151 questions, each routed to whoever can answer it

Quick routing rule: International Student and Visitor Services (ISVS) for international-student immigration and settlement questions; the Student Service Centre (SSC) for records, registration, fees, and general student-service routing; the University of Alberta Students' Union (UASU) for undergraduate advocacy, student services, health/dental plan information, Safewalk, and student groups; the Graduate Students' Association (GSA) for graduate representation, graduate services, health/dental plan information, and the Graduate Student Assistance Program (GSAP); the International Students Association (ISA) for international student advocacy and community; your faculty or department for program-specific academic rules.

No. This is an information and routing guide. Immigration rules change and individual circumstances matter. For UAlberta-specific support, contact International Student and Visitor Services (ISVS). For official legal requirements and applications, use Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) pages. Do not rely only on friends, social media, or outdated blog posts for immigration decisions.

UAlberta welcome services may offer term-specific arrival supports such as airport information or transportation guidance. Check the current orientation/welcome page before you travel. If no arrival program is available, plan a safe airport transfer in advance and keep your accommodation address offline on your phone and on paper.

A practical order: confirm housing and safe transportation; check your UAlberta email; attend orientation/check-in; activate or verify your CCID, Bear Tracks, and ONEcard; confirm course registration; confirm health-insurance coverage; apply for AHCIP or understand UAHIP if applicable; apply for a SIN if you are eligible to work; learn how to call 911, 811, and campus support services.

If your phone is unlocked, you can usually start with a Canadian SIM card or eSIM from a major or discount provider. Compare plans by monthly cost, data, Canada-wide calling, contract length, setup fees, and whether you must bring your own device. Student promotions often appear around August and September, so bring government photo ID, your study permit, and your ONEcard if a provider asks for student proof.

Do not panic-buy everything before you arrive. Focus first on a warm winter jacket, gloves, hat, scarf, thermal layers, winter boots with grip, and a way to protect your phone battery in the cold. Weather apps may show both the actual temperature and a “feels like” wind-chill temperature; dress for the wind chill, especially on windy days. ISVS orientation and settlement sessions often cover winter preparation, and local students can help you avoid overpriced or unsuitable items.

IRCC says you should apply to extend your study permit at least 30 days before it expires. If your passport expires soon, renew the passport first when possible, because IRCC will not issue a study permit beyond your passport validity.

If you applied for the extension before your current permit expired and you remain in Canada, IRCC generally allows you to keep studying under the same conditions while the application is in process (maintained status).

IRCC rules can shorten how long your study permit remains valid after program completion. If you finish earlier, check IRCC rules and speak with ISVS before assuming you can remain in Canada until the printed expiry date.

UAlberta notes that part-time study or withdrawals during regular terms can affect Post-Graduation Work Permit eligibility, except in limited situations such as a final term. Speak with your faculty and ISVS before changing registration.

Read the refusal letter carefully, do not immediately reuse the same documents, and contact UAlberta/ISVS if you are an admitted student. You may need to understand the refusal reasons, deadlines, whether a deferral is possible, and whether reapplication or other options are appropriate.

No. A study permit authorizes study in Canada. A temporary resident visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA) is a travel document that helps you enter Canada. Some students need both a valid study permit and a valid entry document. Check IRCC rules for your passport country before leaving Canada and before re-entering.

Start planning early because family members may need their own visitor, study, or work documents, and you may need additional proof of funds, relationship documents, housing planning, school or childcare planning, and health-insurance planning. Some spouses or common-law partners of international students may be eligible for an open work permit, but eligibility is limited by current IRCC rules and your program type, so check IRCC and speak with ISVS before making work or travel assumptions.

Start in your first year, not your last month. PGWP eligibility can be affected by full-time status, program completion, timing, previous PGWP use, leave periods, and application deadlines.

Extend your study permit first if you need more time to study in Canada. Your permit authorizes your studies; your temporary resident visa (TRV) is a travel document. A permit extension does not automatically renew your TRV. Once IRCC approves the extension, apply separately for a new TRV if you need one for travel.

1. 1Start early: follow IRCC's instruction to apply at least 30 days before expiry. Check passport validity.
2. 2Request a current enrolment letter; gather your passport, permit, financial evidence and documents from your personalized checklist.
3. 3Apply through the IRCC secure account, upload the enrolment letter in the acceptance-letter slot, pay and save the submission confirmation.
4. 4After approval, use IRCC's in-Canada visitor-visa process if needed. Proof of approval can be used before the paper permit arrives.

If you did not apply before expiry, you generally lose student status and must stop studying. Contact an international student advisor promptly about restoration and a new permit. A late application does not give you the same rights as a timely extension application.

1. 1Record the expiry date and contact International Student Services immediately.
2. 2Check restoration eligibility and the applicable deadline with an authorized advisor.
3. 3If eligible, apply for restoration and a new study permit with the required explanation, documents and fees.
4. 4Resume studying only after status is restored and you receive your new permit.

If you were working while waiting for your PGWP, stop working on the day IRCC notifies you of the refusal unless you have separate valid authorization. Save the refusal letter and seek immigration advice immediately. Your next step depends on the refusal reason, your status and whether you still meet the application deadlines.

