We have answers to your most common questions! – September 2022

Fall 2022 Applicants:

My study permit is delayed, and I do not believe I will be able to arrive before the start of my classes. What should I do?

We understand that this is likely an anxious time for you. While we are not able to affect applications in process at any visa office, please know the University of Calgary is advocating through the channels available to us regarding this issue.

We remain optimistic that you will be able to join our community this fall as there is still time for you to receive your study permit. 

UCalgary has a few options to support students who have not received a study permit in time for the start of the fall 2022 term:

1. Many of our faculties have moved courses online to support international students start their program online while they wait for their study permit. Please connect with our faculty advisors who are here to help you with course planning.
2. Continue with your study permit application and get here as soon as you can. Our International Student Services is here to help with any questions you have along the way (issimmigration@ucalgary.ca).
3. Request a deferral. Deferrals will be supported for all international students who do not have a study permit approval and do not have an online study option. Deferrals must be requested, and all fall 2022 courses dropped by the September 15^th.

If you receive a study permit refusal, we have support options available. Please connect with our ISS team around next steps (issimmigration@ucalgary.ca).

We look forward to having you join our UCalgary community!

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Fall 2023 Applicants:

When do applications open to apply to an undergraduate degree?

International students can apply now! Applications to an undergraduate degree at UCalgary for the fall 2023 intake are now open.

Prospective Canadian applicants can begin to submit their applications on October 1, 2022.

We encourage students to apply as early as possible to give you the best chance of receiving an offer of admission.

When you apply, be sure to rank your program choices with your most desired program as your first choice. If you receive an offer to your first-choice program, this is the only offer you will receive. You can apply or change your program choice(s) until March 1, 2023.

Do you offer an application fee waiver?

The University of Calgary does not typically provide a waiver or a discount on the initial application fee ($125 for students with Canadian credentials or $145 for students with international credentials). There are some exceptional cases where students who are fully supported by third-party organizations for their full tuition fees can be considered for a waiver if their sponsor organization does not cover the application fee. We encourage you to connect with your dedicated Student Recruitment Advisor for options that may be available to you.

Where can I learn more about the programs and options available?

UCalgary has many in-person and virtual prospective student events and campus tours to introduce you to the opportunities available at UCalgary. We also encourage you to download our new 2023 prospective student viewbooks or request a physical copy to be mailed to you.

Our 2023 10 minute recordings of the Start Your Journey presentations for prospective Canadian, Indigenous, and international applicants will help you see why UCalgary may be a great fit for you!

We also highly recommend checking out the Choose UCalgary podcast. This is your one stop shop to learn more about our programs, admissions, campus life, and to hear real undergraduate student experiences from various faculties, clubs, backgrounds, and other areas at the University of Calgary.

What are the admission requirements for my program?

Each program has five courses required for admission. You can see which courses are required for each program on our explore programs page.  Your admission average is calculated using the five required courses. If you are in high school, an early admission average will be calculated with your Grade 11 or junior-level required courses (or equivalent). If grade 12 or senior-level courses (or equivalent) are completed, they will be used to calculate the average. This includes predicted results for students in a year-long curriculum.

English is the official language of instruction at the University of Calgary. All applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency to be considered for admission to an undergraduate program. There are three ways to meet our English language entrance requirements: High school studies, English language test scores, and the Academic Communications Certificate (ACC). See details on our explore program page.

Why should I apply if I don’t have my predicted grades yet?

We recommend applying early even if you do not have your predicted grades yet to get your file set up with UCalgary. This way, as soon as you receive your grades, we can get the evaluations process started right away before programs start to fill up.

For high school applicants, we encourage you to apply early to be considered for our awards and scholarships. Applying early will ensure that you do not miss any key deadlines and will give you more time during the application process. The awards application opens on October 1, 2022.

I do not believe I will meet the competitive average for the program I want to get into. What should I do?

We would encourage you to first review our explore program page to view the estimated competitive average for each major. We recommend having your first choice as the program that you really want and choosing a second choice where you are above the estimated competitive admission average. Admission averages are based on the competitive applicant pool that applies each year, so we provide estimates to support program selection. We aim to make our first round of offers in mid-November and would emphasize that the majority of students receive their conditional offers of admission in mid-February.

If you aren’t sure which program could be a good fit for you, make a one-on-one appointment with your dedicated Student Recruitment Advisor.

If you do not receive an offer of admission by late February, we would encourage you to connect with your dedicated Student Recruitment Advisor before the March 1 deadline to change your program choices. Our Student Recruitment Advisors can discuss best fit options with you.

When would I choose a minor? Do I have to know what minor I want when I apply?

UCalgary has many ways to customize your degree, one of which is adding a minor.

A minor is an optional secondary area of focus that can be added to your degree in an upper year.

A minor requires fewer courses (10-12 courses) than a major. When added, a minor should be completed as part of the standard four-year duration of a degree.

Please see here for more details on the many minors available to add in your upper year.

What kind of programs can I combine for a combined degree?

A combined degree is when a student registers in two different bachelor’s degrees (including honours degrees) at the same time and graduates from both degrees concurrently. Degrees can be combined in the same faculty or across two faculties and take a minimum of five years to complete, allowing students to obtain two degrees concurrently in a shorter time frame than if they are taken separately. Click here for the list of combined degree options.

Why do I have to select the common first year of engineering as a high school applicant?

The common first year of engineering gives you an opportunity to explore a wide range of engineering disciplines. You will be able to develop your foundational skills in your first year to set you up for success when you choose a major in your second year.

The common first year includes 10 courses in engineering design, mathematics, science, and engineering principles to prepare you for your remaining three years in a specific engineering major.

We offer guaranteed choice of program to students who successfully complete all 10 technical common-core courses in their first year. No need to apply to enter the engineering discipline you want to pursue - the choice is yours.  

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