"[4] Canadian citizenship is a requirement,[5] and those who are elected or appointed members of a governmental body are ineligible as long as they hold office.

[5] The process of finding qualified individuals begins with submissions from the public to the Council of the Alberta Order of Excellence, which consists of six individuals without prequalification appointed by the lieutenant governor and meets once yearly to make its selected recommendations to the viceroy each June;[5][7] posthumous nominations are not accepted.

[8] The lieutenant governor, who is ex officio a member and the Chancellor of the Alberta Order of Excellence and remains a member following his or her departure from viceregal office,[3][9] then makes all appointments into the fellowship's single grade of membership by letters patent bearing the viceroyal sign-manual and the Great Seal of the province.

[12] According to Insignia Regulation, which stipulates the design of the order's badges and ribbon and how they are worn, the main emblem of the order is a 51-millimetre-wide (2.0 in) gold medallion in the form of a cross pattée, with the equidistant arms consisting of a transparent blue enamel over gold patterned to resemble prairie wheat.

This cross is layered between a burnished gold disk bearing roses and rose leaves, and another roundel with the coat of arms of Alberta on a red enamel background, surrounded by a white circle bearing the words "The Alberta Order of Excellence".