Evaluations and transfer credit

In general, Athabasca University will review your previous post-secondary education toward your credential. A one-time Evaluation Fee will be charged for this service. Please note this fee is non-refundable once an evaluation has been completed. For detailed information regarding the awarding of transfer credit please refer to the Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policy.

AU has articulated courses and programs from more than 240 institutions and organizations. These decisions can be searched on our online database.

Non-Canadian students who will be presenting international credentials for possible transfer credit to an AU program must refer to Foreign Transcript Evaluation.


Staledating: transfer credit time limits

Usually, courses will be considered for transfer credit regardless of when they were completed. There are some exceptions.

Different programs have different transfer credit time limits on courses. See your program regulations for details on your program's specific staledating timelines.

To discuss staledating rules for your program, please speak to a student advisor.


Transfer credit procedures

While you wait

Evaluations take time. When Transfer Credit Services receives all the transcripts, supporting documents, and required fees, your evaluation request enters a queue. It can take from 4 to 8 weeks to complete your evaluation. If additional information is required, or AU is experiencing high volumes of requests, it may take longer. In addition to official transcripts, supporting documentation, such as course and program descriptions, may be required from the sending institution. Failure to provide this information when it is requested will impede the evaluation process. When the evaluation is complete, you will be notified by email that your transfer credit has been awarded and more information on how it applies to your program of study.

Current timeline for evaluation completion

Current processing time: 4 weeks


Transferring AU courses to another institution

Generally, AU courses are transferable to other Canadian degree-granting institutions.

AU is unable to advise you on which of its courses would transfer into a program at another institution. The decision to accept courses for transferability lies exclusively with the home institution.

If you are in a program at another post-secondary institution and wish to take an AU course, you are advised to obtain a Letter of Permission from your home institution before taking the AU course. If you do not obtain permission you might not receive credit for the course at your home institution.

Junior-level course requirements superseded by a senior-level course

When a junior-level course is a prerequisite to a senior-level course in the same subject and both courses are required in a student's program of study, the student may be exempt from completing the junior-level course upon the successful completion of the more advanced, senior-level course. In the case of an exception, the student must complete a replacement course at the same or higher level of an equal credit weight in the same area or discipline, in lieu of the prerequisite course.

Exemptions must receive approval by the Program Director, and may be granted at the time of the transfer credit evaluation or upon written request. Please contact a program advisor to discuss this exemption.

Appeals

Students can appeal a transfer credit decision by following details in the Student Code of Conduct and Right to Appeal Regulations.

For further information on appeals and the appeals process, please review our website.

Information effective Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025.

Updated July 16, 2024 by Office of the Registrar (calendar@athabascau.ca)