Detailed Information on pan-Canadian, provincial, and territorial transfer practices

Alberta Council on Admission and Transfer (ACAT)

The Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer (ACAT) is an arms-length advisory agency accountable to the Minister of Advanced Education. ACAT and its Secretariat work collaboratively with stakeholders to provide adult learning system oversight, support and advice about learner pathways and mobility, with a focus on learners, admissions and recognition of prior learning including transfer. The objective of ACAT and the ACAT Secretariat is to support access to and enhancement of educational opportunities for all learners with a focus on supporting learner pathways and student mobility.

ACAT's governance operates under a Ministerial Order (2010) and the Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act, with Council's work governed by its Mandate and Roles document. ACAT's framework for admissions and transfer decisions is contained in the Council's Principles, Policies, and Procedures and in System Principles for post-secondary institution members in Alberta's Learner Pathways System regarding transfer system and targeted high school transitions technology, tools and data. ACAT, Alberta Learner Pathways System member institutions and other system stakeholders conduct business adhering to the governance in these and related system documentation available on the ACAT website. ACAT will also be experiencing changes in the near future as its mandate and governance is estimated for changes based on an Alberta adult learning system review in 2021. Effective April 2021, learner pathways have been identified as one of the ministry's priorities, with next steps for pathways to be informed by the findings of Alberta 2030: Building Skills for Jobs through its review of postsecondary education.

Transfer research

ACAT monitors student mobility trends and conducts research to support admission and transfer opportunities for Alberta students. ACAT research studies covering transfer student success, system health, and mobility, all of which are available online.

Learning resources

The Transfer Alberta Search Tool (housed on the Transfer Alberta website and optimized for mobile devices) provides a central source for identified Alberta Learner Pathways System transfer and high school transitions decisions shared by system members. An institution will make a transfer decision on another institution's program or course by comparing program and course curriculum and requirements to determine appropriate by-course and by-program equivalencies. Thousands of transfer decisions are accessible online via the Transfer Alberta Search Tool, assisting students to begin study at one institution and receive credit at another. Institutions conduct periodic evaluation of decisions to ensure they remain current. Additional learner pathways information and arrangements related to transfer are also present on the Transfer Alberta website, including information regarding high school transitions (IB and AP course placement, dual credit opportunities, and out-of-province matriculation course equivalencies) and academic upgrading. More information about transfer and pathways can be found in ACAT's Transfer Alberta FAQs.

By using the online ACAT Transfer Alberta Search portal, learners are able to search for courses and programs to determine if they are eligible for admissions and/or transfer credit, and to map out their pathway into and through postsecondary in Alberta. New applicants can find information about programs of study depending on their past education experience, resources to support their reintroduction to postsecondary studies after a break in their studies, and frequently asked questions.

The Transfer Alberta website provides transfer resources for learners such as explanations for how to transfer between educational institutions, including from other provinces and territories or from another country, the types of transfer available, and information on the Alberta postsecondary educational institutions.

Inter-regional collaboration

• an interprovincial Memorandum of Understanding with identified provincial councils on admission/articulation and transfer and like bodies in Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) in support of student mobility and transfer;
• interprovincial partnerships and collaboration, including the Pan-Canadian Consortium on Admissions and Transfer and the Councils on Admissions/Articulations and Transfer of Canada Network (CATCan Network)
• transfer system-related interprovincial agreements with Alberta and British Columbia; and a shared understanding by Comprehensive Academic and Research Universities in Alberta, that they will generally accept courses for transfer when the courses fit within a student's degree program, have been completed within a certain time period, and meet minimum grade requirements
• ARUCC MyCreds™ | MesCertif™ National Network initiative which is creating a national document and data exchange network for official postsecondary transcripts and credentials, as well as virtual “wallets” for learners to advance student mobility.

