September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On this day we honour the children who never returned home from residential schools, recognize the survivors and their families, and acknowledge the intergenerational impacts of the residential school system.
The orange shirt is a symbol of what was taken from Indigenous children and communities – their culture, identity, and dignity. By wearing orange, we declare that Every Child Matters. Through this, we honour the past, support the present, and commit to a better future.
At AUSU, we encourage everyone to take this day to reflect on this history, learn from Indigenous voices, and prioritize their wellbeing and healing.
Learn More & Participate:
• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR): nctr.ca
• Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association: anfca.com
Foodbank & Fall Awards:
If you are in need of food assistance, we’re here to support you. AUSU’s Food Assistance Program offers help when it is needed most. Apply here and learn more about our program.
And, we have some exciting news: AUSU’s Fall Awards open in two days! Beginning on October 1st, 2025, all AUSU members are encouraged to submit applications to be recognized for their achievements. Members will receive an email as soon as applications are open. We cannot wait to see the incredible submissions this season!
AUSU is proud to announce that the Student Food Assistance Program is now open and operating under a new, equity-focused model.
This program supports Athabasca University students experiencing food insecurity. We’ve made important changes to ensure the process is fair, accountable, and respectful of your circumstances.
🚫 No More Draws. No More Guesswork. No More Gaps.
We’ve listened to your feedback and redesigned the program to better serve our members:
No More Random Draws Every application is now reviewed using a structured, equity-based scoring system. Support is provided based on demonstrated need—not chance.
No More One-Size-Fits-All Support Assistance amounts now range from $100 to $250, depending on household size and level of need.
No More Unverified Claims AUSU may request documentation to verify application details. This protects the integrity of the program and ensures resources go where they’re needed most.
Useful Data Collection The new system collects anonymised data to help AUSU better understand student needs and improve future services.
Privacy and Data Use Statement
All data collected through this program is confidential and will be used solely for program evaluation by the Athabasca University Students’ Union (AUSU). Individual identifying information will not be shared publicly. Data will be aggregated and analysed to identify trends and improve student support services.
📝 How to Apply
We’ve moved the application to the same secure platform used for AUSU’s Awards and Bursaries program.
The Food Assistance Program operates on a scoring-based system with a fixed issuing schedule. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and processed monthly. Allocations are issued at regular intervals based on available resources and applicant scores.
Applicants who are not selected during a given issuing cycle will be automatically placed on a waitlist, which remains active until the end of the fiscal year. These individuals do not need to reapply unless their household circumstances change significantly or they wish to update their application to improve their score.
Applicants who are selected and receive a food assistance card may reapply later in the fiscal year if their circumstances change or if they require continued support. All applications — whether new, returning, or waitlisted — are reevaluated during each issuing cycle.
At the end of the fiscal year, the waitlist is cleared and a new application cycle begins. Applicants must reapply to be considered for assistance in the new fiscal year.
New Accessibility Survey Launched:
In our mission to transform the educational experience at AU, we are continuing to listen and hear the voices that matter the most – our membership. Over the past month, we’ve conducted several surveys, including our Indigenous Consultation Survey (as part of Phase 1 of our Membership Consultation) and the Student Financial Aid Survey. Thank you to all who participated, you are shaping our advocacy.
With this in mind, we just launched a new survey for students with accessibility accommodations on July 29th. We want to hear about your experiences at AU, because your feedback will help us identify gaps for students with accommodations and create transformative change.
This survey has been emailed to all students, and is open until midnight on August 19th MT. All participants have an opportunity to enter to win a $50 gift card! If you have not received a link to your AU email with the survey, please contact president@ausu.org.
🤝 Our Commitment to You
AUSU is committed to supporting students with compassion, confidentiality, and fairness. These changes reflect our dedication to equity, transparency, and responsible stewardship of member resources.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at president@ausu.org.
Thank you for being part of a student community that cares.
