No child is ever denied access to an education in the CBE because of an inability to pay. If you can’t afford the fees, there are several ways to qualify for a central fee waiver.
Approved applications will have the following fees (if applicable) waived for the school year:
- Transportation
- Lunch Supervision
- Student Supplies
- Musical Instrument Rental
How to Qualify
Waiver applications for the current school year are available from September 1 through your
MyCBE / PowerSchool account. The deadline for waiver applications is June 30 of the applicable school year. Waiver applications that are submitted past the deadline may not be approved.
A new fee waiver application form must be completed for each school year.
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Waiver Category
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Description
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Supporting Documents
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Low-Income with proof of government support
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A family is approved for a municipal or provincial support program during the current school year, including:
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- City of Calgary Fair Entry letter, OR
- Alberta Child Health Benefit letter and card, OR
- Social Services benefit card, or current letter verifying your receipt of benefits
Both the applicant and student(s) names must appear on the documents
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Low-income due to sudden loss of income
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A family suddenly falls under the low-income threshold (as defined by the
Alberta Child Health Benefit guide). The loss of income may be due to job loss, illness/injury, or enrolment in a full-time post-secondary institution, etc.
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Proof of current household income, suggested supporting documents:
- Government benefit statements (e.g. Employment Insurance benefits, social services benefits, etc.)
- Pay stubs or proof of self-employment income if currently employed
- Any other relevant documents to support your application
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Government Sponsored Refugee
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A family are Convention refugees sponsored by the Government of Canada
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- Parent(s) “Confirmation of Residency” papers indicating Convention Refugee and a current Citizenship and Immigration cheque stub, OR
- A copy of current dated Interim Federal Health Certificate of Eligibility for applicant and children.
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Death of a Parent/Legal Guardian or Student
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A family has experienced the death of a parent/legal guardian or student within 12 months of the school year.
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- Obituary, OR
- Funeral program, OR
- Death certificate
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Family Emergency
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A family has experienced a traumatic life event (such as a natural disaster or a life-altering illness/injury) and are unable to pay for school fees as a result.
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- Proof of current household (see low-income due to sudden loss of income category for suggested supporting documents)
- Evidence of catastrophic event (e.g. police report, doctor’s note insurance claim, court order, eviction notice, etc.
- Any other documents to support your application
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Shelter/Social Services Protection
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A family resides in a shelter or is under social services protection.
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- Letter from recognized social services or shelter organization
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How to Apply
Please note: In addition to the steps below to have fees waived, you will still need to register for all services by filling out and submitting the required online forms.
Step 1:
Review the waiver categories and gather your supporting documents. Photocopies are accepted.
Step 2:
Complete the Central Fee Waiver application online at MyCBE/PowerSchool. Refer to the categories above to ensure that you provide all the supporting documents. Applications that do not have all the required documentation cannot be assessed.
Applications can take up to 8-12 weeks to process. To allow sufficient time to process your application, please apply as soon as possible. The final deadline for application is June 30 of the applicable school year.
General Information
- Central Fee Waivers are approved on an annual basis. Waivers can only be applied to the current school year’s fees.
- Complete one fee waiver application form per student by submitting your application and supporting documentation online using your MyCBE/Powerschool account.
- Approval is not guaranteed with the submission of the waiver.
- If your waiver application is denied or not processed due to lack of supporting documentation, you are responsible to pay your child’s school fees.
- Please allow 8-12 weeks for processing your waiver. If you have not received a reply from the CBE after 8 weeks, please send your inquiries to feewaiver@cbe.ab.ca.
- If you apply for a waiver, you must still register for school bus transportation and lunch supervision if your child uses these services.
- You will be notified regarding your submission’s approval or denial by email and you can find the decision in your
MyCBE/Powerschool account.
- You may be contacted by email or phone to clarify your application.
- Please review the information regarding criteria and documents required for submission carefully as they have been expanded to clarify the process and to accommodate changes to government support programs.
- Legal guardians must be on file with the school in the student demographic information.
Low Income Cut-off Guidelines
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Family Type |
Maximum Qualifying Income
(effective July 1, 2015)
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Single parent with 1 child
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$26,023
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Single parent with 2 children
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$31,010
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Single parent with 3 children
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$36,325
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Single parent with 4 children
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$41,957
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Couple with 1 child
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$31,237
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Couple with 2 children
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$36,634
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Couple with 3 children
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$41,594
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Couple with 4 children*
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$46,932
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*For each additional child, add $4,973
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* For information regarding the Alberta Child Health Benefit, please call 310-0000 then dial
780-427-6848 (toll free) or visit the
website.
Please note it can take several weeks to receive coverage.
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Please note: CBE follows the Alberta Child Health Benefits (ACHB) income guidelines to determine waiver eligibility. The ACHB plan is for families with limited incomes. It pays for health services, prescription drugs and dental care for children up to age 18, and up to age 20 if they live at home and are attending high school up to Grade 12
