Admission Requirements

What Are Admission Requirements?

Admission requirements are based on the general skills you need to succeed in your post-secondary program of study. Many undergraduate courses ask for a high school diploma, or minimum grades in certain classes.

Requirements can increase if an institution has more applications than available spaces in a program. This makes it important for you to find out if you meet your program’s requirements before you apply - and to research several different institutions.

How to Find Admission Requirements

Every Alberta post-secondary institution posts information about the programs they offer on their websites. These pages usually include:

• A summary of what the program is about
• Descriptions of courses you would take to complete the program
• How long the program takes to complete
• Cost to take the program
• Admission requirements

Every program - and every institution - has different admission requirements. If you don’t meet the requirements for a program offered at one institution, look at the requirements for another institution to see if you meet theirs instead.

Common 4.0 Alpha Grading Scale and Grade Point Average Calculation

In Alberta, undergraduate students have a common 4.0 Alpha Grading Scale (and numeric equivalents) and common Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation that are generally used by publicly funded institutions. See a summary of this information, below, and see institution grading policies on their websites. 

Example - Common 4.0 Alpha Grading Scale and Numeric Equivalents

(Grading Scale Example retrieved Feb. 2023, University of Alberta website)

Example - Common Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation

Sum of (grade point X number of credits)/(sum of credits)

Plan for Post-Secondary in High School

If you’re in high school and planning ahead, there are programs you can take to explore career options or increase your chances of admission into post-secondary.

• Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes
• Career and Technology Studies (CTS) credentialed pathways
• Dual credit programs
• Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) 

When You Don’t Meet Admission Requirements

If you don’t meet admission requirements for the program you want to take, you can consider:

• Upgrading high school courses to improve your grades
• Finding out if your related on-the-job or volunteer experience could be assessed and recognized for possible credit towards your new program

If you need to upgrade more than a few courses to get into your program of choice, you can consider laddering your education. This means you’d enroll in a certificate or diploma program, instead of pursing a degree. You can then transfer that education towards a higher credential. For example, if you want to train to become a nurse, you could:

• Start by taking a Nursing Assistant Certificate
• Use that certificate to meet the prerequisite for a Licensed Practical Nurse Diploma
• Use your diploma to apply for admission to a nursing degree program

Several post-secondary programs are designed to help you ladder your education up to your ultimate career goal. These options include:

• Biological Sciences 
• Commerce
• Engineering (one year program only) 
• Nursing 
• Education
• Kinesiology/Physical Education

If you don’t see the program you’re interested in taking, ask admissions staff at the post-secondary institution you want to attend if laddering opportunities are available.