Parents + Supporters

Students can apply as early as October 1 of their Grade 12 year. They will submit their final Grade 11 marks, as well as any available final Grade 12 marks, when applying.

We have an ongoing evaluation process, which means students only have to apply once and their application will continually be evaluated.

Most Canadian high school applications will be assessed within approximately one to two weeks, assuming they have submitted enough relevant information. Other types of applications can take longer to process.

After their initial application has been assessed, they may receive an admission offer or they may receive advisor comments indicating that further coursework or documents are required.

They can check their application status through their Launchpad account. (Please note our privacy policy below.)

Admission averages are calculated using the final grades in the five courses required by the program they applied for. Where Grade 12 final marks are not available, we will use the final mark achieved in the Grade 11 equivalent course.

Yes, if your student is admitted to their second-choice program, they will continue to be evaluated for their first-choice program. Students will be able to provide new final marks at the end of the first semester through a course and mark update form in Launchpad.

Applications are assessed on an ongoing basis and we will reassess your student's application when we receive new information from them (i.e., final marks after the first semester) or if our admission parameters change at any time.

Unless otherwise stated in their offer letter or Launchpad account, students who receive an offer before March 1, 2025, have until May 1, 2025, to accept their offer.

We are confident you will find our tuition comparable to other top universities in Canada, and the financial resources available to offset these costs are plentiful.

There are four main factors that will influence how much your student’s degree will cost:

• Instructional (tuition) fees: These cover the cost of their courses and instruction. Different programs will have different costs.
• Non-instructional fees: These cover various student services and benefits.
• Books and supplies: Every course has required reading and textbooks. The cost can vary greatly for each course or program.
• Living arrangement: Whether your student chooses to live at home, in residence or off campus, this choice will impact the overall cost of their degree.

For an estimated cost breakdown, direct your student to our Cost Calculator. More information can be found on our Tuition and Fees web page.

The fee deadline for each term varies and can be found on our Tuition web page. Students are responsible for paying their outstanding balance in full, or they will be subject to a financial hold on their account. A financial hold will impact the students’ ability to register in classes and access an official transcript from the U of A.

Tuition can be paid for online. Options are outlined on our Tuition web page. To avoid a financial hold being placed on the student account, we encourage students to arrange payment prior to the fee deadline.

We encourage students to arrange their own payments. However, parents are able to sign in as a guest in Bear Tracks to pay a student's tuition fees or tuition deposit. If you are making a payment on behalf of the student, you will need to know the student’s account number, which is the student’s seven-digit student ID number combined with the first four letters of their last name (i.e., 1234567SMIT).

We have two types of entrance scholarship categories: admission-based and application-based.

Application-Based Scholarships: We use a single application form to assess students based on academics, leadership, inclusion and financial need. There truly is an award suited to everyone, so there is no reason not to apply.

Admission-Based Scholarships: Students could be starting with scholarships they don’t have to apply for! Their eligibility for these scholarships is based on their high school admission average at the time of their admission offer.

More information is available on our Entrance Scholarships web page.

1. Apply for admission to their desired program to receive a CCID and password to apply for scholarships. Please note that it can take two to three business days for a CCID to be generated.
2. Apply for scholarships. Please note undergraduate entrance scholarship applications close January 10, 2025.

Whether students require financial assistance from the start, or they find themselves a little short during the school year, the U of A can provide support for their post-secondary financial needs through a number of means, including:

• Bursaries: Non-repayable funds that help with academic and basic living costs for students who find themselves in financial need.
• Emergency Funding: Additional support programs in place for students encountering a sudden financial shortfall or unexpected expenses.
• Student Loans: A payable loan that assists in paying for post-secondary education. A variety of options are available for students.

More information on these forms of financial support can be found on our Financial Support and Advising web page.

Students looking to discuss their financial options should contact our Student Service Centre.

Communications Policy

Official correspondence regarding admissions and awards will occur online through our student portals, with key notifications sent via email. Few, if any, correspondence will be sent via regular mail. The university holds students responsible for ensuring messages sent to their student email accounts are reviewed and acted on promptly.

Privacy Policy

Official correspondence between the university and students is privileged. The university is unable, by law, to disclose students’ personal or academic information to anyone else, including their parents and family members, without the students’ prior written consent.

The applicant needs to complete, sign and submit this Informed Consent for Disclosure of Personal Information form to authorize the Office of the Registrar to disclose their personal information to another person, designated agent or agency, legal counsel or others. The form must be submitted to the Student Service Centre directly from the student.

Grade point average. This is the academic average that a student attains in their university classes.

Parking is available for students. Find parking all across campus with daily, monthly and annual payment options on our Parking Services web page.

Living in residence is a great way for students to build a support network on campus. Our first-year residences are designed especially for students experiencing the U of A for the first time. Residence offers a multitude of opportunities and resources for students to successfully transition to university life and create a home away from home.

Residence Services also employs a wide variety of security measures in conjunction with University of Alberta Protective Services (UAPS), including ID checkpoints, door buzzers and proximity access cards, security cameras, single-button emergency contact through any campus payphone and 24-hour on-call Residence Services staff.

A 40- to 60-hour workweek is typical, as students can expect at least one to two hours of reading and assignments for every hour spent in lectures or labs. Encourage your student to build study time and breaks into their schedule, maintain a manageable workload, stay on top of their assignments and access the many services and supports that are available to them.

Students have access to a network of services ranging from tutoring and academic advising, to health care and mental wellness, to student-led organizations and support groups, including:

• Academic Success Centre
• Counselling and Clinical Services
• First Peoples’ House
• Fyrefly Institute for Gender and Sexual Diversity
• Peer Support Centre
• University Health Centre

More information can be found on our Current Students web page.

U of A Protective Services (UAPS) patrol our campuses 24 hours a day, and first responders such as fire, police and ambulance service our community. Emergencies at the U of A are rare, and all university staff work hard to foster a safe and supportive learning environment year-round.

Safewalk provides students with a free and safe alternative to walking alone at night. Chaperones will escort students anywhere around the university community and within five blocks of any LRT station.

Our Emergency Notification System is a robust and comprehensive service that can quickly alert students and staff of emergencies no matter where they are, via several media, including email, text and phone call.