(Edmonton, AB) – Without any student or donor consultation, the University of Alberta has unilaterally decided not to award $300,000 - $500,000 in scholarships this academic year.

“The administration has informed me that due to reconfiguring their awards system and weaknesses in their IT system, hundreds of existing student scholarships will not be given out this year,” said Vice President Academic Dustin Chelen.

“The very real, immediate consequence of this decision — made after the school year has already started — is that students currently in their last year of studies will probably not be able to receive any of this scholarship funding.”

Scholarships that were previously distributed between December and January will now be disbursed in June. Students were still anticipating that these scholarships were going to be distributed before winter semester. This delay ensures that students will not be able to receive any of these funds during this academic year, and students in their last year of studies will not have a chance to apply to any these scholarships.

This decision will effect up to 350 undergraduate academic and leadership scholarships.

“University access and affordability has been a challenge for many students in recent years, in a large part due to the increased costs of attending post-secondary,” said Chelen. “While a tough economic climate has meant that many students are having trouble paying for their education, there was always the consolation that studying hard and getting involved in campus life could lead to scholarship support.”

“I hope that donors know that students who desperately need their aid are not getting it this year. I really hope that the university will rethink how this is going to affect a large number of its most involved students.”

For more information, please contact:

Simon Yackulic

External Communications & Media Advisor

University of Alberta Students’ Union

P: 780.492.4236

E: ecma@su.ualberta.ca