Frequently Asked Questions

Join us at Virtual Open House 2020!

Thursday, October 15, 2020 - Saturday, October 17, 2020

• Day 1 | Thursday, October 15, 2020 from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
• Day 2 | Friday, October 16, 2020 from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
• Day 3 | Saturday, October 17, 2020 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

It’s the most exciting day to explore the U of A! Digitally explore campus, learn about our 200+ program options, discover student life, and so much more! Virtual Open House is your chance to meet and ask questions of our U of A campus community.

Pre-registration is required for this event! Check back on September 28 to register and view the full event schedule.

All in-person events have been cancelled until further notice, however the University of Alberta is offering a number of virtual events as replacement. Check out Online Events for information on other virtual events happening for prospective high school students and for other upcoming online events.

The University of Alberta is also now offering one-on-one virtual advising sessions for prospective high school students. Chat with an advisor and learn about program options, admission requirements, and the application process. Learn more and book your advising session here. 

Student Connect also offers Virtual Live Advising sessions, check out the schedule here (at the bottom of the page).

If you have not received your temporary PIN or want to get your PIN reset, please send us an email request from your personal email on file or UAlberta email address. We will resend the PIN to you. 

If you need to reset your CCID password, please visit the Information Services and Technology website. You must first enrol in the Self Service Password Reset function to add alternate email/phone number, after which you will be able to reset your password using the Reset Your Password option.

After you have submitted your application, you will have access to the UAlberta Launchpad portal to check your application status and review any checklist items for your program. If your application states that it’s pending review, then that means an advisor is currently reviewing your application. Launchpad is the first place that any updates will be posted. You will be notified by email when there are updates posted. If we require any further information or documents, we will contact you directly. 

Please note that we are unable to give you an application evaluation update or a specific timeline by email or live chat. Admissions offers are released on a rolling basis, as evaluations are completed.

Open Studies is a part-time student classification that allows students to take courses for credit without pursuing a degree program. The only requirement for admission to Open Studies is English Language Proficiency. This requirement is outlined in the University Calendar. The deadline to submit documents is the same as the application deadline for the term. A non-refundable and non-transferable application fee of $125 is required for new applicants.

Applications for admission to Open Studies are accepted each term. Deadlines are published in the U of A Calendar.

• Fall Term: August 25
• Winter Term: December 15
• Spring Term: April 30
• Summer Term: June 30

Decisions regarding student fees for the 2020-21 academic year have now been finalized. This information is available on our website, and notices will be sent on August 10 to let students know that their tuition and fee assessment is available in Bear Tracks. 

Please note the following changes to non-instructional fees for Fall 2020:

• Athletics and Recreation Fee: Assessed at 70% of the approved fee 
• Student Health and Wellness Fee: Assessed at 100%
• Student Academic Support Fee: Assessed at 100%
• UPASS Fee: No charge
  • The student associations are continuing to work with the transit authorities on an alternative for fall.
• PAW Centre Fee: No charge

Payment options

There are several payment options available; these options can vary depending on what type of student you are and what type of fee or deposit you are paying. For a detailed breakdown, please see the Deadlines and Payment Instructions page on the Admissions & Programs website. 

Once processed, payments applied to your account can be viewed in BearTracks under "Financials", by clicking on "Account Details" and selecting the correct term. Please note that payments can take several business days to process.

Payment deadlines

Payment deadlines for tuition fees, as well as other types of fees and deposits, are outlined in the Academic Schedule in the University Calendar (scroll down to see the Fall and Winter terms). Key dates and deadlines for each term are also published on the Registrar’s Office website.

Instalment Charge. What is this? 

If you wait until the Winter term payment deadline to pay your Winter tuition fees, you will be assessed a $40 Installment Charge. You can avoid paying this charge by paying for both your Fall and Winter tuition fees by the Fall term payment deadline. Similarly, if you are taking courses in the Spring and Summer semester, you can avoid the $40 Installment Charge by paying for both your Spring and Summer tuition fees by the Spring term payment deadline. 

Questions?

If you have additional questions or experience difficulties in making your payments, please view our Frequently Asked Questions or contact Financial Services for assistance.

There are some fees (SU dedicated fees and Health & Dental plan) that you may be able to opt out of. 

For information on how to change coverage, including opting out of the plan by the Fall Term deadline, or how to enroll if you are a new Winter Term student, please visit studentcare.ca.

Additional information about non-instructional fees and opt-out processes can be found here.

You can find a description of all the fees collected and what they go towards on our non-instructional fees page (near the bottom). Take a look at all of the services and supports that are offered at the Current Students page.

Students are only being charged 70% of the Athletics & Recreation fee due to some reduction in access. Our facilities have reopened as of August 17, 2020, including the fitness centre, swimming pool, climbing wall, and more.  Van Vliet Complex General Building Hours can be found here. To schedule or cancel a drop-in, please visit www.activityreg.ualberta.ca.

Campus & Community Recreation continue to encourage everyone to focus on staying physically active and mentally well while adjusting to our new remote routines and physical distancing. Check out their online resources and workouts you can use while you're at home here.

The Athletics and Recreation fee is a mandatory access fee charged to all students to allow access to Athletics and Recreation services whether you use it or not. The non-instructional fees support the administration of services on campus and are not assessed as a user fee.

