When you apply to Lethbridge College, our Admissions Office determines the admission route that best serves you in meeting admission requirements for the program to which you have applied.

Applicants do not need to select an admissions route on their application.

High School

Applicants still in high school can and should apply to Lethbridge College for the term following completion of their high school diploma. They do not need to wait until they have completed their high school diploma to apply.

Applicants applying directly from high school who are not yet 19 years of age are required to complete their high school diploma including any course-specific requirements for the program to which they are applying.

Learn about our specific program admission requirements here.

Mature

Applicants who are at least 19 years of age by the last day of the term to which they apply who have not completed their high school diploma must meet a minimum Grade 12 English (English 30-1 or 30-2 or equivalent at 50%) admission requirement plus any course-specific course requirements for the program to which they are applying. Many of our programs only require a high school diploma or Grade 12 English; some require certain grades in other subjects in addition to Grade 12 English.

For example, mature applicants applying to Exercise Science Diploma must meet that program’s Grade 12 English admission requirement plus Grade 12 Biology, each at a 50% minimum grade.

Mature applicants without the minimum Grade 12 English admission requirement may be assigned English admissions testing to try to meet the English admission requirement that way. While admissions testing is available for applicants to try to meet our programs’ English and Math admission requirements, we do not offer testing to meet any science requirements. Therefore, applicants without required science courses would need to successfully upgrade those courses to qualify for admission.

Learn more about admissions testing here.

Transfer

Applicants who have not completed high school or Grade 12 English may satisfy the minimum Grade 12 English admission requirement if they have completed at least three (3) post-secondary level credit courses at a publicly-funded institution within the past five (5) years of the application date provided they were in good academic standing in their last term of attendance at that institution. Applicants will still need to meet any other course-specific requirements (eg. Grade 12 Math) for the program to which they are applying.

International

Admission requirements for international applicants requiring study permits vary by program and by country of original education.

You can view our international document assessment page and our English Language Proficiency page for details on documents required by Admissions to determine program admission eligibility.

Homeschooling

Applicants who completed their province’s Ministry of Education approved high school curriculum via homeschooling and who have their final grades reported on an official provincial Ministry of Education transcript may use that transcript to meet our program admission requirements.

Applicants whose grades were not reported on an official provincial Ministry of Education transcript may complete our Math and/or English admissions testing to try to meet admission requirements that way. If the program to which they are applying also requires science-related requirements, the applicant would need to successfully upgrade those subjects via approved educational institutions, including through Lethbridge College’s Academic Upgrading program or Open Studies. 

Open Studies

Applicants who do not want to complete a full credential program at Lethbridge College but wish to take a few courses for personal interest or to meet admission requirements for other programs at Lethbridge College or elsewhere may do so as an Open Studies (undeclared/occasional) student.

Open Studies is a way to be eligible to register in post-secondary level courses at Lethbridge College without meeting program admission requirements or committing to an academic program. Open Studies students must still meet any course pre-requisites for the courses in which they want to register. For example, Open Studies students can only complete our PSY 1171 Child Growth & Development course if they have already completed a PSY 1160 Introduction to Psychology or PSY 1170 Human Development course with us or at another institution. To find out if a course you want to take requires a course pre-requisite, view our online course timetable or contact registration@lethbridgecollege.ca.

Students enrolled in Open Studies are not eligible to earn a program credential through cumulative course work without applying and being admitted to a designated program prior to their last term of study. Once admitted to a program they must comply with the program requirements related to their year of admission. 

Pathways to Advanced Learning

Applicants who have completed a post-secondary credential from another publicly-funded post-secondary institution may be eligible for admission directly to a Lethbridge College Diploma or Degree program.

For example, applicants who earned an Early Childhood Education one-year Certificate from a publicly-funded Canadian college may be eligible to apply directly to Lethbridge College’s Early Childhood Education Diploma (Year 2) program. Applicants who earned a Criminal Justice two-year Diploma from a publicly-funded post-secondary institution may be eligible to apply directly to Lethbridge College’s Criminal Justice Bachelor Degree program.

To find out for sure, contact Admissions.

Applicants interested in furthering their studies after completing a Lethbridge College credential may be eligible as part of established transfer agreements. Many of our programs have transfer agreements with other post-secondary institutions in Canada and abroad. For example, graduates of our Business Administration Diploma with a 3.0 GPA may be eligible to apply directly to Year 3 of the University of Lethbridge’s Bachelor of Management degree program. These transfer agreements are outlined on each program’s webpage under “Transfers”. Transferability is determined by the receiving institution.

Academic Upgrading

Applicants who need to complete high school equivalent courses to meet admission requirements to other programs at Lethbridge College or other institutions may do so by applying to Academic Upgrading. These applicants work with our Academic Advisors to discuss academic goals and determine appropriate levels of courses in which to register to help ensure academic success.

  1. Applicants who completed high school courses within the last three years will be placed in relevant courses according to the highest level of courses completed.
  2. Applicants whose high school education is more than three years old or applicants who have not completed high school courses will complete a placement assessment for course placement recommendations.

Learn more about applying to Academic Upgrading.