Universities and colleges

Through articulation agreements Indigenous educational institutions, polytechnics, colleges, and universities mutually recognize the learning achieved by a student in the other sector. Various models exist such as formal articulation agreements, established pathways, block credit policies, joint-integrated or collaborative programs, and course co-registration between educational institutions. Through joint-integrated programs, two or more distinct “free-standing” programs in two or more educational institutions are integrated into one program that is then delivered by one or more educational institutions from each sector. For example, a bachelor of science in a particular field may be articulated with a programmatically similar or aligned diploma program in a similar field and delivered collaboratively by both educational institutions.

Course-specific equivalency assessments also occur routinely as part of the admission and transfer processes.

Application service

ApplyAlberta was established through a collaborative effort between Alberta's public postsecondary educational institutions to improve access to postsecondary education. ApplyAlberta has a mandate to streamline the application process for students with one portal and to support transcript exchange. For most of Alberta's postsecondary educational institutions, ApplyAlberta is also how prospective undergraduate learners initiate their applications for admission to their chosen program(s). Select educational institutions also provide applications for admission directly on institutional websites for learners such as graduate and international students.

Provincial Degree Quality Assurance

The Campus Alberta Quality Council (CAQC) is an arms-length quality assurance agency that reviews and recommends all Alberta degree programs, other than those in divinity, to the Minister of Advanced Education for approval. CAQC also monitors degree programs to ensure they continue to meet its standards. In addition, the governments of Yukon and Alberta have signed a Memorandum of Agreement to ensure ongoing quality assurance services of Yukon University.

Relevant links

• About ACAT
• ACAT research
• Transfer Alberta
• Transfer Alberta Search Tool
• Alberta postsecondary educational institutions
• ApplyAlberta
• Campus Alberta Quality Council (CAQC)

British Columbia Council on Admission and Transfer (BCCAT)

The British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) was established in 1989 with a mandate to facilitate admission, articulation, and transfer arrangements among British Columbia's public and private postsecondary educational institutions. The council encourages educational institutions to develop policies that facilitate student mobility and transferability of postsecondary courses and block credit so that credit granted at one institution can be applied toward credentials at other educational institutions.

The transfer system in British Columbia was initiated in the 1960s.

Today, BCCAT oversees the provincial transfer system and enables links between the postsecondary educational institutions, the education ministries, and the public and private education sectors in British Columbia. BCCAT facilitates admission, articulation, application, and transfer arrangements among postsecondary educational institutions for the benefit of learners. It provides system leadership and direction by facilitating transfer, articulation, and admission arrangements among autonomous postsecondary educational institutions. Achieving this mandate includes providing support for BC educational institutions, developing policies, coordinating research, and providing web‐based resources to support BC students in their education planning.

There are 37 public and private BC postsecondary educational institutions that are members of the provincial transfer system, as well as two out-of-province universities (Yukon University and Athabasca University). BCCAT establishes formal transfer agreements for courses and programs where there is high demand and affinity. All these guaranteed credit equivalencies are recorded in the British Columbia Transfer Guide. BCCAT also regularly collaborates with its provincial counterparts across Canada to share and expand upon transfer pathways.

All public and many private educational institutions also establish informal transfer on a case-by-case, or student-by-student basis. These agreements are managed privately by each institution and are not directly overseen by BCCAT. Key system values include transparency, fairness, autonomy, predictability, and accountability — built upon trust between system partners.

BCCAT lists thousands of course transfers, block transfers, and guaranteed-admissions degree-partnership agreements across the British Columbia transfer system, providing diverse educational pathway opportunities for students. BCCAT also recently expanded the BC Transfer Guide to include out-of-province and international equivalencies, making it the first province to show how students can receive credit from outside of BC.

Some private postsecondary educational institutions in British Columbia currently offer academic courses and/or programs that are transferable to public universities, according to the transfer principles and definitions established by BCCAT. As well, most private degree-granting educational institutions are program members of BCCAT and accept credits from other educational institutions that are part of the transfer guide. Information on credit transfer is the responsibility of BCCAT and is provided in the British Columbia Transfer Guide.

