Admission Routes
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
* See tables below for lists of programs that have additional academic requirements; or for programs that do not require a high school diploma for admission.
High School*
Applicants must provide high school transcripts showing successful completion of a Canadian high school diploma from a publicly-funded institution, including successful completion of English 30-2, English 30-1, or an equivalent course. You do not need to wait until you have completed your high school diploma to apply.
Mature*
Applicants who do not have a high school diploma may qualify under the mature admission route. The applicant must:
- Be 19 years of age or older by the last day of the term in which they applied, and
- Meet the English requirement through one (1) of the following:
- Successful completion of a Grade 12 English course (minimum English 30-2 or equivalent including Lethbridge College’s ENG-0032 English 0032 (6 credits))
- Successful completion of a post-secondary English course
- Assessment – refer to Placement Assessment Procedure
Transfer*
Applicants who have not completed high school or Grade 12 English may satisfy the minimum Grade 12 English requirement by:
- Providing post-secondary transcripts showing successful completion of a minimum of three (3) post-secondary level credit courses from a publicly-funded Canadian accredited institution and be in good academic standing in their last term.
- These courses must have been completed within the last five (5) years.
- Applicants requiring a high school math course may complete an assessment (refer to Placement Assessment Procedures) to challenge the admission requirement.
International*
An international applicant or exchange student must present qualifications comparable to those of Canadian applicants which include meeting the English language proficiency requirement. International applicants must have successfully completed their high school/secondary education before applying. International applications are evaluated on a competitive basis, taking into account factors such as grades, English language proficiency, and campus diversity. International students are solely responsible for all arrangements relating to their student study/immigration status.
English Language Proficiency
International applicants and exchange students whose first language is not English, except those applying to Pathway to English and Academic Culture (PEAC), must demonstrate English language proficiency by providing documentation for one (1) of the following. All English tests must have been completed within the last 2 years prior to application.
| Most programs | Practical Nursing & Therapeutic Recreation | Health Care Aide | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.0; no band below 6.0 | 6.0 Reading; 6.5 in all other bands | 6.0; no band below 5.5 |
| TOEFL | 550 (213 if computer-based) | ||
| TOEFL iBT | 80 | 21 Reading; 22 Speaking; 23 Listening; 25 Writing | 71 |
| PTE (Pearson) | 54 | ||
| CAEL | 60; 60 in Writing, 50 in all other bands | ||
| CELPIP General | 7; no section below 6 | ||
| CLB | 7 in all bands | ||
| Duolingo | Minimum score of 95 | ||
| Grade 12 English | Minimum English 30-2 or equivalent from a recognized country* | ||
| 1 post-secondary English course | From an accredited English-speaking post-secondary institution from a recognized country* | ||
| English for Academic Purposes (EAP) | Minimum C grade in EAP 0096, 0097, 0098 at Lethbridge College | ||
| Full-time secondary studies in English | Successful completion of 3 years of full-time secondary education at an English-medium school in a recognized country within 2 years prior to application* | Successful completion of 3 consecutive years of full-time education (Grades 9-12) at an approved Canadian high school | |
| Full-time post-secondary studies in English | Successful completion of 1 year of full-time post-secondary education at an English-medium school in a recognized country within 2 years prior to application* | Successful completion of 2 consecutive years of full-time post-secondary education in Canada |
*Recognized Countries
Applicants from the following countries may be able to meet the English Language Proficiency requirement for most programs with the equivalent of a Grade 12-level or postsecondary-level English course completed at a school or college/university within their country.
| Anguilla | Dominica | Ireland (Republic of) | St. Lucia |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Falkland Island | Jamaica | St. Vincent & the Grenadines |
| Australia | Fiji | Kenya | Trinidad & Tobago |
| Bahamas | Gambia | Malta | Turks & Caicos Islands |
| Barbados | Ghana | Mauritius | Uganda |
| Belize | Gibraltar | Monteserrat | United Kingdom |
| Bermuda | Grenada | New Zealand | United States of America |
| British Virgin Islands | Guam | Nigeria | Zambia |
| Canada | Guyana | St. Helena | Zimbabwe |
| Cayman Islands | Ireland (Northern) | St. Kitts & Nevis |
Home-Schooled Applicants
Applicants who completed their province's Ministry of Education approved high school curriculum via homeschooling and who have their final grade 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
An individual wishing to register in Lethbridge College credit courses without applying to a designated program of study may register as an Open Studies student. The following conditions apply:
- Open Studies students must meet individual course pre-requisite requirements for each course in which they register.
- 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.
- Open Studies students will be eligible to enroll in all course sections identified as "Open to All" in the Course Timetable.
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 our Admissions Office.
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 Bachelor of Management degree program. These transfer agreements are outlined on each program's webpage under "Transfers". Transferability is determined by the receiving institutions. All agreements were active at time of publishing. For up-to-date information, please reach out to the receiving institution or visit Transfer Alberta.
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.
- Applicants who completed high school courses within the last three (3) years will be placed in relevant courses according to the highest level of courses completed.
- Applicants whose high school education is more than three (3) years old or applicants who have not completed high school courses will complete a placement assessment for course placement recommendations.