Many smiles were captured at our photo and video booths at Athabasca University’s Convocation, where graduates had free professional photos and 360 videos. Above is a few highlights featuring the AUSU President Jan Lehmann and several of the amazing graduates.
Congratulations to all who graduated and who attended Convocation virtually or in person, it was truly inspiring to see so many walk across the stage with their hard-earned diplomas!
Indigenous Consultations:
We greet you in unity.
AUSU has launched the Indigenous Students Engagement & Advocacy Survey as Phase 1 of our Membership Consultations. We want to hear your voice to better understand how AUSU can support, represent, and uplift Indigenous students.
This survey has been emailed to all students, open until midnight on July 20th. All participants have an opportunity to enter to win a $50 giftcard! If you have not received a link to your AU email with the survey, please contact president@ausu.org.
Provincial Funding Survey
We have also launched a survey for students receiving provincial funding for tuition. Your feedback will drive real change and supportfor AU students like you. This survey has been sent out to all students, open until midnight on July 20th. Participants will also have an opportunity to enter to win a $50 giftcard! If you have not received a link to your AU email with the survey, please contact president@ausu.org.
Awards Judging:
All winners have been contacted by our office, and will be shared on our platforms soon. Thank you to all who participated, it is clear that our incredible membership is like no other!
Help shape the future
With your ongoing support and feedback, we can work together to make a difference in your educational experience at Athabasca University.
We would like to sincerely thank everyone who applied for the AUSU Seasonal Awards and Scholarships!
We’ve seen an incredible increase in applications this year, showcasing the inspiring ambition and dedication of so many students in our community. Over the next two weeks, AUSU’s Awards Committee will continue their hard work in processing and reviewing applications.
We appreciate your patience during this process. All winners will be contacted directly by our office!
On another exciting note, Convocation is just around the corner!
Athabasca University will be hosting Convocations on June 5th-6th. We’re thrilled to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our graduating students in Athabasca. Your hard work, perseverance and dedication have led you to this milestone, and AUSU is here to help make your convocation like no other.
AUSU is excited to present our Graduation Memories Experience at Convocation featuring:
🎥 360 Video Booth – Step inside and record immersive, interactive videos to relive your graduation from every angle.
📸 Photo Booth Experience – Strike a pose for high-quality images in our professionally lit, beautifully designed photo booth.
✨ Instant Keepsakes – Choose print or digital downloads, making it easy to treasure your convocation memories and share them online. Graduates will receive a private password to access, download, and share photos free for six months.
We can’t wait to celebrate with you and see the excitement of this milestone reflected in every smile, laugh, and moment shared. Whether you’re graduating this year or cheering on your fellow students, we hope you’ll join us in making this occasion special.
Digital Yearbook:
Our friends at the Athabasca University Graduate Student Association (AUGSA) are extending an invitation to all AU graduates, both undergraduates and graduates, to join the Convocation 2025 Digital Yearbook, including complimentary pins and other exciting keepsakes.
Congratulations to the graduating class – your future is bright, and we’re honoured to celebrate with you 🌟
Spring has sprung, and so has our Spring Awards Season! In line with our mission of transparency, AUSU is excited to share our achievements from the past month and our goals for the upcoming two months.
Our Accomplishments last month:
We launched a new and more accessible website.
Revamped and successfully rolled out the Spring 2025 awards season through a new platform, along with a brand new awards policy.
Initiated a partnership with AU’s Faculty of Humanities to research better support for accommodative students at AU.
Our goals for the next two months are to:
Open phase 1 of consultations with our students.
Refine our councillors’ portfolios to better serve and support your needs.
Work towards securing health and dental benefits for our membership through a referendum.
Launch an updated social media platform for students to connect.
We appreciate your continued support during this process, and are committed to making your educational experience at Athabasca University memorable. If you have any questions or require further details, please feel free to reach out!
Reminder: our Awards and Scholarships are still open for application until April 30th!