Transfer research

For more information about transfer research in British Columbia, visit BCCAT's website.

Learner resources

The BC Transfer System portal provides learners with a variety of resources and tools including a search at the course level to identify equivalencies between educational institutions, definitions and explanations of how the transfer system works, what options are available, how to transfer between provinces, and more. It provides detailed information on equivalencies for high school taken in the US through advanced placement and through the International Baccalaureate systems, for course-to-course, block transfer, by program (i.e., for articulated agreements between postsecondary educational institutions), for associate degrees, and more.

Inter-regional collaboration

BCCAT previously signed a memorandum of understanding with Alberta to allow degree‐granting educational institutions in that province to apply for BCCAT membership. Thompson Rivers University was accepted into the Alberta Transfer System, becoming the first institution with membership in both transfer systems.

BCCAT maintains membership in the Councils on Admissions/Articulations and Transfer of Canada Network (CATCan Network) and the Pan‐Canadian Consortium on Admissions and Transfer (PCCAT). It has also supported the ARUCC MyCreds™ | MesCertif™ National Network initiative which is creating a national document- and data-exchange network for official postsecondary transcripts and credentials, as well as virtual “wallets” for learners to advance student mobility.

EducationPlannerBC (EPBC)

Education Planner (EPBC) was established in 2016 through a partnership between British Columbia's public postsecondary educational institutions and the provincial government to improve access to postsecondary education. Specifically, EPBC has a mandate to improve postsecondary planning and application services, and to provide a provincial student data exchange hub to improve student mobility and facilitate the distribution of electronic student records. Using EPBC, prospective learners can search all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by BC's public universities, colleges, and institutes, and compare admission requirements, tuition fees, and application deadlines. For most of BC's public postsecondary educational institutions, EPBC is also how prospective learners complete and submit applications for their chosen program(s).

Provincial Degree Quality Assurance

The Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB) is a public agency in the province of British Columbia that supports the review process for new degree programs that postsecondary educational institutions submit to the Minister of Advanced Education for approval.

Relevant links

• British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT)
• British Columbia Postsecondary Educational Institutions
• Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB)
• EducationPlannerBC

Universities and Public Colleges

In Manitoba, universities and public colleges independently determine credit-transfer eligibility and articulation for students seeking admission to a program of study on the basis of their prior learning. The details of credit-transfer procedures and policies vary by institution. Many educational institutions list course-by-course and/or articulation agreements between educational institutions on their websites.

Campus Manitoba (Campus MB)

Inter-University Services and Campus Manitoba are two public-institution consortia with mandates to provide access to postsecondary education throughout Manitoba using distributed learning and other means. All university-level courses taken through Inter-University Services and a selection of courses taken through eCampusManitoba.com are subject to mutual credit-transfer recognition and articulation from each member of these consortia.

Campus Manitoba is a consortium of public postsecondary educational institutions that supports the province's postsecondary education system. Campus Manitoba provides a portal for postsecondary education in Manitoba that offers information on career and education pathways, online courses, and open-education (i.e., free) resources. The goal of Campus Manitoba is to make education accessible across the province.

Inter-regional collaboration

Campus Manitoba maintains membership in the Councils on Admissions/Articulations and Transfer of Canada Network (CATCan Network) and the Pan‐Canadian Consortium on Admissions and Transfer (PCCAT). It has also supported the ARUCC MyCreds™ | MesCertif™ National Network initiative which is creating a national document- and data-exchange network for official postsecondary transcripts and credentials, as well as virtual “wallets” for learners to advance student mobility.

Provincial Degree Quality Assurance

In Manitoba, quality assurance is completed directly with the Advanced Education and Skills Division of the provincial government. The division oversees the review and approval of programs of study.