1. 1Save the refusal decision, notification date and a complete copy of your original application.
2. 2Ask an authorized immigration professional to review your study history, completion date, language evidence and the officer's reasons.
3. 3Discuss reconsideration for an identifiable error, a corrected new application if still eligible, and any status-restoration or departure requirements.
4. 4If a court challenge may be appropriate, consult an immigration lawyer promptly; judicial-review deadlines are short.

You can ask IRCC to reconsider an identifiable error, but reopening a refused application is discretionary. Being eligible does not guarantee reconsideration or approval. Have an authorized immigration professional review the refusal, then send a focused request through the IRCC web form with evidence addressing the specific error.

1. 1Identify each refusal reason and explain exactly what was misunderstood or overlooked, referring to the rules applicable to your application.
2. 2Prepare a letter headed 'Request for reconsideration — PGWP' with your name, UCI, application number, refusal date and the decision you want reviewed.
3. 3Attach the refusal letter and relevant evidence, such as transcripts, an enrolment/completion letter, approved-leave evidence or proof a document was originally submitted.
4. 4Use the web form's application/document-update route, identify Temporary Residence and the work-permit application, and save the acknowledgement.

Alberta's PNP is called the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). Start with its Eligibility Explorer and the rules for your possible stream. For worker streams, you must submit a Worker Expression of Interest (WEOI) and receive an invitation before submitting a nomination application.

1. 1Review AAIP streams and confirm you meet at least one stream's eligibility requirements.
2. 2Create or use your own Alberta.ca Account and enter the AAIP portal through the official application page.
3. 3Complete the WEOI accurately and pay the current fee: CAD 135 as checked on September 6, 2026.
4. 4Keep the profile updated. If invited, follow the invitation deadlines, document checklist and separate application-fee instructions.
5. 5If nominated, complete the appropriate federal permanent-residence application.

Possibly. PGWP holders need an eligible Alberta credential, qualifying full-time Alberta employment and job offer, a job related to their Alberta field of study, and the required language results. They generally need at least six months of qualifying full-time work in their current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months.

1. 1Check that your credential and PGWP meet the stream's requirements.
2. 2Match your actual duties to the NOC occupation and check occupation exclusions.
3. 3Check your work history, job offer, language test and any licensing requirements against the current eligibility page.
4. 4If eligible, follow the WEOI and invitation process.

UAHIP is the University of Alberta Health Insurance Plan for international students, employees, and families in Canada who are not eligible for provincial coverage. It is intended as basic health coverage when AHCIP is not available. Registered students are typically enrolled by the university after course registration is confirmed, but check your UAlberta email and UAHIP instructions.

The UASU Health and Dental Plan is extended coverage for undergraduate students. It helps cover services that basic provincial or UAHIP coverage does not normally cover, such as some prescription, dental, vision, and paramedical services. You generally need basic health coverage (AHCIP, another provincial plan, or UAHIP) to use the extended plan.

The GSA Health and Dental Plan is extended coverage for eligible graduate students. It is separate from basic AHCIP or UAHIP and can include additional health, dental, vision, and travel benefits. Graduate students should check the GSA page for current enrollment, opt-out, family add-on, and change-of-coverage deadlines.

The University Health Centre can serve as a primary care provider for students and offers health services to UAlberta students, employees, and eligible family members. For non-emergency needs such as checkups, minor illness, prescription refills, or referrals, use the University Health Centre, a family doctor, or a walk-in clinic. Hospital emergency departments are for severe, urgent, or life-threatening problems. For immediate danger call 911; for non-emergency health advice in Alberta, call Health Link at 811.

A doctor, nurse practitioner, or other authorized prescriber writes the prescription, and you take it to a pharmacy. The Campus Pharmacy in Students' Union Building is one convenient option, but you can use other pharmacies too. Check your plan details and use your pay-direct or benefits card when available so the pharmacy can bill the insurer directly.

Call 911 for immediate danger, a life-threatening emergency, or a situation needing ambulance, police, or fire response. For non-emergency health advice in Alberta, call Health Link at 811. If you are near campus and need emergency hospital care, the University of Alberta Hospital emergency department is close to North Campus.

For non-crisis support, UAlberta Counselling and Clinical Services offers confidential counselling and psychiatric services to eligible students. The UASU Peer Support Centre offers free, confidential, non-judgmental supportive listening and referrals. Graduate students can also use the Graduate Student Assistance Program (GSAP). For immediate danger call 911; for crisis lines use 9-8-8 or the Edmonton Distress Line.

The UAlberta Sexual Assault Centre provides confidential support, crisis intervention, information, and referrals for survivors and supporters. You do not need to make a formal complaint to ask for support. In immediate danger, call 911.

Do not assume your Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) coverage renews automatically. Its expiry can be tied to your immigration document. If you applied before your permit expired and have not been refused, contact AHCIP to ask about a temporary coverage extension; the first extension can be up to 90 days if you qualify.

1. 1Check your health-card expiry and contact AHCIP before coverage ends.
2. 2Have your IRCC application date, application number and proof of timely submission ready.
3. 3When the new permit arrives, take it to a participating registry to update your coverage.
4. 4Ask International Student Services and your insurer about any gap, UAHIP eligibility, and your separate SU/GSA health and dental benefits.