Click here to access our Spring 2025 Awards and Scholarships, along with our year-round bursaries (Including our travel, computer and emergency bursaries).
We are thrilled to announce the Spring 2025 Awards and Scholarshipapplications are now open forundergraduate AU students! As promised, we’ve delivered—just in time for the new season. We have launched a fresh platform featuring new scholarships, awards and bursaries. We hope you enjoy exploring these awards, and wish you the best of luck with your applications!
Applications will be accepted from April 1st-30th 2025, closing at midnight.
Our new seasonal awards and scholarships include:
Faculty Scholarships ($1000 for 4 recipients per faculty): These celebrate the achievements of program students across the Humanities, Science, Health, and Business faculties.
Academic Excellence Scholarship ($1000 x 4): honours the highest academic achievements in GPA.
Returning Student Award: ($500 x 4): for students who have returned to post-secondary education after 5 or more years
Resilient Scholar Award: ($1000 x 4): Celebrates the resilience and academic success of students who have undergone significant hardships
AUSU Community Impact & Engagement Award: ($1,000 x 4): Recognizes impactful volunteer service in local and AU communities
Storyteller Award ($500 x 4): Submit a creative and original artwork, story, or video that shares your educational journey!
Awards, Scholarships, and bursary applications are all now available on a new, simplified platform, making it easier than ever to apply.
Select the Awards, Scholarships, or Bursary category.
Choose the Award, Scholarship or Bursary you wish to apply to.
Fill out the questionnaire and upload the supporting documentation.
Deadline: April 30th 2025
If you have any questions, please contact president@ausu.org.
Click here to learn more about the awards and our new awards policy!
Please be patient as we rebuild our Website.
Extra Resources Hub
Empowering Your Journey Beyond AUSU
At AUSU, we recognize that successful student life extends beyond campus services. Our Extra Resources Hub curates a diverse collection of outside links and tools to support your academic, professional, and personal development. Explore trusted resources designed to help AU students overcome challenges and seize opportunities.
You will find:
Career & Professional Development: Discover job boards, internship portals, online career counseling, resume-building platforms, and interview preparation resources tailored for emerging professionals.
Health & Wellness Support: Explore external counseling services, mental health organizations, and wellness programs that support both emotional and physical well-being.
Financial Assistance: Find scholarship directories, bursary listings, financial literacy guides, and information on student loans to manage your education expenses.
Community & Social Engagement: Connect with volunteer networks, mentorship platforms, and social forums that broaden your community involvement and networking opportunities and more…
If you come across a valuable resource not yet featured here, let us know. We welcome your recommendations to help the entire AU community benefit.
Student Savings
Direct2U Pharmacy Savings
AUSU is excited to connect AU undergraduate students with great pharmacy savings in partnership with the Direct2U Virtual Pharmacy, now with preferred pharmacy pricing, free delivery in Canada, and discounts on purchases through the DrugSmart Pharmacy platform.
Preferred Pharmacy Pricing!
Free Delivery in Canada!
Once you create your account and your information is verified, you will be eligible for preferred pricing and benefits. These include:
15 DrugSmart Circle points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases (what is this?)
a 5,000-point DrugSmart Circle sign-up bonus that can be redeemed for $10 off your next purchase
Transferring your prescriptions from another pharmacy is easy to do and completely free. Simply provide the phone number of the pharmacy you’d like to transfer from, and DrugSmart Pharmacy will contact them to complete the process for you.
AUSU has teamed up with FYidoctors to bring tremendous preferred partner savings on eyewear to our student membership!
FYidoctors has over 370 locations across Canada, and growing! They were founded by some of Canada’s most reputable and respected optometrists who believe that patients should come before products and that eye care should be their primary focus.
