Parents & Supporters

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Supporting Your Student

Key Dates and Deadlines

Help your student prepare for university by ensuring they stay on top of important dates and deadlines. 

Our Programs

Finding their purpose starts with finding a program, which is why we have 200+ to choose from.

Competitive Averages

Admission is competitive, works on a rolling basis and space in each program is limited, so we recommend applying early. Review our historical admission averages to help your student plan for post-secondary.

Please note: these historical admission averages do not serve as a guarantee for future admission.

Admission Requirements

Review our admission requirements to set your student up for success when submitting an application to the U of A, including general and program-specific academic requirements.

Students are required to self-report all final grade 11 and 12 courses, including those which have been completed, those they are currently taking and those they are planning to take.

Prospective Student Advising

If your student needs support at any stage along the way, our advisors can help! They can book either a general or faculty-specific advising session to get their questions answered. 


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Parents & Supporters E-News

Sign up for our email newsletter to stay informed on dates, deadlines and events.

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Get Involved

Your Student Has Been Admitted - Now What?

Learn all things about the steps now that your student has been admitted to the U of A. This includes how they can accept their offer, register for their courses, tuition, student support on campus, orientation, university lingo and more!

Campus Tours

See campus for yourself with a 60-minute walking tour of campus led by our U of A Ambassadors. Get acquainted with our most popular facilities and student spaces.

Book a Campus Tour


FAQ

Admissions

When do applications open? Is there “early admission”?

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.

When does the U of A start making admission decisions?

Most Canadian high school applications will be assessed within 1-2 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 UAlberta Launchpad account (please note our Privacy Policy below).
What average does my student need to receive an offer for their program?

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.

Historical admission averages can be viewed at uab.ca/averages. Please be advised that these historical admission averages do not serve as guarantee for future admission.
If an admission offer has been given for my student's second choice program, is their first choice program evaluation ongoing?

Students will first be evaluated for their first-choice program. If they are eligible for their first-choice program, they will receive an offer for that program. They will not be evaluated for their second-choice program, regardless of whether they choose to accept their first offer or not.

The student will be evaluated for their second-choice program only if they are not immediately eligible for their first-choice program.

How long do students have to accept their offer?

Unless otherwise stated on their offer letter or UAlberta Launchpad account, students who receive an offer before March 1, 2024 have until May 1, 2024 to accept their offer. 

More information can be found on our Accept Your Offer webpage.

What if my student doesn’t know which program they’d like to take when applications open?
Programs with a general first year of study give your student time to discover their aptitudes and interests. It’s also quite normal for students to change majors and programs during their degree. Encourage them to explore their options and keep an open mind. Your student can also visit uab.ca/programs to browse our Program Tool or uab.ca/quiz to take our Find Your Purpose quiz to help narrow down their options!

General

What is a GPA?
Grade Point Average. This is the academic average that a student attains in their university classes.
What is parking like on campus?
Parking is available for students. Find parking all across campus with daily, monthly and annual payment options on our Parking Services webpage.
What type of residences are there on campus? What is the living situation like?

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.

Visit the Residence Services website at uab.ca/residence to learn more about living on campus.

What is the workload like in university?
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.
What supports are available to my student at the U of A?

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:

More information can be found on our Current Students webpage

Is it safe on campus?

University of Alberta 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.
What are your communications and privacy policies?

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 Student Service Centre directly from the student.

Learn more about the University of Alberta Information and Privacy Office guidelines pursuant to Alberta's FOIP Act.

I have more questions, where do I go to have them answered?
Parents and supporters can email our recruitment team at parents@ualberta.ca or visit uab.ca/ask to connect with our Student Service Centre.
Tour Campus Quiz: Find the Right Program