How to apply if you're a transfer student

AUArts may award transfer credit for courses completed at other post-secondary institutions. Eligible credit equivalencies must be earned within 10 years from the date of application to AUArts. Transfer students must complete a minimum of 60 credits at AUArts (50% of a degree program) to obtain an AUArts degree. 

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).

Transfer applicants from non-art, craft and design programs

If you have completed studies or are currently completing studies at another post-secondary institution but have taken less than 30 transferable credits that align with your intended major and have decided that art school is for you, you can transfer to AUArts First Year Studies and request an advance credit evaluation. 

Transfer applicants applying to First Year Studies at AUArts, must submit the Advance Credit Request Form provided by Admissions upon completing the online application. This form must be submitted before May 1 for advance credit to be applied towards your degree for the Fall term. Late form submissions will be evaluated for the Winter academic term provided we receive the completed form, and supporting documentation, prior to October 1. 

The Priority Admission deadline for First Year Studies applicants is February 1. 

Transfer applicants from art, craft and design programs 

If you have taken art or design classes at another post-secondary school, you may be considered for direct admission to second year courses in the Bachelor of Design, or Bachelor of Fine Arts, provided you've completed at least one year of studio-based coursework that is equivalent to AUArts' First Year Studies.

Transfer applicants from block transfer agreement partners

Students who have completed a diploma, certificate or other equivalent credential at a partner institution that has a block transfer agreement with AUArts, may be eligible for entry to year two or three of the AUArts Bachelor of Design or Bachelor of Fine Arts programs. Note that transfer students applying credits from partner institutions must complete a minimum of sixty (60) credits at AUArts to obtain an AUArts degree.

IB and AP Students

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

• IB - final, official scores of 5 or higher in Higher Level (HL) courses are eligible to be considered for 1st year transfer credit.
• AP - final, official scores of 4 or higher are eligible to be considered for 1st year transfer credit.

How to apply as a Transfer Applicant for entry to year two or three of the Bachelor of Design or Bachelor of Fine Arts in three easy steps:

Step 1: Application form, fee and supporting documents

Submit your application form and pay your non-refundable $110 application fee via the Apply Alberta Post-Secondary Application System by May 1.

AUArts automatically receives both in-progress and official transcripts from applicants from Alberta high schools and recognized post-secondaries through Apply Alberta. If you're transferring from a post-secondary in another Canadian province, you must have the documents forwarded to the AUArts Admissions Office directly from your educational institution in their original, sealed envelope.

For applicants whose transcripts are issued in a language other than English, we require translated and notarized detailed course descriptions to accompany the official transcripts. Canadian applicants may also be required to submit program and course outlines from previous studies to determine official transfer credit.

Step 2: Portfolio submission

Once we have processed your application (Step 1) we will send you an email with the link to submit your portfolio.

Because the committee reviewing applications won’t have an opportunity to meet you during the admissions process, your portfolio serves as your personal introduction to them.

Ensure yours is the best it can be by reviewing our portfolio requirements for Transfer Students. 

Priority application and portfolio submission deadline | May 1

Step 3: Official transcripts and English proficiency documents

All final transcripts must be forwarded directly from your educational institution to our admissions office by August 1. All transcripts issued in a language other than English must be accompanied by notarized English translations.

If you are attending a post-secondary school where the primary language spoken was not English, you’ll need to also demonstrate that you meet English language requirements for Bachelors degree programs.

Deadline for official transcripts and English proficiency documents | August 1

Additional information for international students

Additional information for mature students (over 21 years-old)

Do you have questions about our programs or application process? Would you like to discuss your portfolio? You can schedule an appointment to meet with one of our Recruitment Officers via MS Teams video-conferencing or over-the-phone. 

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