GSA Child Care Grants

The GSA Child Care Grant helps offset the cost of child care for graduate students at the University of Alberta.

To prepare for the next funding period, carefully review the relevant GSA Policy and eligibility criteria for the GSA Child Care Grant below. E-mail gsa.grants@ualberta.ca if you have any questions.

On the application form, you will be asked to provide:

  • Academic and employment information for yourself and your spouse/partner (if applicable);
  • Your gross yearly household income for the previous 12 months (for example, if you are applying in September 2021, please provide 12 months of income from September 2020 to August 2021); and,
  • The names and ages of all you children.
  • Click here to view a sample form.

Once you have submitted an application, you will be asked to provide additional information via email, including:

  • A current fee assessment from Beartracks (or equivalent) for yourself, and for a spouse/partner who is a student;
  • Photocopies of birth certificates for all children listed in the application; and,
  • Proof of income for EACH parent such as:
    • Your most recent pay cheque statement from Beartracks
    • Your most recent pay cheque statement from other employment outside of the U of A
    • Your spouse/partner's most recent pay cheque statement
    • Any statement of EI benefits you might be receiving
    • If you do not have pay cheque information, we will also accept a letter from your employer stating your yearly salary, a letter from your department indicating the value of your annual stipend and/or scholarship(s), or your most recent T4/T4A (tax statement)

GSA Policy, GSA Grant Application Policy and Information, GSA Child Care Grants (quoted directly from GSA Bylaw and Policy):

P.POL.2.1 Purpose
P.POL.2.1.a The GSA Child Care Grant (GSA CCG) is funded by the Graduate Student Support Fund, a GSA-negotiated benefit to all GSA members.
P.POL.2.1.b The GSA CCG is intended to help offset the cost of child care for GSA members.
P.POL.2.2 Eligibility
P.POL.2.2.a Applicants must be GSA members as per GSA Bylaw and Policy, Sections B.BYL.1.a and B.BYL.1.1.b.
P.POL.2.2.b Applications must relate to dependent children under eighteen (18) years of age
P.POL.2.2.c Total gross household income cannot exceed the cut-offs listed below. Applicants paying their own tuition fees may deduct these fees from the total income:

Household Size
(Adults + Children)
Low Income Measure
[Cut Off] (2016)
2 $36,000
3 $44,000
4 $51,000
5 $57,000
6 $63,000
P.POL.2.2.d

There is no limit to the number of GSA CCG applications a GSA member can submit during their degree program.

P.POL.2.2.e Applicants may apply for one (1) GSA CCG per child in each fiscal year and the GSA CCG will be a maximum of $1,000 per child per graduate student in each fiscal year.
P.POL.2.3 Allocation
P.POL.2.3.a GSA CCGs are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
P.POL.2.3.b The GSA will offer grants until allocated funding is expended in the specified period (ie 1 April – 30 June; 1 July – 30 September; 1 October – 31 December; 1 January – 31 March).
P.POL.2.3.c If all available funds have been expended in the specified period, no additional applications will be accepted during that period.
P.POL.2.4 Applications
P.POL.2.4.a Applications must be completed online through the GSA website.
P.POL.2.4.b Applicants are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of their application.
P.POL.2.5 Procedures
P.POL.2.5.a Funds will normally be distributed as follows:
P.POL.2.5.a.i 5% of the total annual GSA CCG budget will be held back as contingency funding and
P.POL.2.5.a.ii The remaining annual budget will be divided equally amongst the four (4) granting periods noted in Section P.POL.2.3.b, above.
P.POL.2.5.a.iii If the funds have not been completely expended near the end of the fiscal year, a decision will be made by the GSA Board on the best way to expend the funds.
P.POL.2.5.b Under delegated authority from the Vice-President Student Services (VPSS), applications will be reviewed and processed by the GSA office.
P.POL.2.5.c Applicants who are ineligible or whose application is incomplete will be contacted by email to provide an opportunity to attempt to resolve the issue.
P.POL.2.5.d Questions concerning the interpretation of GSA CCG Policy will be decided upon by the VPSS.
P.POL.2.5.d Applicants will be notified by the GSA by email once processing has been completed and a decision has been made.
P.POL.2.6 Appeals
P.POL.2.6.a Any appeals of denied applications must be received by the VPSS, with a copy to the Executive Director (or delegate) within ten (10) working days from the date on which the denial of the application was issued.
P.POL.2.6.b Appeals must state the grounds for the appeal in writing.
P.POL.2.6.c Appeals will be heard based on the material submitted by the applicant and any associated response concerning the denial of the application.
P.POL.2.6.d Appeals will be heard by a Directly-Elected Officer (DEO), excluding the VPSS, and two (2) GSA Councillors or GSA Council-Elected Officers selected by the President (or other DEO if there is a conflict of interest).
P.POL.2.6.e Appeal decisions will normally be made within twenty (20) working days of the receipt of an appeal.
P.POL.2.6.f All decisions concerning appeals are final and binding.

The above is an excerpt from GSA Bylaw and Policy, Section P: GSA Grants, Awards and Bursaries, GSA Policy, GSA Grant Application Policy and Information, GSA Child Care Grants. The full Policy can be found in GSA Bylaw and Policy; if there are any discrepancies between the above excerpt and the most current, GSA Council-approved Policy, the Policy referred to in the above link will take precedence.

GSA Child Care Grant Form