FYidoctors is offering the following discounts to our student members:
20% Off: Complete pairs of glasses and sunglasses.*
10% Off: Any contact lens box
10% Off: Online eyewear purchases (use code at checkout)
*Regular priced optical frames and lenses. Sunglasses can be prescription or non. Excludes RayBan Meta products.
How to Access the Discount
Step 1: email president@ausu.org to request the FYidoctors Partner card.
Step 2: present the Partner card and your student ID at FYidoctors during purchase.
Step 3: enjoy the savings!!
Student Price Card (SPC)
AUSU is thrilled to offer AU undergraduates a chance to save more with the Student Price Card—take advantage of exclusive student discounts today.
The Student Price Card, also known as the SPC Card, is a student loyalty program in Canada offering discounts and deals on things like clothes, food, travel, and more. Show your SPC Card at participating locations and receive instant savings every time you shop.
When you purchase a Student Price Card annual membership, you gain instant access to 450+ unlimited discounts and up to 25% off top brands.
Sound good to you?
Well, it gets better! When you purchase an SPC Card through the AUSU link below, you take advantage of an additional $2.00 savings off the cost of the annual membership. At only $9.99/year, the card pays for itself with one purchase!
The AUSU Wellness Passport was created with the idea that wellness is a personal journey. Much like a real passport, it marks the steps you take. As you explore this path to better well-being, you’ll find a variety of activities to engage in. Completing them earns you valuable passport stamps and helps enhance your overall wellness.
The Wellness Passport is thoughtfully designed around the eight dimensions of wellness: social, spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual, occupational, environmental, and financial. Each section offers a curated selection of eight activities tailored to its specific dimension, with a written resource and an accompanying video, all conveniently hyperlinked for seamless access.
As you explore your wellness journey, check out our additional resource guide for more ideas and valuable information.
We hope that you’ll embark on this journey with us to better your well-being, and we know that a bit of positive reinforcement can increase motivation to get started. So, we’re offering the opportunity to win prizes! Each quarter—January, April, July, and October—we’ll give away three $50 gift cards.
Participating students must complete at least three activities from each wellness section to qualify. Then email your completed Wellness Passport to ausu@ausu.org – we’ll keep track of the entries for a random draw for prizes every quarter!
Food Assistance Program
Food insecurity is a problem many post-secondary students face due to rising tuition costs, living expenses, and insufficient financial aid systems. Students often face significant challenges as they work toward personal growth, academic achievement, and professional success.
Recognising these obstacles, AUSU is proud to offer the Food Assistance Program; a dedicated resource for AU undergraduate students experiencing food insecurity. If you are in need of support, apply here
Awards & Bursaries
AUSU seasonal awards and year-round bursaries are available to qualifying AUSU members* who submit completed applications with all required forms by the appropriate deadline.
To learn more about our awards and bursaries see Policy 7.02. Applications are collected and processed through AwardForce.
*You are an AUSU member if you are currently taking any AU undergraduate course for credit. Your membership ends on the end date of your course, including extensions or when your final grade is posted.
We are also thrilled to partner with AU on another important initiative by sponsoring the AUSU Indigenous Student Award administered by AU and open annually for applications from December 1 to January 15. AUSU Indigenous Student Awards encourage and support Indigenous students at AU as they pursue their academic studies. Learn more about the AUSU Indigenous Student Awards on the AU website here.
Advocacy & Representation
AUSU is dedicated to supporting and empowering the AU student community through comprehensive advocacy services. AUSU offers two main types of advocacy to address the diverse needs of its members: individual student advocacy and external advocacy. Individual student advocacy focuses on providing personalised support to students facing academic or administrative challenges, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are protected. On the the other hand, external advocacy involves representing the collective interests of the student body to broader audiences, including policymakers and education stakeholders, to drive meaningful change and improve the overall student experience at AU.
Please email president@ausu.org if you have concerns or feedback about things such as:
course problems
academic or exam fees
tutor concerns
any other concerns related to your student life
new course suggestions
any ideas that will improve your academic experience overall
