province’s student funding programs into one digital system.
Students can review the available options through Alberta Student Aid and apply for funding that matches their education plans starting Aug. 4.
Separate loan and grant applications opened June 3. Students considering those supports are advised to apply at least 60 days before their program begins.
In total, more than $1 billion in student aid is available in Alberta this year.
