Applying to Alberta Career Colleges

There are lots of careers out there, and many ways to prepare for them through Alberta's career colleges. This variety of options means a variety of application requirements, since career colleges are generally private, independent institutions. Some have limited-enrollment programs with competitive admission, while others offer open admission on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, minimum entrance requirements can vary greatly depending on the school and the program. Admission requirements for Alberta career colleges typically include a Grade 12 Secondary School Diploma or its equivalent. Some vocational programs have additional course pre-requisites, and others may require a lower grade of educational completion (Grade 8 or 10, for example). Additional potential requirements include reference letters, current résumé, criminal record check, CPR certification, health and immunization record, proof of English proficiency, personal essay or letter of intent. You may be asked to participate in an interview or meet with an admissions counselor, and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) may be recognized by some schools. At some career colleges, an aptitude test, entrance exam or questionnaire may be requested. Media schools or programs may request an audition or demo, and other specialty schools might require prior experience in the field, whether academic or personal. Because the programs are so different--from esthetics to emergency services, acting to accounting--program duration and start dates also vary. Some Alberta career colleges offer continuous enrolment with programs starting every month, week or even every day; others operate on a more traditional semester system with a fall and/ or winter intake. Many career colleges therefore have no cut-off dates for admission and instead process applications all year round. Others have specific deadlines after which applications are no longer considered. Career colleges with internal scholarships and bursaries may encourage early application in order to qualify for these awards and financial assistance. The career college applications themselves generally consist of a downloaded form or a form completed and submitted electronically on the school's website. The application also usually includes a non-refundable application fee of anywhere between $25-100, as specified by the institution. School transcripts can be asked for in two ways: you may be asked for official transcripts from your high school to be sent directly to the college, or you may simply be allowed to provide a photocopy. All students considering applying to an Alberta career college should check out the specific school website, or contact the school's Admissions or Registrar's Office, for all the details on application and admission.

To learn more about specific Career Colleges or Career College programs, search Campus Starter’s comprehensive database of Career Colleges.