Transfer Students

Our faculty is home to many students who begin their program elsewhere, and choose to further their education at the U of A.  We'd love to have you continue your studies in one of our programs!

Information for Current U of A Students

Transfer Credit Information  |  High School Pre-Requisites  |  Apply to a Program  |  Register for Courses  |  Prepare to Attend  |  Contact Information

Transfer Credit Information

Due to the large number of applicants to our programs and the complexity of transfer credit assessment, we are unable to do preliminary advising on post secondary transfer credit. You are asked to submit your U of A application, application fee, and supporting documents before we can assess your previous courses for transfer credit or admission requirements.

Diploma Transfer Agreements- Students or graduates from these diploma programs are eligible for transfer credit based on successful completion of the related diploma program.  High school pre-requisites remain in effect; please consult the admission requirements of your program for more information. 

Other transfer students from an Alberta post secondary college, university college or technical school may confirm transfer course equivalents with their current academic advisor or through the online transfer guide. 

Students are encouraged to use the transfer guide along with the course requirements for their program of interest when approximating how much of their previous course work may transfer to an ALES program. As the first one to two years in most of our programs consist of general science and arts courses, you may be further along in your ALES program than you think!

My school is not listed in the online transfer guide.  How can I tell if a course will transfer to my ALES program?

Students can identify a potential course equivalent by reading the course calendar description for the required U of A course and finding the closest matching course at their current school. 

back to top

High School Pre-Requisites

In addition to meeting the transfer GPA requirement, transfer students with 24 or more transferable credits are also required to present a grade of 50% or higher in the high school subjects required for admission.  Students who need to upgrade a high school subject(s) to meet program admission requirements are encouraged to check with an upgrading organization in their local community, as the U of A does not offer high school upgrading courses.  Students who want to begin their program in September have until August to complete the upgrading course(s).

back to top

How do I apply to the U of A?

• Complete the online application form and pay the $115 application fee. 
• Apply by May 1 for September admission or November 15 for January admission.  (Note: January admission is only available to transfer students who are NOT attending school elsewhere in the Fall term.)
• Admission into the Nutrition and Food Science program and BA Environmental Studies program is not available for January 2012.

Tip: Apply early and request to have an official transcript showing your Fall term final grades sent to the U of A.  Our advisors review applications throughout the term and you may qualify for early admission!

What do I need to do after applying to my program?

• Activate your Campus Computing ID (CCID) and U of A email account.  Your U of A email account will be used for all official communication from the faculty.
• Use your CCID to access Bear Tracks to check your application status and review your to do list.
• Check your @ualberta.ca email account regularly- your admission and registration information will be sent to this email account!
• Explore housing options and apply for housing through Residence Services.  Those who apply to live in Lister Centre are also eligible to apply to the ALES Residence Cohort.

Tip: Transcripts and documents must be submitted by June 15.  The online application process allows Alberta Education (high school) and all Alberta post secondary schools to send electronic transcripts to the U of A for most Alberta students (except for those who completed high school AP/IB courses).  All students who completed high school or post secondary studies outside of Alberta or who completed high school AP/IB courses must arrange to have official copies of all documents sent to the U of A.  You are strongly advised to check your Bear Tracks application status/to-do list to confirm.

back to top

I've been admitted.  How do I register for courses?

Registering early gives you the best opportunity to take courses on the days/times that are most convenient for you.  Many classes fill up well before September so register early to avoid disappointment.

Not sure how to register?

1) Look at your program checksheet (included with your admission letter and also available online by program) to see the courses you need to take.  All transfer students should review their personalized program checksheet and note the courses where transfer credit has been given.

2) Log on to Bear Tracks and use the step by step guide to build your class timetable and register in courses.

Student Advising Services (for students who are admitted to an ALES program)

What else do I need to do before classes start?

Guarantee your spot in classes!  Pay your confirmation deposit to avoid having your course registration cancelled, and ensure that all final documents are submitted to the U of A Registrar's Office by the posted deadline.

We have scholarships!  Transfer students admitted for September 2012 can apply for a faculty scholarship.  Application information will be posted in June 2012.

New to the U of A in September 2012?  Attend orientation and meet new friends in your program before classes even begin.  Ease into your first week of classes by attending this FUN and FREE "welcome to campus" day!

Ensure a successful transition to university!  The Transition to University (T2U) program offers several online and in person workshops to assist students in adjusting to all aspects of university life. 

back to top

Please contact a member of the Student Services Team at new2ales@ualberta.ca or 780-492-4933 or 231 General Services Building if you have any additional questions.