Do not send large deposits before verifying the landlord, unit, lease terms, and legitimacy of the listing. Be cautious if the landlord refuses a video tour, pressures you to pay immediately, asks for unusual payment methods, or offers rent far below market value. Use UAlberta housing resources, local tenant information, and trusted contacts before signing.

U-Pass is a transit pass connected to UAlberta student enrollment and student association agreements. It provides access to participating Edmonton-region transit systems for eligible students. Check current eligibility, fees, activation instructions, and opt-out rules on the official U-Pass page.

Pedways are indoor, heated walkways, tunnels, and bridges that connect parts of North Campus. They are useful in winter because you can move between some major buildings with less outdoor exposure. Learn the routes around your own classes first, and use campus maps or signage when planning a new route because not every building is connected indoors.

Start with nearby mainstream grocery stores for basics, then ask student groups, roommates, and local community groups about stores that carry ingredients from your region. Edmonton has many international and specialty markets, including East and Southeast Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, halal, African, Latin American, and European grocery options. Check transit time, winter travel, prices, and whether bulk buying is realistic before you shop far from campus.

UAlberta is an urban campus, so use normal city safety habits: travel with others when possible, plan transit, keep your phone charged, and avoid isolated routes late at night. UASU Safewalk is a volunteer-run service that can accompany students on or near campus when operating. Check current Safewalk hours before relying on it.

Yes. The Campus Food Bank supports U of A community members experiencing difficulty affording groceries, including international students. Register through its client-information page using your UAlberta email and book an appointment.

1. 1Open the client page and select 'REGISTER OR BOOK an appointment'.
2. 2Complete the registration/booking instructions and bring your own bags.
3. 3Visit SUB 1-81 at your appointment time.
4. 4If no appointments are available and your need is urgent, call 780-492-8677 or email info@campusfoodbank.com.

Call 911 if there is immediate danger. For non-emergency campus concerns, use UAlberta safety resources and building staff where appropriate. If the issue involves harassment, discrimination, violence, or misconduct, UAlberta has offices that can explain reporting and support options.

For a fire or life-threatening emergency, call 911 first, then U of A Protective Services at 780-492-5050 and your residence office or RA. For urgent facility issues such as flooding, contact your residence office or RA immediately. After business hours, call Campus Control Centre at 780-492-4833.

1. 1Move away from immediate danger and make the appropriate emergency call.
2. 2Give your residence, unit number, exact location and a short description.
3. 3After calling, submit a residence maintenance request to document the issue and note whom you contacted.

For immediate danger, leave the unsafe area and call 911. Report an urgent leak, heating failure or building problem to your landlord or property manager's emergency contact. University Residence Services does not manage repairs in privately rented homes.

1. 1Call the property's emergency number and follow up in writing with the address, problem and photos taken only if safe.
2. 2Ask the landlord when repairs will happen and whether the unit is safe to occupy.
3. 3Contact your tenant insurer about damaged belongings or temporary accommodation covered by your policy.
4. 4If repairs remain unresolved, use Alberta's landlord–tenant guidance and dispute-resolution route; ask student services for support if the disruption affects your studies.

Open the university U-Pass page, choose 'Access the U-Pass App', sign in and add your Arc card. Your pass depends on eligibility, an assessed U-Pass fee and the term's validity dates.

1. 1Check Bear Tracks → Financial Account → Fee Assessment for the U-Pass fee.
2. 2Link your card in the university app and check its status.
3. 3Activation can take up to seven days at term-start; check before travelling.

Check your linked card, fee assessment and pass status. 'Insufficient funds' can mean no active U-Pass; 'low funds' can warn of approaching expiry.

1. 1Review your card in the university U-Pass app and your fee assessment in Bear Tracks.
2. 2If you replaced a lost card, activate the replacement in the app.
3. 3Use the university U-Pass help page for the specific error and pay the required fare while the pass is inactive.

A credit score is used by lenders and sometimes landlords to estimate how reliably you manage borrowed money. You can start building Canadian credit by using a student credit card or other credit product carefully, keeping balances low, and paying the full balance on time every month. Do not carry debt just to build credit, and avoid applying for multiple cards quickly.

Usually not by themselves. UAlberta bursaries and emergency funds can help with shortfalls or urgent situations. Build a realistic full-year budget before arrival and update it after seeing actual Edmonton costs.

Undergraduate students should review UAlberta bursaries and emergency funding, speak with the Student Service Centre (SSC) for routing, and contact University of Alberta Students' Union (UASU) services if the issue overlaps with food, health, advocacy, or emergency student support. International students can also contact International Student and Visitor Services (ISVS) if the issue affects immigration, settlement, or crisis planning.

For undergraduates, the U of A distributes over $28 million a year in scholarships and financial support, and a number of awards are specifically for international students starting a degree on a study permit. You must apply to a program before you can apply for entrance scholarships, and the deadline for application-based awards is January 10. One application form is assessed for all of them, on academics, leadership, inclusion and financial need. For graduate students, the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies administers about $29 million a year; the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship is open to international students and covers the international differential fee, and Canadian national awards such as the Vanier are also open to you. Check the current pages for this year's values and conditions.

