Many applicants are eligible to have some or all previous post-secondary credit courses assessed for transfer credit toward completion of their University of Lethbridge program. Transfer of credit serves to reduce the number of courses that must be completed at the University of Lethbridge in order to complete a program of studies. Not all transfer credit granted will necessarily satisfy program requirements.
Transfer of credit is not available to students enrolled in classes at the University who have not been admitted to programs (i.e., transfer of credit is not available to exchange, Open Studies, or visiting students). See also Academic Regulations, Waiver of Prerequisite/Corequisite.
The University of Lethbridge Transfer Credit Equivalencies Database (TED) provides information about prior assessment of courses completed at other post-secondary institutions for credit at the University of Lethbridge. Transfer Alberta provides information on previously approved transferable courses and programs between many post-secondary institutions in Canada and the University of Lethbridge.
1.The University of Lethbridge recognizes courses completed for credit at other post-secondary institutions in accordance with the Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer (ACAT) member institutions and other accredited post-secondary institutions. The University of Lethbridge aligns its transfer policies with the Pan-Canadian Protocol on the Transferability of University Credits, and the Lisbon Recognition Convention.
The Province of Alberta recognizes four Comprehensive Academic and Research Universities (CARUs) within the Campus Alberta system: the University of Lethbridge, Athabasca University, the University of Alberta, and the University of Calgary. Alberta's CARUs are committed to the advancement of Campus Alberta goals, including enhanced learner movement within the advanced education system. To facilitate mobility, the four CARUs accept each other's credit courses for transfer, subject to meeting minimum grade requirements.
2.Transfer credit for previously completed post-secondary courses is assessed and granted at the point of admission to a University of Lethbridge program. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide full and complete information on all previous post-secondary records to support the application of transfer credit. Detailed course outlines and other course materials may be necessary to assess previously completed courses for transfer credit. Such materials should be submitted to Student Enrolment and Registrar Services as soon as an Application for Admission has been made and no later than the end of the student’s first term as a registered student. Certified translations must accompany materials not written in English. Failure to provide requested materials relieves the University of Lethbridge of responsibility to grant transfer credit.
3.Each request for transfer credit assessment made after the end of a student’s first term as a registered student will be charged a $100 late fee (see Fees, Optional Service Fees). Late requests will not be accepted for institutions and/or coursework not included in the student’s original application (see Misrepresentation/Falsified Documents).
4.Transfer credit is granted at the institutional level for credit courses that were completed and assigned a passing grade. Students should review the institutional transfer credit granted and their program requirements to determine which courses can be used to meet their program requirements. Students should consult with the appropriate academic advising office if they have questions regarding which granted transfer credit may be used to meet their program requirements after admission and if they later change to a different program.
5.The assessment of a credit course considers factors such as course level and learning outcomes. Transfer credit is granted only for courses transferring as University of Lethbridge courses numbered 1000 or higher subject to meeting minimum grade requirements.
6.A course shall be counted only once to satisfy the requirements of post-secondary degree qualifications. Transfer credit will not be granted for courses used for credit toward another baccalaureate degree.
7.Courses may be assessed and combined for the granting of transfer credit at the University of Lethbridge only if they were taken at the same post-secondary institution.
8.Transfer credit will not be granted in place of courses previously successfully completed at the University of Lethbridge.
9.Transfer credit will not be granted for courses in Theology or Ministerial Preparation, or courses completed at private vocational schools.
10.The University of Lethbridge does not grant transfer credit on the basis of Challenge for Credit or Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition.
11.Transfer agreements reflecting courses approved for transfer from member institutions of the Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer are published in the Alberta Transfer Guide. A published transfer arrangement will also be honoured for students who completed the course in the year prior to the effective date.
12.Use of Transfer Course Grades
Transfer credit is granted as ungraded credit and grades earned on transfer courses are not included in official grade point average (GPA) calculations on the University of Lethbridge transcript.
For the purposes of calculating admission GPAs, actual grades earned will be preserved in the student's official record and converted to the University of Lethbridge 4.00 GPA.
Student Enrolment and Registrar Services develops and applies grade conversion standards, under the authority of the Admission Standards Committee.
13.Transfer of Credits for University of Lethbridge Students Studying Elsewhere
Continuing students who are required to or wish to take courses offered by other post-secondary institutions for credit toward their program at the University of Lethbridge must obtain Visiting or Exchange Student Authorization from their Faculty or School. The courses to be taken during the visiting or exchange term must be specified at the point of approval.
Course materials may be requested to assess the proposed courses for transfer credit. Visiting students must provide certified translations for any course materials not written in English.
Approved transfer credit will be granted by Student Enrolment and Registrar Services upon receipt of official academic transcripts from the designated institution. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange for the submission of an official academic transcript. Courses completed by admitted students on an authorized exchange program will be preserved as Pass/Fail.
Transfer credit will only be granted when Visiting or Exchange Student Authorization is obtained in advance of the completion of studies.
Further information on registration procedures for visiting and exchange students may be found in Registration, Visiting and Exchange Students.
14.Student Enrolment and Registrar Services is responsible for maintaining records of all transfer evaluations at the University.
15.Student Enrolment and Registrar Services is the final authority with respect to the evaluation and assignment of transfer credit.
b.Re-evaluation of Transfer Credit Decisions
A student wanting to contest a decision regarding a transfer credit evaluation shall have one full year from the beginning of the term of admission to submit additional documentation in a petition for re-evaluation of the transfer credit decision. The petition for re-evaluation shall be made in writing to Student Enrolment and Registrar Services and must set out the student’s rationale for seeking a re-evaluation.
The University of Lethbridge will only re-evaluate a course for transfer credit once per student when a petition for re-evaluation is accompanied by additional, sufficient, supporting documentation from what was originally submitted and/or requested (e.g. course assignments, quizzes/tests, midterms and/or finals, etc.). The outcome of the transfer credit re-evaluation, including rationale, shall be communicated in writing to the student upon completion of the assessment process.