Liens pertinents

• Inter University Services
• Campus Manitoba
• Manitoba Postsecondary Educational Institutions

Universities

Credit transfers between New Brunswick's public and private universities are considered by program and on a course-by-course basis that includes a review of course content, student evaluation methods, and instructor qualifications.
In some programs, there are formal and informal agreements between New Brunswick universities and colleges that identify certain courses that will be recognized. Credit transfers are also conducted on a case-by-case basis depending on the educational background of individual students.

Community Colleges

Some formal transfer agreements are in place between New Brunswick universities and the community colleges. Through these agreements, specific academic programs are jointly developed and their delivery is shared. Students undertaking a program covered by a transfer agreement are provided with a previously established and coordinated study plan at both the universities and the community colleges where they can earn both a diploma and a degree. The quality of these joint programs is protected through the formal transfer agreements and the program review process at each institution.

Council on Articulations and Transfer of New Brunswick (CATNB)

Established in 2010, CATNB is a participatory council of the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour. The council includes representatives from each postsecondary institution. It works in partnership to connect the province's postsecondary educational institutions, the education ministries, and the public and private education sectors to facilitate articulations and transfer opportunities for students.

Learner resources

A provincial credit transfer web portal was completed and officially launched March 15, 2012. The portal initially focused on transfer credits between New Brunswick educational institutions and has expanded to include formal transfer agreements both in and out of province. This portal now sits under the aegis of the Council on Articulations and Transfer New Brunswick. It provides information on prior learning assessment recognition (PLAR), formal transfer agreements, provincial postsecondary educational institutions, and transfer credit information for learners in both English and French.
For more information, visit

Provincial Quality Assurance

All programs offered at public universities in the Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) are reviewed by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC). MPHEC is accountable to the ministers responsible for postsecondary education in the Maritime provinces and reviews universities' internal quality assurance activities such as new program proposals, modifications to programs, program termination, and collaborative programs.

Inter-regional Collaboration

In July 2000, the colleges of the four Atlantic provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to “maximize the recognition and transfer of learning acquired through formal education, workplace training, and work and life experience.” In accordance with this memorandum, member colleges agreed to grant transfer credits for all courses to approved programs delivered by other members.

In September of 2009, colleges and universities in Atlantic Canada signed an MOU encouraging transfer agreements between and among public universities and colleges in the region. The Association of Atlantic Universities (AAU) and the Atlantic Provinces Community College Consortium (APCCC), now known as Atlantic Colleges Atlantique (ACA), and their member educational institutions endorsed the MOU encouraging transfer agreements between and among public universities and colleges in Atlantic Canada. This MOU sought to strengthen transferability and mobility within Atlantic Canada and to ensure that students receive maximum benefits from postsecondary education in the region. The memorandum of understanding was signed by 22 educational institutions in Atlantic Canada.

CATNB maintains membership in the Councils on Admissions/Articulations and Transfer of Canada Network (CATCan Network) and the Pan‐Canadian Consortium on Admissions and Transfer (PCCAT). It has also supported the ARUCC MyCreds™ | MesCertif™ National Network initiative which is creating a national document- and data-exchange network for official postsecondary transcripts and credentials, as well as virtual “wallets” for learners to advance student mobility.

Relevant links

• Council on Articulations and Transfer New Brunswick (CATNB)
• Maritimes Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC)
• New Brunswick Credit Transfer Portal

The Department of Education in Newfoundland and Labrador maintains an online transfer guide that provides a list of course-by-course and program/block transfers available to students who are transferring credits from one institution to another within the Newfoundland and Labrador public postsecondary system (College of the North Atlantic, Marine Institute, and Memorial University).

Newfoundland and Labrador has a credit-transfer mechanism that has existed for more than 20 years between Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic. New agreements are signed between Newfoundland and Labrador public postsecondary educational institutions and those in other parts of Canada and around the world on a regular basis. Newfoundland and Labrador public postsecondary educational institutions also have credit-transfer arrangements linked to the public high-school system, the provincial Adult Basic Education program, the Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division, Department of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, and the Atlantic School of Business (Chartered Professional Accountants Education program), as well as program block arrangements between College of the North Atlantic and specific universities and colleges across North America.