A scholarship or award is normally given for academic achievement or other merit and does not have to be repaid. A bursary is non-repayable money awarded on demonstrated financial need. A short-term emergency loan is money you do have to pay back, meant to bridge a genuine cash-flow gap rather than fund a term. Student Financial Support runs workshops on applying for bursaries and scholarships, and is the right first stop if you are not sure which one your situation calls for. For graduate students there is a further distinction that matters: funding held as a scholarship is not employment, so it is not covered by the graduate assistantship collective agreement.

More than most students realise. The Community Pantry in the Rutherford Library Atrium is drop-in and anonymous: any valid ONEcard, up to five items a visit, any time the library is open, with no intake form and no need to be a Campus Food Bank client. There is a free breakfast on Wednesday mornings from 8:30am at SUB and Campus Saint-Jean until it runs out. WECAN is a monthly bulk-buying program for low-cost fruit, vegetables and meat, open to the whole campus community. And there is a monthly Saturday grocery bus to No Frills if getting to a larger store is the problem. The hamper program is separate and is for food-insecure members of the U of A community including students, staff and recent alumni.

More than most people assume, and several are provincial rather than federal. The Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship (AGES) is worth $12,000 and international students on a valid study permit are eligible provided they are resident in Alberta, and it is nominated by your faculty, not applied for directly. Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarships, including the Data-enabled Innovation stream, are explicitly open to Canadian, permanent resident and international students. The Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship is the U of A's most prestigious award, is open to international students, and covers the international differential fee. The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is a national award open to international students. Queen Elizabeth II Scholarships go to master's and doctoral students each year, and the President's Doctoral Prize of Distinction tops up doctoral students who have won an eligible major scholarship. If your health research crosses faculties or spans two or more health disciplines, the TD Bank Financial Group Grant for Health Sciences Interdisciplinary Research is built for exactly that, and needs a 3.5 GPA. Deadlines differ for every one of these, and most are nominated internally by your department months before the published deadline, so ask your graduate coordinator early rather than watching the public dates.

Check your course's exact add/delete and withdrawal deadlines first. Before the add/delete deadline, dropping removes the course from your record. After it, leaving is a withdrawal: it shows as a W on your record and fees may still be owed. International students should check with ISVS before reducing their course load.

1. 1Find your course's add/delete and withdrawal dates on the Registrar's page and in Bear Tracks.
2. 2Before the add/delete deadline, use Bear Tracks → My Schedule Builder, or Manage Classes → Drop Classes and Withdrawals. Replacing a course? Use Manage Classes → Swap, so the new class is added before the old one is dropped.
3. 3After the add/delete deadline, use Manage Classes → Drop Classes and Withdrawals for an eligible withdrawal.
4. 4Check that the change went through and that your updated schedule shows it in Bear Tracks.

ONEcard is the official UAlberta student identification card. New students usually need to register in at least one class, upload a photo, wait for approval, and pick up the card with government photo ID and UAlberta student ID. Remote students may have virtual ONEcard options.

The Academic Success Centre offers academic advising, learning support, workshops, online resources, and writing support for undergraduate and graduate students. Use it early for writing, exam preparation, time management, reading strategies, and adapting to Canadian academic expectations.

Start respectfully with “Professor [Last Name]” or “Dr. [Last Name]” if they use that title, then follow the name or form of address in the syllabus or email signature. Teaching Assistants (TAs) are often addressed by first name, but check how they introduce themselves. Office hours are scheduled times for students to ask questions about course concepts, assignments, feedback, exams, research interests, or academic direction; you do not need to be failing to use them.

Register with Accessibility and Accommodations as early as possible. Students with permanent disabilities, chronic physical or mental health conditions, temporary barriers, or other documented needs may be eligible for accommodations. Documentation is usually required or strongly recommended, and accommodations are not always retroactive.

Use UAlberta Library for research help, subject guides, databases, borrowing, citation support, course materials, study spaces, and interlibrary loan. Your ONEcard may also connect you to additional library access such as the Edmonton Public Library L-Pass for eligible students.

Student Ombuds is a confidential, impartial service that helps students understand policies, fairness concerns, academic issues, discipline processes, interpersonal conflict, and options for next steps. Ombuds does not replace faculty processes but can help you navigate them.

The Office of Safe Disclosure and Human Rights provides a confidential space to discuss discrimination, harassment, accommodation concerns, wrongdoing, health and safety concerns, and other misconduct-related issues. You can ask about options before deciding whether to make a formal report.

The Engineering Student Success Centre (ESSC). Teaching assistants are there daily for questions in the first-year core: MATH 100, 101 and 102, ENGG 130, EN PH 131, PHYS 130, and CHEM 103 and 105, and both group and one-on-one tutoring are free. Before midterms and finals the ESSC runs review sessions and mock exams you can sit as practice. Join the ESSC Canvas page for the schedule and announcements. Go in week three when you first do not understand something, not in week ten when it has compounded.

Yes: the Registrar publishes a free pickup option for current students through its Enrolment Verification Request Form. MyCreds delivery is a separate paid option. You can also contact the Student Service Centre through the support portal to ask whether an enrolment-letter service meets your specific need.

