Students FAQ's

I had an IPP in high school. Can I use it as official documentation of my disability? 

• No. Universities are required to ask for documentation before providing accommodations --typically a psycho- assessment or letter from a doctor. Therefore, IPPs are not a valid form of documentation. 

My documentation is more than 3 years old. What are my options? 

• If you have been diagnosed with a disability but your documentation is dated, please go to your doctor or psychologist and ask for an updated letter. If that's not an option, we can talk about the possibility of referring you to AB Works for a free psycho-educational assessment. 

How long does it take to set up learning accommodations?

• SAS sets up your accommodations after your intake and they take effect immediately. However, during peak times, you might have to wait a week or two  before you can be scheduled in.  Therefore, we recommend that you contact LAS as soon as possible to avoid delays. 

I do not have an official diagnosis but I have been struggling with school for quite a while and think I might have a learning disability. 

• If you don't have any documentation but suspect that you might have a learning disability, then we can look into making a referral for an assessment through Alberta Works. Please contact us so we can meet and discuss your options and next steps. 

Will my instructors know my diagnosis?

• Your documentation is considered confidential and therefore cannot be shared without your consent. Instructors only have access to up-to-date lists of  students’ accommodation through their class listings page in Faculty online services. Your professors can view these details for each of your classes by clicking the “View” link under the “Learning Accommodations” column. 

Can my mom or dad talk to you or ask questions about me?

• The personal information requested by Student Accessibility Services is collected in accordance with  PIPA. This means we cannot share any information with third parties, including parents, without the student's consent.

I am an international student and I do not have any documentation. How can I access learning accommodation services?

• Unfortunately, we can only refer domestic students for a free assessment. So the only options are either a) pay for an assessment out of pocket, or b) go to the doctor or psychologist and obtain a letter. Please reach out to us so we can discuss how to best obtain documentation. 

Where do go to write my exams? 

• SAS exams are written in G307, unless we email you an alternative exam location. Please make sure that you are checking your student email regularly for updates.

My time extension does not show up on my exam booking.  Will my time extension be applied to my exam? 

• Yes. When you go to write your exams in G307, there will be an exam proctor who will give you your exam and show you a seat to write your exam.  You'll see that the exam has a cover page with all the information about the exam (course, instructor, start time -finish time- including extension).  Please note that any exam done over Moodle will have the time extension automatically applied.

I have an email approving my time extension. That means I booked my exam with SAS, right?

• No. You will receive automatic emails for exams that are assigned to Moodle that confirm your time extension, however you must still book these exams. You can see if you have booked any given exam by going to the Student Accessibility Services portal in Online Services and checking beneath the classes listed there.

How can I reschedule an exam? 

• Exams that are scheduled during class time: 

1.  Ask your instructor. As with deadline extensions and excused absences, exam reschedule requests are approved or denied at your instructor's discretion. Instructors may ask you to provide documentation to verify the reason for rescheduling as per section 9.2.3 of the academic calendar.

2.  Find the exam to be rescheduled in your SAS Online Services page and click “Reschedule Exam”. If the exam is not already present in this list, you will first need to add it by clicking Indicate Exam Date before submitting your reschedule request. 

Please note that you are not permitted to reschedule an exam if it was not first booked for it's original date.

The status of my exam says "Pending". What does that mean?

1. If you have booked your exam a minimum of 7 days before the test date, "Pending" means that we are simply awaiting exam details from the instructor.

2. If you have not booked your exam a minimum of 7 days before the test date, the exam was late-booked. When this happens, a notification will appear on screen to let you know. Late bookings will be assessed on a case-by-case basis only if you reach out to SAS before the exam date. If the status of a late-booked exam says "Denied", then you will be expected to write the exam in class.

I need to reschedule a final exam due to illness, or I became sick during a final and it was interrupted. What do I do?

1. If you need to reschedule a final, you will need to submit a Final Exam Deferral request from your e-form page in Online Services.

2. If you are unwell and can't write your final, please submit either a deferred exam form or aegrotat standing application, after consulting with your instructor (see details here).  

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It's a week before final exams and I can't book my tests. What gives? 

• The deadline for booking final exams is earlier than the booking deadline throughout the rest of the year. We will email you when the booking deadline is 3 weeks away, and then send regular reminders until the cut off.

Is Reduced Course Load an accommodation?