Credit transfers between College of the North Atlantic and other Canadian community colleges and universities are considered by program and administrative staff on a case-by-case basis that includes a review of course content, student evaluation methods, and instructor qualifications.

Government Transfer Resources

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador provides transfer resources and a transfer database where learners can view various transfer agreements across the province and with partner educational institutions in other Canadian jurisdictions. Learners can access the database.

Consult the Newfoundland and Labrador Credit and Program Transfer Guide for more information.

Quality Assurance

Through the Memorial University Act, the university's senate set the policy and guidelines for the creation of credentials and for the establishment of quality assurance reviews. Memorial University's Board of Regents reports annually to the Minister of Education who acts as an external reviewer.

Inter-regional Collaboration

In July 2000, the colleges of the four Atlantic provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to “maximize the recognition and transfer of learning acquired through formal education, workplace training, and work and life experience.” In accordance with this memorandum, member colleges agreed to grant transfer credits for all courses to approved programs delivered by other members.

In September of 2009, colleges and universities in Atlantic Canada signed an MOU encouraging transfer agreements between and among public universities and colleges in the region. The Association of Atlantic Universities (AAU) and the Atlantic Provinces Community College Consortium (APCCC), now known as Atlantic Colleges Atlantique (ACA), and their member educational institutions endorsed the MOU encouraging transfer agreements between and among public universities and community colleges in Atlantic Canada. This MOU sought to strengthen transferability and mobility within Atlantic Canada and to ensure that students receive maximum benefits from postsecondary education in the region. The memorandum of understanding was signed by 22 educational institutions in Atlantic Canada.

Relevant links

• Newfoundland and Labrador Transfer Database
• Newfoundland and Labrador Transfer Guide
• Postsecondary Information

Postsecondary educational institutions in Northwest Territories include Aurora College and Collège nordique francophone (accreditation pending, member of Colleges and Institutes Canada — CICAN).

Aurora College, formerly Arctic College, has program-specific collaboration and articulation agreements with several universities whereby diploma credits from a two-year (or, in some cases, three-year) program can be block transferred into a university bachelor's degree program. Additionally, Aurora College has agreements with universities whereby all of a university program can be taken at the college and credited by the university. Program standards are identified in the agreements and maintained through the review process at each institution.

Collège nordique francophone offers vocational, linguistic, and continuing training contributing to the job market and the development of the lifelong learner. It provides access to the Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF) awarded by France's Ministry of Education.

Relevant links

• Aurora College
• Collège nordique francophone
• Northwest Territories' Postsecondary Educational Institutions

Universities

In Nova Scotia credit transfer to and from universities and colleges is managed by each individual institution according to the rules and regulations of the institution. The registrar's office usually reviews requests from students moving between universities or between university and college to determine if the same credits have been accepted for transfer in the past. Where no previous equivalency has been established, individual courses are reviewed by faculty and senior academic staff to determine whether the course can be accepted for transfer. Evaluation takes into consideration many factors, including content, level, evaluation component, instruction and/or lab time, currency, and program relevancy. The final decision on which credits, what equivalencies, and how credits will be assigned is made by the institution to which the credits are being transferred.

Articulation agreements are in place between some Nova Scotia universities and the province's community college, Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), for specific two-year college diploma and three- and four-year university degree programs. Through these agreements, students who complete the specified diploma at the college may apply for admission with advanced standing (also known as “transfer credit”) directly into the third year of study in the specified degree program at the university, enabling the student to complete both a diploma and a degree in three or four years. The articulation agreements are regularly reviewed to ensure that relevancy and equivalencies are maintained.

Colleges

Nova Scotia Community College is the province-wide college in Nova Scotia. It supports student mobility and recognizes prior learning through credit transfers from other postsecondary educational institutions. The process of recognition is led out of the registrar's office on a course-by-course bases.