Reference Tables
Note: The following table outlines additional academic requirements by program area. The minimum grade required is 50% unless otherwise stated, or successful completion of a higher level course.
| Program | Gr. 12 Math (30-1) | Gr. 12 Math (30-2) | Gr. 11 Math (20-1) | Gr. 12 Biology | Gr. 11 Biology | Gr. 12 Chemistry | Gr. 11 Chemistry | Gr. 11 Physics | Gr. 12 Science |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture Sciences - All Majors | X OR | X | |||||||
| Agriculture Science Degree | X OR | X | X | X | |||||
| Architectural Animation Technology | X OR | X | |||||||
| Business Administration | X OR | X | |||||||
| Civil Engineering Technology | 50% OR | 60% | X OR | X | |||||
| Computer Information Technology | X OR | X | |||||||
| Engineering Design Technology | 50% OR | 60% | X OR | X | |||||
| Environmental Assessment and Restoration | X OR | X | X | X | |||||
| Exercise Science | X | ||||||||
| Interior Design Technology | X OR | X | |||||||
| Massage Therapy | X | ||||||||
| Natural Resource Compliance | X OR | X | X | ||||||
| NESA (for information only) Refer to University of Lethbridge Academic Calendar | |||||||||
| Practical Nurse - Refer to program page for additional requirements | 60% | 60% | |||||||
| Primary Care Paramedic | X OR 20-2 | X OR | X | ||||||
| Renewable Resource Management | X OR | X | X | X | |||||
| Therapeutic Recreation - Gerontology - Refer to program page for additional requirements | X |
In all cases, equivalencies to courses required for program admission will be considered.
The following table identifies programs that do not require a high school diploma; specific high school courses required for admission are listed. The minimum grade is 50% unless otherwise stated. We will accept a minimum of dash 2 or equivalent for English (e.g., 10-2) and dash 3 or equivalent for Mathematics (e.g., 10-3).
| Program | Gr. 11 English | Gr. 10 English | Gr. 11 Math | Gr. 10 Math | Science 10 | Apprenticeship Entrance Exam | Pass in all 5 Canadian GED Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture Heavy Equipment | X | X | |||||
| Automotive Systems | X | X | |||||
| Culinary | X | X | |||||
| Health Care Aide | 60% | OR X | |||||
| Pre-Carpenter Certificate | X | X | |||||
| Pre-Electrician Certificate | X | X | X | OR X | OR X | ||
| Pre-Pipe Trades Certificate | X | X | X | OR X | OR X | ||
| Pre-Powerline Technician Certificate | X | X | X | OR X | OR X | ||
| Pre-Welder Certificate | X | X | OR X | OR X |
If assessment is being completed in lieu of academic requirements, the following minimum placement scores will be required to fulfill admission requirements. These placement scores represent a passing grade of 50% for the listed courses. Programs requiring a higher completion grade for a specific course may have higher placement score requirements than those listed.
| Subject and Grade Level | Reading | Write Placer | Arithmetic | Quantitative Reasoning - Algebra - Statistics (QAS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English - Grade 12 | 251 | 6+ | ||
| English - Grade 11 | 246 | 5+ | ||
| English - Grade 10 | 241 | 4+ | ||
| Math - Grade 12 | 260 | 249 | ||
| Math - Grade 11 | 260 | 245 | ||
| Math - Grade 10 | 245 | 241 |
Lethbridge College does not provide alternative assessment for the sciences; therefore, successful completion of those courses is required for admission.
Transcripts
Official transcripts are the academic records from any high school, college, technical institute or university you have attended. An official transcript is sent directly from a provincial department of education and/or from other institutions to the Admissions Office at Lethbridge College. The Admissions Office will notify you of required transcripts.
Applicants who apply through ApplyAlberta will be able to authorize the transfer of their Alberta high school and/or post-secondary transcripts to Lethbridge College at the time of application.
Current High School Students – If you are currently enrolled in Grade 12 courses, you may report on your courses in progress by submitting a schedule from the high school showing your course enrolment.
High School Transcripts from Other Provinces – Transcripts may be obtained by contacting the appropriate education board of the province in which you attended or are attending high school. Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI high school students can request transcripts directly from the high school attended.
Official transcripts should be sent directly to Lethbridge College in a sealed envelope from the school attended or the provincial Ministry of Education.
Post-Secondary Transcripts – Transcripts from post-secondary institutions can be accepted digitally if sent to Lethbridge College directly from the institution or by mail. If received by mail, the transcript must be issued in a sealed envelope, signed by the institution and bear the official seal. At your request, an official transcript is sent directly from the institution to the Admissions Office at Lethbridge College. In order to obtain official copies of your post-secondary transcripts, contact the Registrar’s Office of the institution(s) that you attended.
Apprenticeship and Pathway to English and Academic Culture (PEAC) applicants are not required to submit high school or post-secondary transcripts.
All transcripts submitted to the college become the property of Lethbridge College. Neither the original transcript nor copies will be released to you or anyone outside the college.
The transcripts and other supporting documentation of all applicants who are not admitted or who do not attend are destroyed. If you wish to re-apply at a later date, a new set of documents must be supplied.
Notification of Admission Status
As an applicant, you will be assigned a Lethbridge College (LC) student ID number. This student ID number will provide you with access to Self Service which includes options such as required admission documents, class schedule, web registration, and billing information. Applicants are responsible for monitoring the online portal. E-mail is the primary method of communication with the applicant.
Once accepted, an Offer of Admission is emailed to the applicant's email address on file. An applicant will be required to confirm their acceptance by signing and returning their acceptance letter along with the required tuition deposit by the deadline indicated in their letter. For tuition deposit refund eligibility, please refer to your Offer of Admission.
Applicant and Student Records
Any information concerning you, including all documentation provided in support of your Application for Admission, will be kept confidential. Information concerning you will be released to third parties only upon your written authorization. For information, see the Student Records (Collection, Access To and Disclosure of Information) Policy in the academic policies.
Lethbridge College will not be responsible for incorrect mailings or for missed deadlines due to an applicant’s failure to report a change of contact information or to have supporting admission documents delivered to Lethbridge College by the dates required.