Academic requirements

Applicants must meet the below requirements, including the English language proficiency (ELP) requirements, and portfolio requirements. Please note admissions is competitive and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. 

Applicants may be awarded full admission, conditional admission, waitlist, or decline. All offers of admission are contingent upon the receipt of final official transcripts and ELP documents that meet requirements as listed below to receive a full offer of admission. Final official transcripts are due by August 1. 

Complete your application by February 1 to automatically be considered for thousands of dollars in Entrance Scholarships. 

Applicants apply online through ApplyAlberta selecting their program choice.

Domestic high school applicants

Applicants applying into their first year of study who attended a Canadian high school must present the following:

• High school diploma from a Canadian secondary school
• Minimum 60% in English 30-1 or minimum 65% in English 30-2 or provincial equivalent
• Minimum 60% in three additional Grade 12 courses in Fine Arts, Humanities (eg. Social Studies), Math, Science or Career and Technology Studies (CTS).
• Please note the following regarding acceptance of CTS courses:
  • A maximum of three credits can be CTS and is equal to one course.
  • AUArts will accept the following CTS courses: Computing Science (CSE), Communications Technology (COM), Design Studies (DES), Fashion Studies (FAS), Enterprise & Innovation (ENT), Financial Management (FIN), Information Processing (INF), Management & Marketing (MAM), Criminal Justice Studies (CJS), Legal Studies (LGS), Construction (CON) (Specifically: CON3130: Furniture – Leg & Rail, CON3140: Furniture – Surface Enhancement), Logistics (LOG)

IB and AP students 

We accept both Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses to meet academic requirements. Courses must fit into the program you are applying to be eligible for transfer credit and be presented through official, final transcripts. 

• IB - Final, official score of 5 or higher to meet minimum requirements. Higher Level (HL) courses are eligible to be considered for first-year transfer credit.
• AP - Final, official score of 4 or higher to meet minimum requirements and eligible to be considered for first-year transfer credit.

International applicants

Applicants applying into their first year of study who attended high school outside of Canada must present the following:

• International applicants are evaluated based on equivalency of an Alberta high school diploma and a minimum of 60% in the final year of study. All final transcripts must be forwarded directly from the applicant's educational institution to AUArts' Admissions Office by August 1. Notarized English translations must accompany all transcripts issued in a language other than English. 
• English Language Proficiency (ELP)

Learn more about applying to AUArts as a transfer applicant or post-secondary applicant who has completed 30 or more credits, Transfer applicants, including applicants from Block Transfer partner institutions, must meet English language proficiency requirements and present a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (grade of C). 

If you are 21 or over, and are a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident, you are considered a mature student with different academic requirements. Learn more about being a mature student.

Non-degree students are defined as students who are admitted and registered in credit courses, but are not admitted to a degree program. Non-degree students are only eligible for BFA courses. Please note course registration is not guaranteed and subject to availability. 

Non-degree applicants are expected to meet the minimum academic requirements for admission based on previous academic experience. Please contact admissions@auarts.ca for additional details.

Visiting students are defined as students of other post-secondary institutions who have been permitted to take one or more courses for transfer of credit to their own institution for credit towards a degree or diploma program. Visiting students are only eligible for BFA courses. Please note course registration is not guaranteed and subject to availability. Please contact admissions@auarts.ca for additional information.

Please visit the MFA How to Apply page for application information.

Please visit the Exchange and Study Abroad Program page for detailed information on the processes and timelines for exchange students.