1. 1Use the Registrar's linked Enrolment Verification Request Form and select free pickup at the Student Service Centre or Augustana office.
2. 2Allow the published 10 business days for processing.
3. 3For the support-portal route, sign in and look for 'Enrolment Letter Request' if available, or submit a student-service enquiry explaining the letter's purpose, terms and deadline.
4. 4Confirm whether pickup, a scan or digitally verified delivery is required by the recipient before ordering.

For a midterm, contact your instructor immediately and follow the syllabus. For a final, check your home faculty's deferred-exam process and contact its student office promptly. Approval depends on the circumstances and academic rules; it is not automatic.

1. 1Tell the instructor or faculty which course/exam is affected and what happened.
2. 2For a final, locate your faculty's official form and deadline. Engineering publishes a two-business-day deadline after the missed final, or as soon as reasonably possible.
3. 3Submit the requested explanation/documents and keep the confirmation.
4. 4Watch for the decision and any replacement exam arrangements.

Check the U of A Library for borrowable or online copies and ask your instructor about open educational resources. Courses marked Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) use required materials without textbook charges. EPL is another option for borrowing books once your membership is active.

1. 1Check the syllabus and required edition before buying.
2. 2Search the Library and ask library staff about available copies or alternatives.
3. 3Look for ZTC courses in Bear Tracks or My Schedule Builder where they fit your program.
4. 4Ask your department or student association about any current book swaps or donation shelves; availability varies.

The GSA Emergency Bursary helps eligible graduate students facing an unexpected emergency expense. Starting in Fall 2026, its funding is distributed through the Domestic and International Supplementary Bursary programs. International students should follow the International Supplementary Bursary route linked from the Registrar's bursary page.

1. 1Read the current GSA Emergency Bursary page and follow the relevant supplementary-bursary application link.
2. 2Check the intake dates and sign in to the financial-support application system.
3. 3Explain the emergency, your financial shortfall and other funding explored; provide supporting documents.
4. 4International students should explain their original funding plan and what unexpectedly changed. Monitor university email for follow-up.

Every graduate student has to complete a two-part Professional Development Requirement before convocation: an Individual Development Plan (IDP), and eight hours of professional development activities. The two are separate: completing your IDP does not count toward the eight hours. Instead the IDP is the career plan the eight hours are supposed to be based on. Your eight hours must be inspired by your IDP and approved by your supervisor and department, and master's students must have all eight done by the time of degree completion. Both parts are submitted to your graduate coordinator or graduate chair.

1. 1Collect attendance records and record each activity's date, duration and relevance to your IDP.
2. 2Ask your supervisor/program office which activities are approved.
3. 3Submit the IDP and Professional Development Completion Form, or your department's equivalent, and request confirmation that completion is recorded.

An activity counts if it develops you professionally, is inspired by your IDP, and your supervisor and department approve it. In practice that covers workshops run by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, career and communication training, teaching development, conference and leadership activity, and department-run sessions. GPS publishes a training and events calendar that is the easiest source of qualifying hours.

An Individual Development Plan is an individualized career plan you write with your supervisor. It is a required part of the Professional Development Requirement, and it is the thing your eight PD hours are meant to be built on, so leaving it until the end inverts the order and leaves you scrambling to find eight hours that retroactively fit. The deadline runs from the start of your program: 12 months for full-time master's students, 24 months for part-time master's students, 18 months for full-time doctoral students and 36 months for part-time doctoral students. Master's students must finish the eight PD hours by degree completion, and almost all doctoral students must finish within their first three years.

A doctoral candidacy examination must be passed within three years of entering the PhD program, and no less than six months before the final oral examination. Scheduling a defence too soon after candidacy is a common reason a date gets refused. Departments set the format on top of the Faculty rules; several require a written research proposal that you then defend orally. Ask your department for its own version.

Formal examining committees are required for thesis-based master's final examinations, doctoral candidacy examinations and doctoral final examinations. Every examining committee must have a chair who is not your supervisor, and who has enough experience of graduate examinations to run it fairly. Start scheduling months out rather than weeks: you are looking for a single date that works for your committee, an external examiner and a non-supervisor chair, and that is the step that slips.

There is no single university-wide answer: coursework requirements are set by each department and program, and they differ substantially even between programs in the same faculty. Your two authoritative sources are your program's entry in the University Calendar and your graduate program coordinator; your supervisor confirms which specific courses fit your research. Confirm the requirement in writing in your first term. Assuming your requirement matches a friend's in another department is one of the easier ways to lose a term.

Start with the department that teaches the course and your graduate program coordinator. While web registration is open, add unrestricted courses in Bear Tracks. After it closes, the Graduate Program Manual requires a Courses to be Added/Deleted form: you sign it, and the teaching department submits it with its approval and an instructor's note confirming you have attended or are expected to succeed despite starting late. This is an approval process, not a guaranteed way around the registration deadline.

The GSA Child Care Grant helps eligible graduate students offset child-care costs. Open the GSA Grants page and use its Child Care Grant form link. Sign in with your UAlberta email to access the grant application.

1. 1Review the current eligibility policy and funding availability.
2. 2Prepare academic/employment information for you and your partner, household income for the previous 12 months, and your children's names and ages.
3. 3Provide fee assessments, children's birth certificates and proof of each parent's income, as requested.
4. 4Submit through the linked GSA grants portal and respond to follow-up requests.