• No. Reduced Course Load is a Student Aid Alberta policy that allows students with permanent disabilities access full-time funding while studying at a reduced course load (40 to 59% of a full course load). Students in this situation should meet with the SAS Advisor or Financial Aid Advisor to discuss which option will be best for them.

If a student chooses to apply for full-time student aid when registered in 40 to 59% of a full course load, the student must have the SAS Advisor complete the Reduced Course Load section of the Schedule 4 form.

NOTE: Please be advised that reduced course load only applies to Student Aid Alberta. If you need to be a full time students outside Student Aid Alberta, please make sure you check the policies of the service provider. 

I’ve been approved for $1800 for a laptop and $300 for tutoring. I ended up spending $1400 on my laptop, Can I use the remaining $400 on tutoring instead of returning that money?

• No. Normally, when a student spends over the amount they were approved for on an item and or service, they are responsible for the additional cost on their own. Reallocations are technically possible, but this is an exception and the LAS Advisor needs to submit the proper paperwork.

Do I have to buy the same item that I used for a price estimate? 

• No, but you will need to stick to the amount of money you were given for the item. Otherwise, you will have to pay the difference.

When do I have to reconcile my grant?

• You must reconcile your grant at the end of your study period. For example, if your funding application is for Fall and Winter, you must submit your receipts by the end of the Winter semester.

What happens if I do not reconcile my grant?

• If you do not reconcile your grant, your grant will be treated as an overpayment. Student Aid then will send you an electronic letter requesting the repayment of the entire grant or the unused portion- whichever is applicable. If you do not send the money back, Student Aid will recover the amount by reducing future Services & Equipment Grants till the amount is recovered. If you have an Alberta Grant for Student with Disabilities, your overpayment will turn into a loan. This will affect your credit score, so be careful.

How can I send unused funds back to the Government?

• Either write a cheque or a money order to the Government of Alberta (the address to send your cheque or money order can be found at the bottom of the reconciliation of funds worksheet). Alternatively, you can send an e-transfer. 

I have got a lump sum of money into my account and I do not remember the breakdown of my grant. How can I check the amount I am approved for on an item and or service?

• The SAS Advisor will always send everyone that got this grant a copy of their application. Please check your inbox for that email. Additionally, you can check the amount you are approved for on any item and or services by logging into your Student Aid Account and checking your student award letter (please read page 2 of your award letter).

I applied for funding online and was turned down for funding. Does this mean I cannot get any Services and Equipment funding?

• No. That only means you are not eligible for Federal Funding. Once the disability paperwork is processed, you should be able to get the Alberta Grant for Students with Disabilities-which is the Provincial equivalent of the Canada Services and Equipment Grant.

How can I track my application? 

• You can keep track of your application by logging into your Student Aid Account. Additionally, you can check the application dates that Student aid is currently working on by visiting the student aid website and checking the Request for Review dates.

• NOTE:  You can check your Student Aid to follow the progress of your grant application and know when it's processed. We recommend signing up for email and text messages notifications, so you can receive an email/and or text once the paperwork has been processed.

Will the loan and grant funding go to Concordia, or will it be deposited into my bank account?

• Student Aid chooses what funding is issued to Concordia at the start of each term. Our Student Accounts Office will make a tuition request to cover your tuition and the funds are sent to us around the start of the semester. All remaining funds get deposited into your bank account. This applies for Loans and Grants -except for the Alberta Grant for Students with Disabilities and The Canada Services & Equipment Grant.

What are the deadlines to apply for Disability Funding?

Deadlines for Disability-Related Grants

• Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities 

30 days prior to to the end of your current study period. 

• Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities- Services & Alberta Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities (Services). 

30 days prior to to the end of your current study period.

• Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities- Equipment or Alberta Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities (Equipment).

→  Study periods between 7-12 months - 90 days prior to to the end of your current study period.

→  Study periods between 4-6 months- 30 days prior to to the end of your current study period.

→  For Study periods that are less than 4 months- Apply no later than the study period start date (i.e. spring/summer terms, apprenticeship programs) 

Do I have to submit receipts?

• Canada Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities - once it has been approved and there is no need to do more paperwork after the first time we apply. As long as you submit an online application for funding every year, you'll be automatically considered for this grant. No receipts are required for this grant.

• Canada Services and Equipment Grant and/or Alberta Grant for Students with Disabilities- If approved, this grant is deposited into your account, and you must submit receipts to Student Aid to prove you spent that money for its intended purposes. Any unused funds must be returned to Student Aid.