Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 34.79
Liaison Matt Wolsfeld
Submission Date Oct. 24, 2011
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.1

University of Saskatchewan
PAE-10: Affordability and Access Programs

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Russell Isinger
Registrar
Student and Enrolment Services Division
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have policies and programs in place to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s participation in federal TRIO programs:
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A brief description of the institution’s policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students?:

The university’s students have access to federal and provincial student aid programs, which include grants for students from low-income families. These loan and grant programs are needs-based. Students with permanent disabilities are eligible for additional financial assistance for education-related costs.
Many scholarships and bursaries are available to U of S students, some of which consider financial need.
A variety of employment opportunities exist for students on campus, including positions as research assistants and teaching assistants.
Aboriginal students have access to scholarships, bursaries, awards, emergency loans and band funding through the Aboriginal Students’ Centre.
As a publicly funded institution the university’s tuition rates are affordable taking into account the sources of assistance mentioned above.


A brief description of the institution’s programs to equip the institution's faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:

Our faculty, administrative, advising and counseling staff who frequently see students who demonstrate financial need are informed by regular communication of the existence of bursaries, on-campus work opportunities and emergency loans for students in distress.


A brief description of the institution’s programs to prepare students from low-income backgrounds for higher education:

Our recruitment, admissions and awards staff provide workshops to high school students on applying for admission to university, the cost of attendance, options for financing including government student loans, and applying for student awards. The university's website also provides budget planning and other "money matters" information.


A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:

The University of Saskatchewan offers a wide variety of institution-funded and donor-funded awards to students in all program years with financial need. These awards are offered both at the university-wide and the college or program level.


A brief description of the institution’s programs to guide parents of low-income students through the higher education experience:

Our recruitment, admissions and awards staff provide workshops to parents of high school students on applying for admission to university, the cost of attendance, options for financing including government student loans, and applying for student awards. The university's website also provides budget planning and other "money matters" information.


A brief description of the institution’s targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:

Recruitment staff travel to First Nations communities in remote areas of the province to provide Aboriginal students with specific and culturally sensitive information. Aboriginal students are among those with the lowest family incomes. Recruiters also visit high schools that serve students from a wide variety of income levels.


A brief description of the institution’s other admissions policies and programs:

Students are admitted into undergraduate programs as "direct from high school", conditionally after Grade 11 and finally after Grade 12; as "mature students" or "special admission" after several years post-high school; and into graduate programs according to academic potential. All admissions are need-blind and are based solely on academic merit.


A brief description of the institution’s other financial aid polices or programs:

Students who experience financial crises that cannot be anticipated or planned for (e.g. a death in the family requiring travel, a robbery) may qualify for emergency student loan aid.


A brief description of the institution’s other policies and programs not covered above:
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The website URL where information about programs in each of the areas listed above is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.