Frequently asked questions

Check out our commonly asked questions below about the admission process. Still have questions? Contact our Admissions and Recruitment.

General FAQs

 

When do I apply?

Fall Semester

The application for the Fall Semester opens on October 1. The Early Admission application period runs from October 1 to February 1. Applicants must apply and any required documents must be received at Mount Royal by February 1 to be considered within this period. Programs with high demand fill quickly so we encourage you to apply during Early Admission.

We will continue to accept applications for most programs past the February 1 Early Admission deadline based on program space and availability. Some programs have an application deadline of February 1, however, and applications and documents required for evaluation are not accepted past this date. Other programs may be removed from the application on February 1 based on the number of applications received. We recommend that you apply during Early Admission for all programs.

Programs with an application deadline of February 1:

  • Bachelor of Education
  • Bachelor of Interior Design
  • Bachelor of Midwifery
  • Bachelor of Nursing

Winter Semester

The application for the Winter Semester opens on October 1. The Early Admission application period runs from October 1 to November 1. Mount Royal only has an intake to a limited number of programs for the Winter Semester. Please visit our Programs Offered page for information on which programs accept applications for this semester. We may continue to accept applications to certain programs past the November 1 Early Admission deadline based on program space and availability.

Spring Semester

Mount Royal accepts a limited number of students to Open Studies for the Spring Semester. Applications open in January.  Please note that Spring Semester is considered independently from the Fall and Winter Semester. This means that if you are applying to become a student in the Spring Semester you will also be required to apply for the Fall Semester if you wish to continue as a student at Mount Royal University either in Open Studies or in another program. If you are admitted to the Fall or Winter Semester, however, you may attend subsequent semesters, including the Spring Semester, as a continuing student.

Summer Semester

Mount Royal does not currently accept new students into the Summer Semester.

 

How do I apply?

Mount Royal is part of the Alberta Post-secondary Application System (Apply Alberta). You will use Apply Alberta to apply for admission if you:

  • are new to Mount Royal
  • are returning to Mount Royal beyond the allowable absence, or
  • have already applied as a new applicant for the Fall Semester but want to change your program

Current Mount Royal undergraduate students applying to another undergraduate program should apply through your MyMRU account.

Please note: You will be required to pay a non-refundable $100 application fee when you apply. A credit card is required to apply online. Applicants who are not able to use a credit card may apply by mail or in person. Ensure you do not send your credit card information to MRU via email.

 

What personal information will I need to provide?

The application form requires personal information such as:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Birthdate
  • Citizenship Status
  • Grade 12 course and grade (if applicable) information
  • All High School and Post-secondary (if applicable) attendance


What transcript and grade information do I provide with my application?


An admission decision can only be made once we have received your transcript and/or grade information. Please ensure you submit all your documents by the required deadlines to be considered for admission. If a program fills up prior to the submission of the required documentation as indicated below, you will not be considered for admission.

If you are currently in Grade 12 high school you are required to provide (on your application) a full list of Grade 12 level course work for all in-progress courses and courses you plan to complete by June 30 for admission to the Fall Semester and an anticipated final grade for each. If you have already completed any Grade 12 courses, your official transcript is also required for the initial evaluation of your file. Final, official high school transcript(s) must be received by August 1.

If you are out of high school, your final, official high school transcript(s) is required at the time of application. If you are upgrading any courses, you are required to report the courses in progress or that you plan to complete by June 30. These courses will not be used in the competitive admission average but will be used to determine if stated admission requirements will be met.

If you are currently attending or have completed any post-secondary courses at another institution, your final, official high school transcript(s) and your official post-secondary transcript(s) are required including grades for all courses completed by Dec. 31, for admission to the Fall Semester. Final, official post-secondary transcript(s) will also be required by August 1 showing all courses completed by June 30.

If you are an international applicant you must have all final, official high school, and post-secondary transcripts submitted to Mount Royal for admission evaluation as soon as possible. Ensure they arrive by February 1 for programs with a February 1 deadline. For (most) programs that remain open after this date, transcripts must be received by May 1 to meet the final deadline for international applicants applying from outside of Canada with the exception of citizens of the United States. The May 1 deadline is required to allow time to process your application for admission and for you to obtain a study permit/VISA. If you are currently enrolled in high school or post-secondary studies and your final, official transcript will not be available by May 1, provide transcripts with interim grades so that you can be considered for conditional admission.

If you are a previous Mount Royal student but are not currently attending we require all final, official transcripts again with the exception of your Mount Royal transcript as we have this on file.

