Current and Former U of A Students

Our faculty attracts many students each year who discover an ALES program sometime after they begin studies at the U of A.  As we offer a diverse range of programs with great career prospects, you may find a U of A program here that matches your interests.

Programs and Admission Requirements 

Transfer Credit Information  |  High School Pre-Requisites  |  Apply to a Program  |  Register for Courses  |  Contact Information  |  Drop In Advising Schedule

How is an ALES program different from my current program?

While every student must declare a major, most students will choose from Approved Program Electives instead of a minor.  Minors are required in Human Ecology and are optional in Nutrition and Food Science.  More information is available on the program pages.

How many of my previous courses will transfer to my ALES program?

You can easily match the courses you've already taken to your ALES program of choice. 

• A checksheet that lists program requirements for every program offered is available on the program pages. 
• Check off the courses you've already completed at the U of A to find out how many courses remain.
• When more than one course is listed in a box on the checksheet, only one course from that list is required to be completed.  The general rule is one box = one course.
• Most programs allow for 3 or 4 free electives.  Transfer credit that does not fit anywhere else on the checksheet can be counted as a free elective.
• An official transfer credit assessment will only be completed when your application is being reviewed for an admission decision.

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!

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High School Pre-Requisites 

In addition to meeting the transfer GPA requirement, transfer students with 24 or more transferable credits are 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 the Edmonton (or Camrose) area, as the U of A does not offer high school upgrading classes. 

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How do I apply to transfer into an ALES program?

• Complete the Registrar's Office online application form and pay the $75 transfer fee. 
• Apply by May 1 for September admission or November 15 for January admission.  Note: Admission into the Nutrition and Food Science program or BA Environmental Studies program is not available for January 2012.

Tip: Apply early, as our advisors review applications throughout the term and you may qualify for early admission!

What do I need to do after applying to an ALES program?

As a U of A student, your transcripts should be up to date, unless you are in Open Studies or have interrupted your studies at the U of A to attend another post secondary school.  You are strongly advised to check your Bear Tracks application status/to-do list to confirm.

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What do I need to do after being admitted into my ALES program?

In order to confirm your desire to change faculties/programs, you must log on to Bear Tracks and change your program  for both the Fall and Winter terms. 

 All programs require courses that are restricted to ALES students, so changing your program information on Bear Tracks will reduce your chance of receiving a course registration error message(s). 

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.

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

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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.

Drop In Advising Schedule (for students not yet admitted to ALES)

Still have questions about transferring programs?  Come and speak to Melody in 231 General Services Building during an upcoming drop in advising time.