Alberta Advanced Education has mandated Athabasca University to act as a credit coordinating body. In general, credit courses completed at other accredited degree-granting institutions will be considered for transfer credit to Athabasca University programs on a course-by-course basis.

University transfer courses taken at colleges will generally be considered for transfer credit as though they were university courses.

Before courses taken previously through other post-secondary institutions will be evaluated for credit toward Athabasca University credentials, official transcripts must be provided directly from the issuing institution to Athabasca University. Detailed course descriptions may also be required.

If you wish to transfer credit to an Athabasca University program and haven't done so already, you must enrol in a specific program by completing and submitting the Undergraduate General Application Form. If you are a continuing student, you must complete and submit the online Change of Program Form at myAU or use the printable Undergraduate General Application Form (PDF) and submit it to the Office of the Registrar.

Non-Canadian students who will be presenting international credentials for possible transfer credit to an Athabasca University program, refer to Section 6.6.3.

While transfer credit for individual field placement, professional seminars, work experience, life experience, or elementary skills is not normally granted, students should contact the Centre for Learning Accreditation for information. The office will help you determine which learning experiences may be evaluated for credit towards a program.

Block transfer credit may be granted on the basis of an approved certificate or diploma completed at another institution, (as opposed to individual course-by-course transfer credit). Athabasca University has articulated a large number of programs from other institutions. A list of these transfer credit arrangements can be viewed at www.athabascau.ca/cgi-bin/credit_transfer.pl

Block transfer arrangements are most often associated with specific programs and may not be applicable to all Athabasca University credentials.  Only complete credentials qualify for block transfer, otherwise, the transfer credit will be assessed on a course-by-course basis. Athabasca University responds to all evaluations individually. The relevant credential program regulations are dependent on the year the college program and/or individual courses were completed, the course selection within the diploma, and other variables. Individual credit may vary. Students who want to have unassigned credit changed to direct equivalency credit, or students who wish to have courses evaluated which have not been granted transfer credit, must present DETAILED COURSE OUTLINES to the Admissions/ Evaluations Office.

When transferring credit from other institutions, students must follow one of the following two procedures.

Procedure One

Complete and submit the Undergraduate General Application Form (GAF), select an undergraduate degree, diploma, or certificate program, and submit the non-refundable application fee to the Office of the Registrar. Once you have successfully completed six Athabasca University credits and the University has received your evaluation request (if using the print form, refer to Section D), the non-refundable evaluation fee, and official transcripts, an evaluation of your previous post-secondary education will begin.

If you are an unclassified student who would like to enrol in an Athabasca University program, complete and submit a new Undergraduate GAF and select an undergraduate degree, diploma, or certificate program. You are required to submit the one-time evaluation fee, but, as a previously admitted student you are not required to resubmit the general application fee again.

Arrange to have official transcripts of your previous education, from each institution that you formerly attended, sent directly to Athabasca University, Admissions and Evaluations Services, Office of the Registrar. Athabasca University will evaluate all post-secondary course work completed within Canada and the United States. In some cases, additional supporting documentation (e.g., detailed course outlines) may also be required in order to begin the evaluation. Course outlines may be submitted directly by the home institution or the student.

Procedure Two

Complete and submit the Undergraduate GAF, select an undergraduate degree, diploma, or certificate program, and submit the non-refundable application fee to the Office of the Registrar.

If you have attended other recognized post-secondary education institutions within Canada and the United States, and you wish to have an evaluation processed for possible transfer credit without waiting to complete six Athabasca University credits, you must also submit the non-refundable evaluation fee (if using the print form, refer to Section D of the Undergraduate GAF), and official transcripts. This fee applies to an evaluation of previous course work towards one program of your choice.

If you successfully complete six Athabasca University credits (the equivalent of two, three-credit courses), you will be eligible for a reduction in fees toward your third Athabasca University course registration. In order to process this reduction, you must contact Registrations Unit, before registering in your third course.

This information will be of use to students who want to have unassigned credit changed to direct equivalency credit, as well as to students who wish to have courses evaluated which have not been granted transfer credit.

For either of the above type cases, the student must present DETAILED COURSE OUTLINES to the Admissions/ Evaluations Office. Calendar descriptions will NOT suffice.

