Alumni Professional Development Grants
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Alumni Professional Development Grants help University of Alberta alumni achieve their career growth goals by removing financial barriers to high-quality, meaningful career education and personal growth opportunities offered by the UAlberta and its partners.
This grant provides funding for alumni to participate in courses and activities that will help them:
- Develop leadership skills
- Explore career opportunities
- Learn about professional practices in different cultures and contexts
- Establish and expand professional networks
- Reflect critically on their career interests and aspirations
- Develop new skills including, but not limited to:
- Career Management skills: skills needed to navigate the workplace
- Discipline-specific skills: skills specific to certain occupational fields
- Generic skills: using technology, written and verbal communication, leadership
- Self-management skills: goal-setting, time-management, self-assessment, reflexivity
Who can apply:
Any alumnus of the University of Alberta.
What's covered?
Up to $500 maximum of the registration fee for any individual course, event or activity offered by the University of Alberta or its affiliates. No grants will be given above $500. No individual may receive more than $1000 in a single fiscal year (April 1 - March 31).
Eligible activities:
The registration fee for any individual course or activity that contributes to your professional development or career growth goals, offered by the University of Alberta or its partners, that is not for academic credit. This may include, but is not limited to, courses, events or activities offered by:
- Continuing & Professional Education at Online and Continuing Education
- Transition to Career (T2C) program at The Career Centre
- Augustana Extended Education
- Continuing Professional Education at the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
- The Technology and Training Centre (TTC)
- Faculty of Native Studies Continuing Education (exclusions: Indigenous Canada MOOC and the Certificate in Indigenous Governance and Partnership)
If you are unsure if your course is eligible, please contact us at alumcar@ualberta.ca.
Ineligible activities:
- Any course/activity for which you will receive academic credit
- Any course/activity where you will be paid for your participation
- Any course/activity that is not offered at the University of Alberta
- Programs or certificates, unless otherwise specified (please apply for individual courses only)
- The cost of travel to attend the course/activity
- Courses that have already begun, transpired or been paid for prior to notification date (see below for further details). Grants will not be awarded retroactively or for reimbursement. Applicants are encouraged to apply early.
Selection Criteria:
Applications are assessed by a sub-committee of Alumni Council based on the following criteria (the scoring rubric is attached to the grant application, please tailor your application appropriately):
- The clarity of the explanation of the applicant's professional development/career growth goals
- The value of the course/activity in helping the applicant achieve their career goals
- Quality of application package (clear, concise writing, thoughtful and reflexive professional development/career growth goals, reasonable expectations regarding outcomes of the course/activity)
- Financial need
Application and Notification dates (2023 - 2024 calendar year):
All grant applicants will be notified of their application status by email on the notification date that follows their application deadline (approx. two weeks after deadline - see chart below). Your course must begin after this notification date to be deemed eligible for the grant.
If requested, general feedback on your application may be provided by the Alumni Career Services staff but the names of the adjudication committee will remain confidential.
This is a program with a defined budget. This website will be updated and no further applications will be accepted once the budget has been fully allocated.
| Application Deadline | Course start cut off date (notification date) |
Status |
| June 28, 2023 | July 12, 2023 | Applications Closed |
| July 26, 2023 | August 9, 2023 | Applications Closed |
| August 30, 2023 | September 13, 2023 | Applications Closed |
| September 27, 2023 | October 11 2023* | Accepting Applications |
| October 25, 2023 | November 8, 2023 | |
| November 29, 2023 | December 13, 2023 | |
| December 27, 2023 | January 10, 2024 | |
| January 31, 2024 | February 14, 2024 | |
| February 28, 2024 | March 13, 2024 | |
| March 27, 2024 | April 10, 2024 | |
| April 24, 2024 | May 8, 2024 | |
| May 29, 2024 | June 12, 2024 | |
| June 26, 2024 | July 10, 2024 | |
| July 31, 2024 | August 14, 2024 | |
| August 28, 2024 | September 11, 2024 |
*Your course start date must be after this cut off date, which is the date you will be notified if your application was successful or not, or your application will be considered ineligible.
Payment Details:
If your application is successful, your grant funding will be paid directly to the course/activity provider. Grants will not be awarded retroactively or for reimbursement. Please apply early, to ensure there is time to notify you that your application has been selected and to process payment before your course begins.
Questions? Contact:
alumcar@ualberta.ca