IRCC currently states that eligible students may work up to 24 hours per week off campus during regular academic terms. Exceeding the limit can violate study-permit conditions and affect future applications.

Eligible students may generally work full time during regularly scheduled breaks, such as winter or summer breaks, if they meet IRCC conditions before and after the break. Students on unauthorized leave, not studying full time when required, or between schools may have different restrictions.

IRCC says students whose permits are missing work conditions may need to request an amendment before they can obtain a SIN and work. Contact ISVS if you are unsure.

IRCC announced that, as of April 1, 2026, eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate work permit for required student work placements such as co-ops or internships when the employer is approved by the designated learning institution. Check IRCC and your faculty, because eligibility and implementation details matter.

Use the UAlberta Career Centre for resumes, interviews, job search, career planning, and fraud awareness. campusBRIDGE is a key platform for job postings, career events, experiential learning, and work-integrated learning. International undergraduates should also check the International Student Summer Employment Program (ISSEP, formerly ISWEP), which posts summer jobs on campusBRIDGE; graduate international students are not eligible.

Be cautious with jobs that ask for money, personal banking information, cryptocurrency transactions, cheque deposits, package forwarding, or work that sounds too easy for unusually high pay. Use the Career Centre and official postings when possible, and never share your SIN until an employer legitimately needs it after hiring.

Treat this as a possible job scam. The university warns about fake job offers involving fraudulent cheques, money transfers and requests for personal information. Verify the employer through an independently found official contact before sending information or accepting money.

1. 1Do not deposit a suspicious cheque or forward money to a supposed supplier.
2. 2Contact the named employer or department using contact details you find independently.
3. 3If you already sent funds or banking details, contact your bank immediately.
4. 4Report the incident through university security/support channels and, where appropriate, police or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

It is a short conversation with someone working in a job or field you are curious about, where you ask about their work rather than for a position. Send a brief, polite message that says who you are, what caught your interest in their career, and whether they would have 15 or 20 minutes to talk. Prepare a few questions, keep to the time you asked for, and thank them afterwards. U of A graduates are often happy to help a current student, so alumni chapters and the alumni filter on LinkedIn are a good place to start.

If your field has one, it is worth looking into before you graduate. Professional associations hold events and training where you meet people already working in Alberta, and in regulated fields the association is also the body you will register with. Common ones include APEGA for engineering and geoscience, CPA Alberta for accounting, CPHR Alberta for human resources and CIPS Alberta for information technology. Your department can tell you which body matters for your program, and each association's website lists any student or early career options.

Yes, if you have a professor to supervise you and an organization to work with. Mitacs Accelerate funds research projects between a U of A professor and a partner in Canada, such as a company, non-profit, hospital, city or Indigenous government. International students with a study permit can apply, and so can undergraduates, graduate students and recent graduates, although the university looks at recent graduates case by case. Each internship unit lasts four to six months and is worth $15,000. The partner pays half and Mitacs pays the other half. You receive at least $10,000 as a stipend or salary, and up to $5,000 can go to research costs. There is no deadline, so you can apply at any point in the year.

You apply together with your supervisor and the partner organization, not on your own. The U of A has two Mitacs advisors, listed on the university's Mitacs page, and most applications need one of them to know about the project. The university also has to approve the proposal before it goes to Mitacs, and Mitacs then takes about six to eight weeks to review it.

1. 1Talk to your supervisor, or a professor whose research fits, about a project and a possible partner.
2. 2Contact one of the U of A's Mitacs advisors to check the idea and which funding model fits.
3. 3Write the proposal with your supervisor and the partner.
4. 4Your supervisor sends it for university approval at least five business days before it goes to Mitacs.
5. 5Pick a start date that leaves room for the six to eight week review.

Yes. The Mitacs Business Strategy Internship funds projects that help an organization with marketing, operations, finance or another business problem. Registered students at any level can apply, including undergraduates and international students, and you still need a faculty supervisor. A four-month internship is worth $10,000, with the partner paying $5,000. There is also a $15,000 option where the partner pays $7,500 and up to $5,000 can go to project costs. Internships can be stretched to six months, and review takes about four weeks.

The Mitacs Globalink Research Award funds a research project at a university abroad. It is open to full-time undergraduates who have finished second year, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. You plan the project with your supervisor and a researcher at the host university. It pays $6,000 for a project of 12 to 24 weeks, or $12,000 for a longer project or two shorter ones, and applications are open all year.

FIRST Jobs is run by Technology Alberta. It places Alberta students and recent graduates in paid, part-time work terms with tech companies in the province. The roles are not only for coders. Companies look for people from business, arts, science and technology. You are paid $20 an hour, the work can be done remotely as long as you live in Alberta, and you attend professional development sessions during the term, with a certificate if you finish them. International students can join if the hours keep them within their off-campus work limit.

FIRST Jobs runs in cohorts. The most recent one, called TechBOOST, ended in April 2026 and the next start date has not been announced. The application form still takes sign-ups for future cohorts, so you can register now and be ready when postings open. You only apply to the program once, then apply to individual companies through the FIRST Jobs portal.