If you are a current Mount Royal student you are not required to resubmit transcripts previously provided to Mount Royal.

Documentation to verify English Language Proficiency (ELP) is also required for students whose first language is not English. A change has recently been approved for the English Language Proficiency requirements so note the following requirements depending on which semester you are applying for.

 

Can I update my self-reported grades?

Applicants are required to self-report grades as indicated on the application for admission. You may only provide self-reported grades once for each course, meaning that you may not alter or revise any previously reported grades throughout the admissions cycle. Be sure to report your grades as accurately as possible. Anticipated grades should be based on your current grade or the actual grade for the previous level course (e.g. BIOL 30 - in progress, use BIOL 20 - actual 80%).

Additional self-reported grade information may be accepted in the following circumstances only:

  • you need to report additional courses which were not included on your original application
  • you have added a course that you were not registered in at the time of your grade submission
  • you are re-taking a course
  • you have dropped a course you previously reported

Mount Royal does not receive any updated self-reported grades submitted through your Apply Alberta profile after you have already submitted your application. To update your course or grade information you must complete the appropriate form below and fax it to Admissions and Recruitment Office at the fax number indicated on the form.

Self-reported Grades Form - for students who are in Grade 12 in high school
Self-reported Courses Form - for students who are upgrading courses at MRU, other post-secondary institutions, distance delivery and/or through distance education.

 

What courses and grades will be used to calculate my competitive admission average?

High School or Mature Applicant:

Students who are in Grade 12 in High School: Competitive (conditional) admission average will be based on your top two Group A courses (in-progress, plan to complete or final, official). At the time of review, admissions will determine (based on established procedures) the type of grades (in-progress, plan to complete, or official) that will be used in the calculation of the competitive admission average. Example: to be considered during Early Admission only grades received within this period will be used. Therefore, grades that arrive beyond Early Admission will not be used towards the competitive admission average.

Students who are out of high school and/or upgrading courses at MRU, other post-secondary institutions, distance-learning, or through adult education: Competitive (conditional) admission average will be based on your top two Group A courses. Only final, official grades will be used for the calculation of this average.

Post-secondary Applicant: 
Competitive (conditional) admission average will be based on your four most recently completed transferable post-secondary courses as of Dec. 31 for the following Fall Semester.

 

Which transcripts do I need to request and which will MRU obtain on my behalf?


While some transcripts will be collected on your behalf, you may be responsible to obtain others yourself. Please review this information carefully to determine which transcripts you are required to provide:

Institution Transcript
High School in Alberta MRU will obtain your transcript
Post-secondary in Alberta which participates in Apply Alberta MRU will obtain your transcript
High School outside of Alberta You must arrange for your official* transcript
Post-secondary in Alberta which does not participate in Apply Alberta You must arrange for your official* transcript
Post-secondary outside of Alberta You must arrange for your official* transcript
High School and post-secondary outside of Canada You must arrange for your official* transcript
International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement You must arrange for your official* transcript

*An official transcript is one that is sent directly to Mount Royal University from the issuing institution.


NOTE: A decision can only be made on your application once we have received your transcript and/or grade information, so make sure you don't miss this important step! This is especially critical for the programs that have a February 1 deadline for applications and all documentation.

 

What is an official transcript and how do I request a copy?


To be considered official, high school and post-secondary transcripts must be sent directly to Admissions and Recruitment at Mount Royal University from the issuing institution or provincial ministry of education.

If you attended high school in Alberta, Mount Royal University will request high school transcripts on your behalf.

If you attended high school in another province, Mount Royal University requires the direct submission of your official high school transcript(s). Official high school transcripts from other provinces may come directly from the provincial ministry or in some provinces may be directly requested from the high school you attended. In both cases, these must be sent directly from the issuing institution to Mount Royal University.

Contact information for provinces/territories where transcripts are issued by the provincial ministry or further information on where to obtain transcripts:

In British Columbia, transcripts must come from the Ministry of Education 

In Manitoba, transcripts must come from the Ministry of Education  

In New Brunswick, transcripts must come from the school or district office 

In Newfoundland and Labrador, transcripts must come from the Ministry of Education 

In Northwest Territories, transcripts must come from the Ministry of Education 

In Nova Scotia, transcripts must come from the last high school attended

In Nunavut, transcripts must come from the Ministry of Education

In Ontario, transcripts must come from the school or school board depending on the attendance date

In Prince Edward Island, transcripts must come from the last high school last attended

In Quebec, transcripts must come from the Ministry of Education

In Saskatchewan, transcripts must come from the Ministry of Education

In Yukon, transcripts must come from the last high school attended if out of school for less than five years, or the Ministry of Education if out of school for more than five years. 