Council on Admission and Transfer Nova Scotia Inc. (CATNS)

CATNS is a collaboration of the 11 publicly funded universities and colleges in Nova Scotia, in partnership with the Nova Scotia Department of Advanced Education. Formally incorporated in 2021, CATNS serves as the organization through which collaborative systems that support student enrolment, student mobility, and data portability are managed. Its website provides the following tools: MyNSfuture.ca, MyTransferCredits, MySpring & Summer Courses, and MyTranscripts. MyTransferCredits provides an unofficial list of the transfer equivalencies between postsecondary educational institutions in Nova Scotia, and between Nova Scotia and other Atlantic provinces.

Provincial Quality Assurance

All programs offered at public universities in the Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) are reviewed by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC). MPHEC is accountable to the ministers responsible for postsecondary education in the Maritime provinces and reviews universities' internal quality assurance activities such as new program proposals, modifications to programs, program termination, and collaborative programs.

Inter-regional Collaboration

All universities in Nova Scotia are signatories to the 1995 Pan-Canadian Protocol on the Transferability of University Credits, which ensures that all course work completed at the undergraduate level during the first two years of university will be recognized and fully transferrable for the purposes of granting a degree, provided the student is admitted to the program, the courses are applicable to the program, and the grades meet the minimum acceptable standards of the receiving institution's program.

In July 2000, the colleges of the four Atlantic provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to “maximize the recognition and transfer of learning acquired through formal education, workplace training, and work and life experience.” In accordance with this memorandum, member colleges agreed to grant transfer credits for all courses to approved programs delivered by other members.

In September of 2009, colleges and universities in Atlantic Canada signed an MOU encouraging transfer agreements between and among public universities and colleges in the region. The Association of Atlantic Universities (AAU) and the Atlantic Provinces Community College Consortium (APCCC), now known as Atlantic Colleges Atlantique (ACA), and their member educational institutions endorsed the MOU encouraging transfer agreements between and among public universities and community colleges in Atlantic Canada. This MOU sought to strengthen transferability and mobility within Atlantic Canada and to ensure that students receive maximum benefits from postsecondary education in the region. The memorandum of understanding was signed by 22 educational institutions in Atlantic Canada.

CATNS maintains membership in the Councils on Admissions/Articulations and Transfer of Canada Network (CATCan Network), the Canadian Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council User Group (CanPESC), and the Pan‐Canadian Consortium on Admissions and Transfer (PCCAT). It has also supported the ARUCC MyCreds™ | MesCertif™ National Network initiative which is creating a national document- and data-exchange network for official postsecondary transcripts and credentials, as well as virtual “wallets” for learners to advance student mobility.

Relevant links

• Council on Admissions and Transfer Nova Scotia Inc. (CATNS)
• MySpring&SummerCourses
• MyTranscripts
• MyTransferCredits
• Nova Scotia Community College

Nunavut Arctic College (NAC) is the only postsecondary institution in Nunavut. It has articulation agreements with several universities across Canada so that students who take the first two years of college programs can be accredited by the universities. Specifically, NAC has transfer and cooperative arrangements with several educational institutions across Canada, including the University of Regina, Dalhousie University, McGill University, Saint Francis Xavier University, University of Prince Edward Island, University of Alberta, University of Lethbridge, Athabasca University, and Royal Roads University. NAC's two degree programs are delivered through partnerships with Dalhousie University for the Bachelor of Science in Arctic Nursing program and the University of Regina for the Nunavut Teacher Education Program.

Inter-regional Collaboration

Nunavut Arctic College (NAC) is a member of the Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer (ACAT) and the University of the Arctic (UArctic). UArctic is a cooperating network of over 100 universities, colleges, and Indigenous and other organizations committed to higher education and research in the circumpolar world. It is not a degree-granting institute. Graduates of NAC's diploma programs can receive up to 60 credits toward a Bachelor of Circumpolar Studies and can enroll in Circumpolar Studies courses on-line. Eligible NAC students can also participate in mobility programs like North2North through UArctic.