The information in the detailed course outlines should include:

• Institution name
• Course name, number, and year completed
• A statement of the course objectives
• A detailed outline for the course
• The number of weeks of duration
• Hours per week of lecture (laboratory/tutorial/seminar/studio work)
• The method of evaluation and grading
• The textbooks used
• Content of assignments and assignment weighing
• Credential of instructor(s)
• Course title of prerequisite or corequisite courses (if any)
• Credit value

Generally, Athabasca University courses are transferable to other Canadian degree-granting institutions.

Athabasca University is unable to advise you on which of its courses would transfer into a program at another institution. The decision to accept courses for transferability lies exclusively with the home institution.

If you are in a program at another post-secondary institution and wish to take an Athabasca University course, you are advised to obtain a Letter of Permission from your home institution before taking the Athabasca University course. If you do not obtain permission you may not receive credit for the course at your home institution.

Students wishing to transfer courses or programs to another institution should refer to the Alberta Transfer Guide, which lists all courses and program transfer agreements between post-secondary institutions in Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. The Guide and other transfer information are available online or by contacting

Alberta Council on Admission and Transfer
11th Floor, Commerce Place
10155 - 102 Street
Edmonton, AB
T5J 4L5
Phone: 780.422.9021 or 310.0000 toll-free
E-mail: acat@gov.ab.ca

Evaluations take time. Once Admissions and Evaluations Services receives all the transcripts, supporting documents, and required fees, your evaluation request enters a queue. It will take approximately eight weeks to complete your evaluation. If additional information is required, or Athabasca University is experiencing high volumes of requests, it may take up to 16 weeks. In addition to official transcripts, supporting documentation, such as course and program descriptions, may be required from the sending institution.

Failure to provide this information when it is requested will impede the evaluation process. When the evaluation is complete, you will receive a letter indicating what transfer credit has been awarded and how it has been applied to your program of study.

While waiting for your evaluation of previous education to be completed, you may register in courses. However, if a registration duplicates course work already completed, credit will only be granted once. Course selection assistance may be obtained from a student advisor or by submitting an Information Request Form.

But remember, Athabasca University cannot officially approve any courses as being applicable to your program until your assessment is complete.

If you register in a course and are subsequently given transfer credit for a similar previous course, you may choose to withdraw from the course. Refer to Section 6.17.

Once your evaluation is complete, Evaluation Services will issue an evaluation letter outlining the transfer credit awarded. Examine the transfer credit awarded closely, and how it has been applied to your program of study.

If you require assistance in understanding the evaluation results or in program planning, please contact a student advisor. If you have questions as to why a course did not receive transfer credit, please contact Evaluation Services immediately.

When you enrol in a program and request an evaluation, you must arrange to have official transcripts of your previous post-secondary education sent to Athabasca University, Admissions and Evaluations Services, from each institution attended. Faxed documentation is not considered official and cannot be used for evaluation purposes or for awarding transfer credit. Documents received in support of an application for admission become the property of Athabasca University. the documents are irreplaceable, you may request that they be returned by Admissions and Evaluations Services. Ensure the correct mailing address is provided or the documents will be sent by registered mail to the most recent address on file. Athabasca University does not assume responsibility for lost documents.

If you are requesting a transcript from Athabasca University, find out how you can request a transcript online by visiting http://www.athabascau.ca/registrar/transcripts_FAQ.php, or complete and submit the Transcript Request Form (PDF). There is a $15 charge for each transcript requested.

Students can appeal a transfer credit decision by following details in the Student Code of Conduct and Right to Appeal Regulations.

Usually, courses will be considered for transfer credit regardless of when they were completed. Depending on the program, Athabasca University will not award transfer credit for nursing courses, some administrative studies courses (e.g., law, senior-level accounting, management science, marketing or finance courses), information systems courses, or science courses that were completed more than 10 years ago. In addition, the University will not grant transfer credit in the following programs for computer science courses taken more than five years ago.

Students transferring credit completed within a Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS) accredited diploma or who have completed a science-related diploma program from a college or technical institute, and who are enrolling in the Bachelor of Science Program, may not be eligible for a block transfer of credit if the diplomas are more than five years old.

Consequently, if student diplomas are more than five years old and students are currently active in their field of study, they should arrange to provide evidence of this activity to Admissions and Evaluations Services (e.g., a letter from their employer, a copy of professional membership etc.). Students who choose to change programs may ask a student advisor for help in determining whether courses they have completed through Athabasca University will be accepted into the new program.

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