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.

Athabasca University responds to all evaluations individually. Individual credit may vary as the relevant AU 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.

Athabasca University
Office of the Registrar
1 University Drive,
Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3.

Through articulation agreements with other institutions, Athabasca University accepts many college diplomas and other credentials as blocks of transfer credit toward Athabasca University programs. In these cases, the student's transcript is reviewed, and transfer credit is awarded as a block of credit rather than on a course-by-course basis.

Block transfer arrangements are most often associated with specific programs and may not be applicable to all Athabasca University credentials.  Athabasca University has articulated courses and programs from more than 240 institutions and organizations.

If an articulation agreement is not in place, you may request a course-by-course evaluation. To determine how your previous education could transfer to an Athabasca University program, contact an Athabasca University advisor or refer to the Transfer Credit Database website below.

  Transfer credit arrangements
  Detailed course outlines

When transferring credit from other institutions, students must follow one of 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. If you are an unclassified/visiting student or an inactive student and you would like to enrol in an Athabasca University program, please 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.

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.

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 may also be required in order to begin the evaluation.

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). This fee applies to an evaluation of previous course work towards one program of your choice.

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 may also be required in order to begin the evaluation.

After 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 you register in the 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
Email: acat@gov.ab.ca

   Alberta Transfer Guide
 

Evaluations take time. Once Admissions and Evaluations Services receives all the transcripts, supporting documents, and required fees, your evaluation request enters a queue. It can take from ten to twelve weeks to complete your evaluation. If additional information is required, or Athabasca University is experiencing high volumes of requests, it may take longer. 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 a course(s). However, if your course duplicates course work that you completed previously, you will receive credit for one course only. Athabasca University cannot officially approve any courses as being applicable to your program until your evaluation assessment is complete. If you register in a course and are subsequently given transfer credit for a similar course completed previously, you have the option of withdrawing from the course. Refer to Section 6.17.

Course selection assistance may be obtained from an Athabasca University student advisor or by completing and submitting an Information Request Form.

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. Official transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution to Athabasca University.

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. If 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, learn how you can request a transcript online. You may also print, and complete and submit the Transcript Request Form (PDF). There are no fees required unless you request that your transcript be couriered.

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.

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.

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

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