No, mandatory non-instructional fees cannot be appealed. These fees are approved by the Board of Governors. There are some fees (SU dedicated fees and Health & Dental plan) that you may be able to opt out of. 

Information about non-instructional fees can be found here.

You are now able to access a proof of registration to access RESP funds by yourself. Please download an official Enrollment Verification document from your BearTracks account and send it to your RESP provider. RESP companies have confirmed that they accept this document as an official confirmation of your registration, and there is no requirement to fill out the form.

To access your Enrollment Verification Form:

• log in to BearTracks
• Click on "Academics"
• Click on "Verification Documents"
• Select "Enrollment Verification"
• Select "Undergraduate" under "Academic Career" and "Fall 2020/Winter 2021" under "Term"
• Check the "Print online" box and click on "Print"
• This will generate a PDF with your registration information. Make sure you have pop-up blocker disabled on your browser, as this will open in a new window
• We recommend that you register for courses for both the fall and winter semesters prior to generating this document, so it will show your enrollment for the full academic year

Student Connect can assist you with your loan application and advise you on how to manage your loans and pay for your education. Check out our website here for details.

Student loans are administered by the provincial and federal governments. When you apply for your provincial loans, you will be simultaneously assessed for federal funding.

Student loans are interest-free and payment-free during the period of study, followed by a six-month grace period. 

Part-time student loans require using the paper application form from Student Aid Alberta. Once your loan application is complete, you will need to get Page 3 of the form signed by Student Connect, or the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research if you are a graduate student. Once the application is complete you will need to send it to Student Aid Alberta.

Some provinces / territories may allow you to apply for grant funding without taking out a student loan. If you would like to apply for grant funding only, please watch our instructional video here or talk to your provincial loan borrower for more information.

If you are applying for a student loan through Alberta Student Aid you will answer this question "No" even if some or all of your classes will be delivered online this fall. 

Student loan borrowers from other provinces should check with their province about how to report this on the student loan application.

Student loan borrowers from Alberta will not be required to report CERB or CESB anywhere on the student loan application as a resource. 

Do not include the CESB/CERB in your estimation of the Expected Reduced Income for yourself, parents or spouse. 

Student loan borrowers from other provinces should check with their province about how to report these on the student loan application.

You will only answer this question if your estimate that your income for 2020 will be less than it was for 2019.  This question is a way to recognise that you may not have the same income while you're in school as you did last year. If you expect your income to be the same or higher just leave this question blank. 

Do not include the CESB/CERB in your estimation of the Expected Reduced Income for yourself, parents or spouse.

If you have any outstanding tuition fees, your award payments will be applied directly to your tuition balance first.  If you are registered full time in both terms, the value of your awards will be split in half, with 50 per cent of the award applied to your tuition account for the Fall Term and the other 50 per cent applied to your tuition account for the Winter Term.

Students will start seeing your awards as "Anticipated Aid" in Bear Tracks by the end of August.

If you have applied for Alberta Student Loans, please ensure that you check your application on your Student Aid Alberta portal to identify any possible discrepancies along with your registration. If you cannot identify any discrepancies, please use our contact form and one of our advisors can assist you.

After the registration deadline, you cannot drop or swap courses; you can only withdraw. (Note that there is also a withdrawal deadline). Withdrawals can be processed in Bear Tracks. Some withdrawals will be processed immediately, while others may require faculty review. Continue to attend classes until you have confirmation in Bear Tracks that your withdrawal has been processed.

For two-term A/B classes, between the end of the first term and the registration deadline for the second term you must go to your faculty office and complete a paper withdrawal form. Dropping the B-portion of a class will not automatically withdraw you from the A-portion during this time period, and you cannot withdraw from the A-portion on Bear Tracks once that term has ended.

For more information, please see the Withdrawals webpage or consult with your faculty.

You will be able to order your textbooks and course materials through the UAlberta Bookstore for in-person pick up or to be shipped. Please check their website for information on these options. 

Library resources can be accessed online, off-campus, and some are available for curbside pick up. Please check the Libraries website for up-to-date information.

The Students’ Union also hosts a Used Book Registry. Please consult your course syllabus before purchasing a used book to ensure you are purchasing the correct book/edition for your course.

The office of Accessibility Resources (AR) provides an array of services and supports related to mobility, vision, hearing, learning, and physical and mental health.

The University of Alberta is committed to accessibility for all students and staff.  Most of our buildings, classrooms, and grounds are physically accessible, with ground-level entrances, door paddles, elevators, and accessible washrooms.  For more information please visit the Accessibility Resources office website.

If you are an Open Studies student, Student Connect can assist you. 

For graduate academic program questions, please contact your department.

For undergraduate academic program questions, please contact your Faculty Student Services office. The things they can help with include:

• Program / Degree planning and checklists
• Course selection / registration
• Declaring / Changing major
• Academic Standing
• Academic Appeals
• Exams - Deferred and Re-exam
• Transfer Credit
• Document requests (Letter of Permission, Letter of Completion, Certificate application)
• Graduation Requirements
• Internships/Co-ops
• Prospective Student Advising
• Career Advising
• Applying for graduation after the deadline has passed for November convocation