Athabasca University Admission 2026-27

Located in Canada, Athabasca University is an open university founded in 1970 with the motive to remove barriers on access to education for adult learners around the world. It provides high-quality post-secondary education to over 40,000 students through more than 850 courses with 55 undergraduate and graduate programs. It is also one of the 4 public comprehensive universities in Alberta and is one of the reputedly ranked higher education institutes of Canada.

Over the years, the institute has entered more than 350 agreements to collaborate with other Canadian and international post-secondary institutions and employers. With a total student enrollment of over 40,000 that includes international candidates from over 87 countries around the world, the institute is undoubtedly a site of diversity and inclusion in the country.

Admission at Athabasca University is available in multiple intakes round the year and requires a nonrefundable application fee of 118 CAD. The institute observes a moderate acceptance rate and a high rate of employment which is nearly 93%. This ensures that the university not only guarantees quality education for all but also can help its candidates land some of the high-paying jobs in Canada.

Highlights

Type of university	Public university specializing in online distance education
Total faculty and staff members	1000+
Courses offered	850+
Total students	40000+
Test scores accepted	IELTS, CAEL, MELAB, PTE, TOEFL PBT, TWE, TOEFL iBT
Marks required	IELTS- 6 CAEL- 60% MELAB- 80 PTE- 59 TOEFL PBT- 213 TWE- 4.5 TOEFL iBT- 80 with an essay score of 20
Website	http://www.athabascau.ca/

Athabasca University Campus and Accommodation

Athabasca University laid its foundation in 1970. Initially, AU’s main campus was located in Edmonton which was later moved to Athabasca in 1984.
The campus is majorly online and has both rural and urban set up on campus.
AU’s Athabasca University is the main campus operating along with others in Edmonton, Calgary, and Center for Innovative Management and AU Learning Link.
Being an online university, the campus for distance learners is wherever they are learning from around the world.
The institute is a non-residential campus which means there is no on-campus housing opportunity for students.

Athabasca University Courses

There are limited classroom programs for international students at AU.
AU is an online university offering a plethora of courses for international students including undergraduate courses and short-term visa graduate courses related to arts, science and professional studies.
Some of the undergraduate programs offered include Bachelor of Arts, Commerce, General Studies, Health Administration, Professional Arts, Management, Science, etc.
Some of the graduate programs offered include courses in fields like Arts, Business Administration, Education, Health Studies, Nursing, Information Systems, etc.
They also have more than 850 courses available that can work as a pathway to a bachelor’s or master’s degree. These include Accounting, Finance, Nursing, Science, Business, etc.
Graduate programs such as Master of Counseling and Master of Nursing are offered with study permits issued only for the duration the student is required to be in Canada.
International students have the opportunity to study at other institutions in Canada while taking online courses from AU and transfer the credits.

Top Programs at Athabasca University

Programs	Tuition Fees	Deadlines
Master of Business Administration	52,282 CAD	Fall: March 15 Winter: June 15 Spring: October 15
Mater of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies	20,449 CAD	Fall: March 1st Winter: September 1st
Master of Education in Open Digital and Distance Education	20,449 CAD	Fall: March 1st Winter: September 1st
Master of Counselling	27,996 CAD	Fall: February 1
Master of Nursing	19,448 CAD	Spring: November 1 Fall: March 1 Winter: July

Athabasca University for Application Process

How to Apply?

Application Portal:

Online application portal – ApplyAlberta
UG applicants: Undergraduate General Application
PG applicants: Graduate Application Form

Application Fee: 89 USD (118 CAD)

Application Deadlines

UG applicants do not have to meet any application deadlines. Classes for courses begin at the starting of each month. While deadlines for postgraduate programs can be found in the table below:

Program	Application Deadline
Master of Counseling	February (each year)
Master of Nursing (General)	March, July and November
Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner)	April, August and December

Basic Admission Requirements

Standardized test scores of SAT/ ACT are not particularly required for applying to AU.
English proficiency test scores – International students must take English proficiency tests and send scores to the university. The minimum requirements of these test scores are:

Exam	Minimum Requirements for Undergraduates	Minimum Requirements for Graduates
TOEFL – IBT	80	80
TOEFL – PBT	–	550
TOEFL – CBT	213	–
IELTS	6.0	6.0

Supporting Documents to be submitted with the admission application for evaluation include those which can be used for getting credits such as:

UG applicants: Official transcripts, post-secondary education records, previous diplomas, undergraduate degree credits, and foreign credentials from other institutions in the U.S. or Canada, work and life experiences.

PG applicants: Official transcripts from post-secondary institutions, resume, biography, questionnaires, and letters of reference.

Athabasca University Cost of Attendance

For all the prospective candidates of the institute seeking enrolment in the upcoming seasonal year, an estimated cost of living in Canada is as been tabulated below

Expense	Estimated Cost for students living in Canada	Estimated Cost for students living outside Canada
Tuition fee	1020-3060 USD (0-9 credits)	510-1530 USD (0-9 credits)
Course Administration and Technology Fee	139 USD	139 USD
Course Materials Fee	51 USD	51 USD
Out of country fee	–	1127 USD

Scholarships/Financial Aid

The institute provides various awards and scholarships in Canada for international students. Candidates willing to avail financial aid must firstly apply for student financial assistance following which they must submit the course registration plan. The institute offers 55 scholarships to its students based on the level of study, residency, and various other factors.

The following table gives details of various scholarships, eligibility criteria and the amount awarded to international students:

Scholarship Name	Eligibility Criteria	Amount Awarded
Athabasca University Institutional Leadership Scholarship	Enrolled in undergraduate or graduate program at AU; Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.60 or higher	1000 USD
AU Academic Leadership Scholarship	Enrolled to an undergraduate degree program at AU; Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.60 or higher	1500 USD
AU PLAR Scholarship	Enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at AU; Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher; S submit an essay within 1000 words explaining the role of PLAR in their success and future goals.	1000 USD
Dominique Abrioux Graduate Scholarship	Enrolled to master’s degree program at AU; Completed at least 12 credits since July 1 of the previous year; Minimum GPA of 3.6 or higher; Not be enrolled for a doctoral program	2000 USD
AU Graduate Student Scholarship	Enrolled to a graduate program at AU; Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.60 or higher.	1500 USD
Walker Family – Master of Counseling Scholarship	Enrolled as a full-time AU Master of Counseling student; Must be in the third year of the program; Minimum GPA of 3.8 or higher must be achieved in the program; Must be in a practicum placement.	1000 USD

Athabasca University Placements

The Master of Counselling program graduates have an employment rate of 93% with an average salary of 65000 USD. The graduates of the Master of Nursing program have maintained a 100% employment rate with students earning an average salary of 70000 USD.

The University provides career opportunities and career tools through Career Cruising.

AU’s MBA and Nursing program have an employment rate of 100%.
Master of Counselling has an employment rate of 93%.

Average salary of AU graduates as per program:

Program/Degree	Average Salary (CAD)
Master of Counselling	65,000
Master of Nursing	70,000
Bachelor of Commerce	70,000
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting	45,000
Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource Management	91,000
Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing	91,000
Bachelor of Science	72,000
Bachelor of Arts	45,000

Alumni Network

Alumni members are entitled to several benefits including TD Home and Auto Insurance, Manulife Life and Health, rewards with Athabasca University Master card, access to online library, career counseling services, attending AU events, staying connected with other members, reading award-winning magazines etc. Some outstanding alumni members who have been recognized by AU include: Esmail Bharwani, Shastri Ramnath, Dr. Djenana Jalovcic, Barb Tiedemann and many others.