Relevant links

• Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer (ACAT)
• North2north
• Nunavut Arctic College
• Transfer Search to identify other schools that accept Nunavut Arctic College transfer students
• University of the Arctic

Ontario Council on Admission and Transfer (ONCAT)

Established in 2011, the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) was created to enhance pathways and reduce barriers for students seeking to transfer between postsecondary educational institutions across Ontario. Its members include the 45 publicly funded colleges and universities. ONCAT and its members are guided by core principles for credit-transfer policies and procedures.

ONCAT hosts a portal (ONtransfer.ca) and provides an array of supports and outreach to advance its transfer goals and work in collaboration with the community as it works to guide students and create transfer opportunities in the province. In addition to promoting pathways, ONCAT also supports the postsecondary sector through research, projects, and pathway development to enhance transfer activity across the sector and to increase the knowledge and understanding of student mobility patterns and their transfer experiences.

Transfer research

ONCAT supports several projects from research, pathway development, and innovative transfer programs.
Get more information on the research projects supported by ONCAT.

Learner resources

ONTransfer.ca provides postsecondary learners with information on credit equivalencies and articulation programs for the province's postsecondary educational institutions.

In addition to course- and program-transfer information, learners can find information about collaborative degree-diploma programs and accelerated diploma programs. The guide also includes information about graduate certificate programs for learners who have completed a university degree.

Get more information about transfers in Ontario.

Universities and colleges

Through credit-transfer arrangements and course-to-course equivalency assessment, colleges and universities mutually recognize the learning achieved by a student in the other sector. Various models exist such as formal articulation agreements, established pathways, block credit policies, joint-integrated or collaborative programs, and course co-registration between educational institutions. Through joint-integrated programs, two or more distinct “free-standing” programs in two or more educational institutions are integrated into one program that is then delivered by one or more educational institutions from each sector. Course-specific equivalency assessments also occur routinely as part of the admission and transfer processes.

Application Centres

Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC)

The Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) was established in 1971 through a partnership among Ontario's public postsecondary educational institutions to improve access to postsecondary education by enhancing application supports. It is the oldest hub in Canada supporting transfer students with their application and transcript needs. OUAC provides a provincial student data exchange application service and facilitates the distribution of electronic student transcripts for undergraduate admission. It also provides application supports for several graduate and professional programs. Using OUAC's website, prospective learners can search all undergraduate and select graduate programs offered by Ontario's public universities and compare admission requirements and application deadlines.

OCAS — the application service of Ontario colleges

OCAS was established in 1992 through a partnership among Ontario's public postsecondary educational institutions to streamline the application processes for Ontario colleges. Using OCAS, prospective learners can search all college programs offered by Ontario's public colleges and institutes and compare admission requirements and application deadlines.

Inter-regional Collaboration

In 1995, several Ontario universities signed the Pan-Canadian Protocol on the Transferability of University Credit. It provided guiding principles to enable the transferability of first‐ and second‐year university courses (including the final year of studies leading to a diploma of college studies [DCS] in Quebec and the university-transfer courses offered by community colleges and university colleges in British Columbia and Alberta).

In 1999, the Ontario College University Degree Completion Accord (known as the “Port Hope Accord”) identified a set of principles for developing degree-completion arrangements between publicly funded colleges and universities. Through this type of arrangement, colleges and at least one university would negotiate an articulation agreement under which graduates of a diploma program would receive full credit toward a university degree for their diploma program. Each agreement required approval by the relevant government bodies of the educational institutions.

ONCAT maintains membership in the Councils on Admissions/Articulations and Transfer of Canada Network (CATCan Network) and the Pan‐Canadian Consortium on Admissions and Transfer (PCCAT). It has also supported the ARUCC MyCreds™ | MesCertif™ National Network initiative which is creating a national document- and data-exchange network for official postsecondary transcripts and credentials, as well as virtual “wallets” for learners to advance student mobility.

