General Admission Policy

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General Admission Policy

Olds College will accept an Alberta high school diploma or its equivalent. Its equivalent is deemed to be the appropriate certification for high school learning in secondary education systems outside the Province of Alberta or academic upgrading received in post-secondary institutions within the Province of Alberta.

Wherever the Department of Alberta Education records grades from both a teacher’s or institution’s evaluation and a department-administered examination,
Olds College will accept the combination of the two referred to as the blended mark.

Admission Categories

For admission and registration purposes, fee assessment and other purposes, students are classified as follows:

STANDARD ADMISSION

Standard Admission refers to students who hold or expect to hold, before registration, a High School Diploma and meet all other specified admission requirements for their chosen program.

NOTE: Official or final high school transcripts will provide proof of high school diploma attainment in most provinces.

ALTERNATE ADMISSION STATUS

Alternate admission status applies to applicants who do not meet the high school requirements of the program to which they are applying and to applicants who received their high school education through home-based learning.

Alternate Admission Status students:

•     May be required to meet specific program pre-requisites
•     Will be accepted based on the approval of the program coordinator and the Office of the Registrar

To apply under alternate admission status applicants must submit the following:

•     A transcript(s) showing any completed high school and post-secondary courses or, if not available,
•     A statement in support of your application outlining aspects of your background and experience that might have prepared
      you for the program. 
•     Documents such as a resume, letters of reference from previous educators or employers, or a portfolio of related
      academic/project work must be included with your application.

Students entering under this category are strongly recommended to register for STDY100 – College Success Skills held the week before classes begin in the Fall.

For registration information on College Success, please contact a Student Services Officer at 1-800-661-6537.

EXCHANGE STUDENT STATUS
 
Exchange students who are accepted in an exchange program authorized by Olds College are not required to meet any Olds College admission requirements, because they meet the admission requirements of their home college.

CITIZENSHIP STATUS

•     Canadian citizens or permanent resident students are defined by Canadian immigration laws.
•     International students are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents (formerly known as landed immigrants)
      of Canada.

REGISTRATION STATUS

•     New students are those registering for the first-time in a regular Olds College program.
•     Continuing students are those re-registering after being registered in the previous semester in the same program.
•     Returning students are those re-registering after missing one or more semester(s) in the same program.

TIME STATUS

•     Full-time students are those taking nine or more credits within an academic term.  
      The Fall and Winter Semesters are 15 weeks each. 
•     Students receiving student loans should work closely with their program coordinators to ensure their full-time status is 
      retained when scheduling classes.
•     Part-time students are those taking 17 credits or less within an academic semester.

EARLY ADMISSION

Applicants in their final year of a secondary school program or in academic upgrading will be considered for early admission on the basis of a current transcript/list of completed courses, and list of courses currently enrolled in signed by their school counsellor or principal. The completed courses listed should include final grades and/or any midterm marks available. Olds College will conduct a review for final admission once an official transcript is provided showing the student has met all specific program requirements.

TUITION DEPOSITS

Tuition deposits are required for most Olds College programs. (Exception: Academic Upgrading & Transitional Vocational Program). See the Fee Schedule on the Olds College website at www.oldscollege.ca. Deposits are credited to students’ accounts.

OVERSUBSCRIBED PROGRAMS

All qualified applicants will be accepted wherever possible. However, possession of the stated requirements does not in itself guarantee admission to the college. Those applicants not selected because of over-subscription will be placed on a wait-list until such time as a vacancy becomes available or the academic year commences.