1. 1Fill in the job seeker application on Technology Alberta's FIRST Jobs page.
2. 2Once you are accepted, go through the pre-program materials.
3. 3Apply to company postings on the FIRST Jobs portal and interview with the employers who contact you.
4. 4Start your work term as a part-time contractor and attend the professional development sessions.

Usually yes, unless the work is a required part of your degree. During regular terms you can work up to 24 hours a week off campus, and all your off-campus work counts together toward that number. The U of A says an internship you take by choice, rather than for your degree, counts as off-campus work. FIRST Jobs hires students as contractors, and IRCC says self-employed students have to track their own hours and be able to prove they stayed within the limit. Mitacs pays interns through the university, but neither Mitacs nor the U of A says how that counts, so ask ISVS before you accept one.

Edmonton Unlimited is the city's innovation agency, and it helps startups and tech companies grow. Its downtown space at 10107 Jasper Avenue has free hot desks for the tech community, first come first served, and meeting rooms you can book for up to three hours a day. It runs events through the year, including lunch-and-learns, pitch nights and Edmonton Startup Week, which is one of the easiest ways to meet founders and people hiring in tech. It also has a job board, and you can book a free 30-minute meeting to talk through an idea. Its ELITE program offers entrepreneurship training and a paid internship to young Black founders aged 15 to 22.

Start on campus. eHUB, the U of A's entrepreneurship centre, offers mentorship, a co-working space, possible early funding and a Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and you are welcome with just an idea. The Student Innovation Centre gives you project rooms, equipment and free workshops for building prototypes. Edmonton Unlimited's Innovation on Campus team gives free advice to U of A students, staff and recent alumni. For a structured program, Edmonton Unlimited's Student Founders offers free coaching, workshops and a pitch night, in a Launch stream for early ideas and a Grow stream for ventures already under way.

Before your final term, review PGWP eligibility, confirm full-time history and any leaves or part-time terms, check passport validity, confirm completion-letter timing, and understand whether you can work while waiting for a PGWP decision. Contact ISVS for UAlberta-specific guidance and check IRCC before making travel or employment decisions.

Graduating does not cut you off. The Career Centre keeps serving U of A graduates, including its mentoring program and coffee chats. The Alumni Association adds Alumni to Alumni Mentorship for people early in their careers, discounted career coaching and short Life After University courses, and campusBRIDGE has a job board for alumni. Outside the university, the Government of Canada's Job Bank lists jobs across Alberta, and a free account lets it match you with postings.

Read the eligibility line first, because a lot of newcomer employment programs are funded only for permanent residents. The Newcomer Centre's STEP program in Edmonton does accept Post-Graduation Work Permit holders, and helps with résumés, cover letters, interviews and career planning. Your U of A Career Centre and Alumni Association services continue as well. Programs that require permanent residence, such as ERIEC's Career Mentorship Program, are worth coming back to once you have it.

It can. The Canadian Experience Class, part of Express Entry, asks for at least one year of skilled work in Canada, which is 1,560 hours, within the three years before you apply. The job has to fall in NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3. Work you did while studying full time does not count, and neither do co-op terms. That makes the kind of job you take on your PGWP important. Read IRCC's requirements in full and speak to ISVS before you plan around this.

Your U of A degree is Canadian, so it does not need an assessment. Assessments are for education completed outside Canada. If you have an earlier degree from another country, an employer, a regulatory body or an immigration program may ask for it to be compared to Canadian standards, and in Alberta the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) does that. Confirm which assessment the organization accepts before you pay for one.

You give the date you became a resident, report your world income from that date on, and report the income you earned outside Canada before arriving so the CRA can work out your credits and benefits. In UFile this is the Immigrant topic in Interview setup. To start receiving the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit for the year you arrived, newcomers send Form RC151, which is also available as a web form.

If you were married or common-law on December 31, you give your spouse's details and net world income in your return even if they lived abroad; in UFile that is Spouse interview type, set to Net income only when your spouse does not file in Canada. For benefits, the CRA also asks for a non-resident spouse's income on Form CTB9. The Canada Child Benefit needs the child to live with you, and a temporary resident qualifies only after living in Canada for the previous 18 months with a valid permit in the 19th month.

They carry forward. With little income you do not need the tuition credit to reduce tax this year, so it is recorded and waits for a year when you earn more, which for many students is after graduation. You can transfer part of the current year's amount to a spouse or parent instead, up to the federal maximum, but only to someone who files a Canadian return and can use it.

Only if the total cost of your specified foreign property, which includes money in bank accounts outside Canada, was more than CAN$100,000 at any time in the year. Then you file Form T1135 with your return; in UFile you answer Yes to the foreign property question on the CRA questions page. Below that amount, answer No.

Yes, in most cases. UFile's Review stage tells you whether your return is eligible for NETFILE. The Access Code from a previous Notice of Assessment is optional and does not apply to a first return, so leave it blank. After you file, keep the NETFILE confirmation number; your Notice of Assessment arrives afterwards and has the Access Code for next year.

GSA represents graduate students and coordinates graduate-specific services including health/dental plan information, GSAP, graduate advocacy, and emergency bursary information. Graduate international students should check GSA resources in addition to ISVS and their academic department.

