Financial Aid
Attending college provides new opportunities, but it can also bring new expenses including tuition, books, and day-to-day living costs. Our goal is to make sure these expenses do not become a barrier to your education. We will work with you to find the right funding option.
Many potential sources of financial support require application processes that take six to eight weeks from the time you first apply until you actually have money in the bank. These processes often require that you provide detailed information about school, living expenses, sources of income support and personal resources so it's important to plan ahead.
Interested in sponsoring/paying for a student to attend MHC?
Contact FinAidInfo@mhc.ab.ca for details.
Funding Options
Student Awards
The scholarship and bursary application is now open! One easy online form will match you with all eligible awards. Applications close June 1.
Thanks to the generous support of our donors, MHC is able to offer students access to hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship and bursary awards.
- Scholarships are based on academic standing,
- Bursaries are awarded according to financial need,
- while some awards are a combination of both academics and financial need.
The criteria for each award are different, depending on the nature of the award and the wishes of the donor. However, given the number of scholarships and bursaries available through Medicine Hat College, there really is something for everyone. Over $400,000 awarded annually through the Student Financial Aid Office to new, continuing and existing MHC students.
The best thing about the scholarship and bursary program at MHC is how easy it is to apply! One online application form automatically enters students for every award they are eligible for.
External awards
Many businesses and organizations offer scholarships and bursaries of their own. To see if you may be eligible for any of these awards, please visit the websites listed below.
- www.alis.alberta.ca
- www.studentawards.com
- www.scholarshipscanada.com
- www.studentscholarships.org
- www.schoolfinder.com
- www.yconic.com
Letter template
Need help writing your scholarship thank you letter(s)? Click here for a template.
Student Loans
Student loans are a popular option for funding your education but there are several things to keep in mind to ensure you secure the financial support in a timely fashion:
- Be accurately informed about eligibility. Many students who are eligible for loans fail to take advantage of this funding source because they don't have the right information.
- Apply early (current student loan applications are usually available in June). To ensure funding is in place by September apply by June 30.
- Funds are not actually transferred to your account until after classes have begun so ensure you have a plan in place to pay for textbooks and supplies.
- If your loan funding is likely to be late, speak to us in Student Financial Aid about options available to you.
If you apply late (after August 1 for Alberta and July 15 for most other provinces), the time from application to actually receiving funds is longer because of the volume of applications being processed by governments later in their cycle. In this case, we strongly suggest you put interim or short-term financing in place until your government loan funding arrives. (We may be able to provide a deferral of your tuition costs. We are unable, however, to provide for the larger expenses such as accommodation, living and book costs).
Alberta Student Aid
Apply online for full-time student aid, manage your loan repayment and access resources to help you budget while you study.
Did you know?
Alberta Student Aid is providing student borrowers an opportunity to manage the repayment of their student loans through a self-service loan management tool.
Download the information sheet
Government Student Loans & Grants Information
Looking for valuable resources about student loans and repayment? Check out these videos:
Non-Credit Course Funding
Medicine Hat College offers a Grassroots Bursary to eligible students with financial need who are taking non-credit courses for the purpose of increasing education or career enhancing opportunities. This tuition credit may assist with your course fees (up to a maximum of $500).
Eligible CS courses and/or programs include:
- Certificate Programs
- Business / Leadership / GED
- Computers & Technology
- Industry & Trades
- Online Safety Training
- Online Courses & Certificates
If you feel you may be eligible, please complete the fillable PDF application and email to finaidinfo@mhc.ab.ca.
Emergency Funding
Medicine Hat College has Emergency Funding available for eligible students. Emergency funding is defined as an unexpected expense or challenge that cannot be addressed by usual or existing funding sources (e.g. Student Loan, Alberta Works, Food Bank, etc.)
Please note this funding may be available once all other resources have been exhausted.
Click the button below to access the application form and email, then email the completed form to FinAidInfo@mhc.ab.ca with Emergency Funding in the subject line.