admission requirements

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We are glad that you are considering becoming a student at St. Mary's University College. Admission to undergraduate studies may be obtained under one of the following categories:

1. High School Standing -- includes: Home Educated Students & Out-of-Province Students
2. Post-Secondary Standing
3. Mature Standing
4. International Student Admission
5. Visiting Student Admission
6. Special Admission
7. Re-admission to St. Mary's University College

In order to be accepted as a student, you must meet the following prerequisite standards:

high school standing   

Applicants in this category will have graduated from high school and must have an average of 65 per cent or better on the five 30-level subjects listed below:

English Language Arts 30-1
Pure Mathematics 30, a 30-level language other than English, or Applied Mathematics 30
One course from Group A or B (see below)
One course from Group A or B (see below)
One course from Group A, B, C or D (see below)

Students who are missing one of the required five subjects or who have an average of 60 - 64.9 per cent on the five subjects may be considered under the Special Admission category on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants who have completed less than 30 credit hours at another post-secondary institution will also be considered under this category.

Group A
Social Studies 30-1 or a 30-level language other than English (Note: FLA 30 is considered as a language other than English.)

Group B
Applied Mathematics 30, Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Mathematics 31, Physics 30, Pure Mathematics 30 or Science 30

Group C
Art 30, Art 31, Drama 30, Music 30, Music 31 or Music 35

Group D
One 5-credit or two 3-credit subjects at the 30 level (excluding Special Projects 30) or 5 credits of advanced series courses in Career and Technology Studies or Social Studies 30-2

Two subjects in the same discipline may not normally be presented to satisfy admission requirements. Exceptions are Math 30 and Math 31, and languages other than English. No course with a mark below 50 per cent may be used.

home educated students   [back to top]

St. Mary’s University College recognizes that individuals who have followed a non-traditional education path still possess the capabilities and competencies required to succeed in a post-secondary institution. Home educated applicants will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. To be considered for admission, applicants must:

• apply online at apply.stmu.ca

• provide a written recommendation from an individual other than a parent, such as a home education coordinator, teaching professional or counsellor, commenting on the applicant’s academic readiness for a university-level program of studies

• submit official results from at least one of the following standardized tests:

  • English 30 diploma examinations with a grade of 75 per cent or better

  • GED with a minimum score of 525 in the 5 comprehensive areas

  • SAT I score of 900 or better

  • SAT Reasoning Test Score of 1245 with no section test below 400

Home educated applicants will also be required to meet with an advisor to review the contents of their academic portfolios. Applicants may be asked to complete other specific course-related assessments (e.g. biology, mathematics, chemistry) prior to registering in those areas.

out-of-province students    [back to top]

Applicants who have completed high school in a Canadian province other than Alberta will be permitted to use equivalent courses to meet admission requirements. The chart here lists courses offered in other provinces that are acceptable for admission purposes in lieu of Alberta 30-level courses. Please contact the Enrolment Services Office if you have questions about admission course equivalencies.

post-secondary standing    [back to top]

Applicants in this category will have completed at least 30 credit hours at another post-secondary institution. Applicants with less than 30 completed credit hours will be considered for admission under the High School Standing category.

If post-secondary credit was earned at one of ApplyAlberta’s participating institutions, transcripts will be obtained by St. Mary’s automatically. If the credit was earned at a non-participating institution, the applicant must arrange to have official transcripts forwarded to the University College.

Applicants whose post-secondary GPA on at least 30 credit hours is below 2.0 and/or who have been required to withdraw from another institution will be placed on academic probation and will be limited to three courses in their first term of study.

mature standing    [back to top]

Students who do not meet the requirements for high school admission or transfer admission may be considered for mature admission. Applicants in this category must:

• present an English Language Arts 30-1, or an equivalent, with a minimum grade of 65 per cent

• present a GED with a minimum score of 525 in the 5 comprehensive areas

• be at least 21 years of age or have been out of school for at least 3 years before the beginning of the semester they wish to commence studies

• submit all official transcripts regardless of the level completed for both high school and university or college

• be Canadian citizens or permanent residents (international students will be considered based on the admissions criteria for international students)
  

international student admission    [back to top]

International students will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must apply online at apply.stmu.ca. International students must pay a $275 (Cdn) international student application fee; provide all original transcripts and/or documentation from previous educational institutions including exact translations from a qualified translator if the documentation is not already in English; and present English language proficiency.

Obtaining a visa to study in Canada is the sole responsibility of the student. This must be obtained before commencing studies at St. Mary’s University College. For more information on obtaining a Canadian student visa, visit cic.gc.ca/english/study/.

English Language Requirement
English is the principal language of instruction at St. Mary’s University College. To ensure that students have the best opportunity to achieve academic success, all applicants to any program or course of study whose first language is not English are required to demonstrate proficiency in English through one of the following:

1. Applicants whose country of origin is outside of Canada or the United States who intend to study in Canada on a study permit (student visa) must normally present one of the following tests of English:
   

   1. TOEFL, Test of English as Foreign Language: paper-based: 550 (no component score less than 50); computer-based: 213 (no component score less than 17); internet-based: 80 (no component score less than 19)

   2. IELTS, International English Language Testing System: 6.5 (no individual score less than 6.0)

   3. MELAB, Michigan English Language Assessment Battery: 85

   4. CAEL, Canadian Academic English Language Assessment: 60

2. Students who complete EAP 3 with a Grade of B or higher at Bow Valley College meet the language proficiency requirements of St. Mary’s University College.

3. Applicants who have studied for three full years in Canada must present 65 per cent in English 30, English Language Arts 30-1 or approved equivalent. The three years must include Alberta Grade 12 or equivalent and may be a combination of secondary and post-secondary education.

4. Applicants who have studied in Canada but for less than three full years must present 65 per cent in English 30, English Language Arts 30-1 or equivalent and a minimum TOEFL CBT score of 213 (or an iBT score of 80). Applicants who achieve 65 per cent or greater in English 30, English Language Arts 30-1 or approved equivalent may be exempt from the TOEFL requirement.

5. International applicants who have resided in Canada and do not meet the previously stated requirements are required to take the English placement test at Chinook Learning Services and provide the Enrolment Services Office with the result. If the Chinook Learning Services placement test indicates the need to take English upgrading, then a score on the upgrade is required before the applicant can be admitted to St. Mary’s University College.
   

visiting student admission    [back to top]

Visiting students are those enrolled in a degree program at another post-secondary institution who wish to take courses at St. Mary’s University College for transfer credit. A Letter of Permission from the home institution must be obtained prior to registering at St. Mary’s University College.

Visiting students must apply for admission at apply.stmu.ca. Upon completion of the course(s), visiting students must request that a transcript be sent to their home institution if their home institution is not a member of ApplyAlberta. If the home institution is a member of ApplyAlberta, it is the responsibility of the home institution to request transcripts on behalf of the student.

special admission    [back to top]

Applicants who do not meet the requirements for the other admission categories may be considered for special admission on a case-by-case basis. Students admitted under this category may be placed on academic probation and will be limited to three courses in their first term of study.

re-admission to the university college    [back to top]

Students who have previously attended St. Mary’s University College but who have not registered for one or more years must apply for continuance (re-admission) at apply.stmu.ca.

If a returning student has been attending a post-secondary institution that is not a participating member of ApplyAlberta, the student must supply official transcripts from the post-secondary institution when applying for re-admission to St. Mary’s University College.