First Peoples' House supports First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students through community, cultural connection, holistic support, academic support, housing resources, and related programs. International students who are not Indigenous to Canada should not treat FNMI-specific services as general international-student services, but should know the office exists, respect Indigenous spaces, and attend open learning opportunities when invited.

Yes. UAlberta Interfaith Chaplains support students, staff, and faculty whether or not they identify with a faith tradition, and UAlberta lists multi-faith prayer and meditation spaces. For urgent safety or mental-health crises, use emergency and crisis resources rather than chaplaincy alone.

Use a combination of supports: ISVS settlement and events, ISA community, UASU or GSA services, student groups, residence programming, recreation, faith or cultural groups, the Peer Support Centre, and Counselling and Clinical Services. Loneliness is common in the first year and is a valid reason to seek support early.

Yes. The senior student union roles are paid positions, not volunteer ones. Undergraduates elect the UASU executive (President and four Vice-Presidents) plus Students' Council every March. Graduate students elect the GSA's Directly-Elected Officers (President, VP Academic, VP External, VP Indigenous Relations, VP Student Life, VP Student Services and Associate VP Labour) each February, along with ten Councillors-at-Large. International students have held these roles. Because they are paid and typically full-time for a one-year term, confirm two things before you nominate: what the current remuneration and time commitment actually are, and how a full-time paid position sits with the work conditions on your study permit. ISVS is the right office for the second question.

Many UAlberta pages use CCR to mean Campus and Community Recreation, which operates recreation programming and facilities: fitness classes, intramurals, club sports, aquatics, climbing, and wellness activities. If you mean co-curricular records instead, UAlberta uses different program-specific language, so check your faculty or campus experiential-learning systems.

Recreation is not just fitness. It can reduce isolation, build routine, help with winter mental health, and create low-pressure ways to meet people. If you are nervous about joining, start with beginner-friendly classes, intramurals, drop-in activities, or residence recreation programming.

There are two. The Hanson Fitness + Lifestyle Centre is the main campus gym, on two levels inside the Van Vliet Complex on North Campus. If you have paid the Athletic and Recreation fee with your tuition, you already have access for the terms you are registered in, and you tap in with your ONEcard. The Saville Fitness Centre is a 3,000 sq ft facility on the second floor of the Saville Community Sports Centre on South Campus; it is not covered by that fee, so students get a discounted rate but still buy a membership or drop-in pass at the customer service desk. If you only want a gym, Hanson is the one your fees already cover. Check the locations and hours page before going, because hours change between terms.

Mostly yes, because the Athletics and Recreation Fee comes out of your tuition and your ONEcard is the access card. On North Campus that covers the Aquatics Centre, where students swim on a drop-in basis in two pools: the East Pool is a warmer, shallower six-lane 25-yard pool used for recreational swims, and the West Pool is a cooler T-shaped tank for lap swimming with a deep end and a diving board. It also covers the Wilson Climbing Centre, where full-time students in Fall and Winter term climb free and can rent shoes and a harness rather than buying gear, and the Green and Gold Gymnasiums, where drop-in basketball and badminton run through the week. In total there are fourteen drop-in activities, including beach volleyball, pickleball, skating, soccer and group fitness. Bring your ONEcard, check the schedule for the activity you want because times change between terms, and note that space is first come, first served. Courts for squash, racquetball, wallyball, tennis and table tennis are reserved separately, and each person needs their own booking.

Use the university's Duo device-management instructions to re-enrol your phone if you still have a working verification method. If you have lost access to your original number and other enrolled methods, contact IST for account-recovery help.

1. 1Open the official MFA site linked in the university guide.
2. 2At the Duo prompt choose 'Other options' → 'Manage devices' and verify your identity.
3. 3Add or re-enrol your device using the guide. If you cannot authenticate, contact IST.
4. 4Before travel, arrange a supported backup method; the university guide discusses a hardware fob for travel without mobile connectivity.

Do not use the email's links or provide your password, SIN or verification codes. Open university services through your usual official address and contact IST to check the message. Students on r/uAlberta report phishing emails using account-deactivation threats.

1. 1Report the message to phishing@ualberta.ca, the address on IST's current incident-reporting page.
2. 2If you entered your password, change it through the university's official account-management service and tell IST promptly.
3. 3If you shared financial information, contact your bank; if you approved an unexpected Duo prompt, tell IST.

Yes. Google's student education page lets students request 200 Google Skills training credits for online labs, courses and skill badges. These credits expire one year after issue. They are separate from the US$300 Google Cloud trial.

1. 1Open Google Cloud's student page and choose 'Request credits'.
2. 2Complete the linked Google Skills Student Training Credits Application with the requested student information.
3. 3Follow the approval/redemption instructions and choose eligible learning activities.

Eligible new Google Cloud users can start a trial with US$300 in cloud-service credits valid for 90 days. These credits are for eligible Google Cloud usage, such as practising with cloud resources. They are not certification-exam vouchers or a promise of free Google Career Certificates.

1. 1Open Google's official free-trial page and check new-user eligibility.
2. 2Sign in and complete the identity/payment-method verification.
3. 3Confirm that billing shows a Free Trial account and track the remaining credit and days.
4. 4Use covered resources for practice; check a certification or course's own funding terms separately.