If you are an international applicant, contact all high school and post-secondary institutions attended to request submission of your official high school and post-secondary transcript(s) directly to Mount Royal University. See International Students - Admission requirements for further information.

Note: All documents (including transcripts) submitted for admission purposes become the property of Mount Royal University and will not be released to, nor photocopied for, the applicant or anyone outside of Mount Royal. Documents submitted by applicants who are not accepted or who do not attend are destroyed one year after the start of the semester for which admission was requested.

An official transcript is one that is mailed or emailed directly to Admissions at Mount Royal University from the issuing institution. Please reach out to the issuing institution and have them send us your official transcripts as soon as possible.

The transcripts can be sent by the issuing institution either to transcripts@mtroyal.ca or to:

Admissions and Recruitment
Mount Royal University
4825 Mount Royal Gate, SW
Calgary, AB T3E 6K6

How high do my grades need to be?

Admission to most academic programs is competitive, meaning students with higher grades will be considered first. Competitive and minimum grade requirements vary from program to program and from year to year based on the number of applicants. To help you determine if your grades are competitive, please see the Admission Requirements chart which lists the competitive average range based on the competitive average at the end of Early Admission for the previous Fall Semester. For clarification on program admission requirements, review the admission information for your program of interest.

 

What if English is not my first language?

The primary language of instruction and communication at Mount Royal is English. For you to be successful in your studies, it is essential to have adequate knowledge in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in the English language. For admission purposes, all applicants must demonstrate English Language Proficiency (ELP) if your first language (learned and understood), is not English. A change has recently been approved for the English Language Proficiency requirements so note the following requirements depending on the semester you are applying for. English Language Proficiency requirements must be met by the dates indicated below.

Fall Semester
August 1: Canadian (including permanent residents) and U.S. citizens
May 1: International applicants (applying/residing outside Canada with the exception of citizens of the United States)

Winter Semester
December 1 - all applicants

Spring Semester
April 15 - all applicants 

 

How long will it take to find out if I'm accepted?

At any time in the application process, you can login to your Future Student Portal, your online student portal, to check your application/admission status. You can complete the profile information to create an account or a username and password will be sent to you once you apply.

Fall Semester: Admission decisions will begin to be made in November and will continue on an ongoing basis until August. Your application can only be considered once your course and grade information and any required documents have been received.

Generally, applicants who apply for admission during Early Admission (October 1 to February 1) can expect a decision or update to their status between November and May. Applicants with higher competitive averages will receive offers first and those who are close to the competitive average cut-off may experience a longer wait. Since all applicants are treated equally up until the end of Early Admission, we ensure that we do not fill our programs prior to that date so we can accommodate all competitively qualified applicants who apply during that period. Some programs may take longer to make admission decisions due to a high volume of applications or additional admission criteria such as a portfolio or interview.

Winter Semester: Admission decisions will begin to be made in November and will continue on an ongoing basis until the end of December. Some programs may take longer to make admission decisions due to a high volume of applications.

Check admission status online.

 

What is a Conditional Offer of Admission?

Your admission offer will be conditional until all of your final, official transcripts/documents are received and all of your admission conditions are met. The conditions you must meet to receive final admission will be outlined in your offer of admission letter. All applicants issued a conditional or final offer of admission will be required to submit a non-refundable Tuition Deposit by the date specified in your admission offer to hold your place in the program. If you subsequently fail to meet your admission conditions the Tuition Deposit is non-refundable.

 

How do I finalize my admission?

Final admission will be assessed once all final, official transcripts/documents have been received. Once all documents have been assessed you will be notified whether all the admission requirements have been met.

Final, official transcripts showing all the high school and post-secondary courses you have completed must be received by:

Fall Semester
August 1: Canadian (including permanent residents) and US citizens - coursework must be completed by June 30
May 1: International applicants (applying/residing outside Canada with the exception of citizens of the United States) unless you are currently attending high school or post-secondary. If you are currently in high school, submit official midterm grades for the courses you are currently enrolled in.

Winter Semester
December 1: coursework must be completed by the previous August 31

Spring Semester
April 15

 

How can I get help during the admission process?

We have a number of resources available online and in-person to help support you through the application process. If you would like to meet with an admissions and recruitment specialist to discuss the admission process and admission requirements, please contact the Admissions and Recruitment Office.