Provincial degree Quality Assurance

The Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance (OUCQA) seeks to ensure that there is a standard of quality in the design and delivery of the province's university credentials with a focus on alignment with learning outcomes. The council reviews and approves proposals for new graduate and undergraduate programs and ensures that Ontario universities comply with quality assurance guidelines and policies.

The quality assurance body for the college sector is called the Ontario College Quality Assurance Service. Its mandate involves providing guidance and direction to improve the overall excellence of postsecondary college education through a quality-assured standard of accreditation. The service is mandated by the provincial government to provide reasonable assurance that all programs of instruction, regardless of funding source, conform to the established credentials framework and are consistent with accepted college system nomenclature and/or program titling principles. It also maintains the integrity of the credentials and protects the interests of students and employers who require a reasonable guarantee of consistency and quality in Ontario's programs of instruction.

Ressources pour les apprenantes et apprenants

• OCAS
• ONCAT Transfer Research
• Ontario College Quality Assurance Service
• Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT)
• Ontario Transfer Guide
• Ontario Transfer Principles
• Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance (OUCQA)
• Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC)
• Pan-Canadian Protocol on the Transferability of University Credits
  
  

Overview

There are two publicly funded postsecondary educational institutions in PE: the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) and Holland College. Two other educational institutions are operating and available for students: Maritime Christian College and Collège de l'Île. Each institution maintains information about their transfer agreements and requirements.

University and College

A number of articulation agreements for joint degree programs and credit exist between the educational institutions. Typically, the quality of these programs is ensured through the articulation agreements, the program review process, and the quality assurance practices at each institution.

Credit transfer requests are reviewed at the program level by faculty, senior program staff, and informal committees. Reviews are conducted on a course-by-course basis and involve reviews of the course content, level, assessment component, and instructor qualifications for each course.

Inter-regional Collaboration

In July 2000, the colleges of the four Atlantic provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to maximize the recognition and transfer of learning acquired through various forms of educational experiences both within the workplace and postsecondary settings. In accordance with this memorandum, member colleges agreed to grant transfer credits for all courses to approved programs delivered by other members.

In September of 2009, colleges and universities in Atlantic Canada signed an MOU encouraging transfer agreements between and among public universities and colleges in the region. The Association of Atlantic Universities (AAU) and the Atlantic Provinces Community College Consortium (APCCC), now known as Atlantic Colleges Atlantique (ACA), and their member educational institutions endorsed the MOU encouraging transfer agreements between and among public universities and community colleges in Atlantic Canada. This MOU sought to strengthen transferability and mobility within Atlantic Canada and to ensure that students receive maximum benefits from postsecondary education in the region. The memorandum of understanding was signed by 22 educational institutions in Atlantic Canada. UPEI and Holland College are signatories.

Provincial Quality Assurance

All programs offered at publicly funded universities in the Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) are reviewed by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC). MPHEC is accountable to the ministers responsible for postsecondary education in the Maritime provinces and reviews universities' internal quality assurance activities such as new program proposals, modifications to programs, program termination, and collaborative programs. Contact the other two postsecondary educational institutions directly for information on their quality assurance processes.

Relevant links

• University of Prince Edward Island
• Holland College
• Prince Edward Island Postsecondary Educational Institutions

Overview

Quebec educational institutions rely on the “R Score” to enable transfer from cégeps into the universities for those with grades that meet the admission and transfer requirements. Referenced as the cote de rendement au collégial (CRC or cote R in French), it is a statistical method that classifies college students' academic performances in Quebec to aid admission selection processes and results in students entering at the second-year level. For transfers from non-CEGEPs, the admission and transfer credit reviews are conducted on a case-by-case basis.

Through its registrars, the Bureau de Coopération Interuniversitaire (BCI) has created a pathway to enable students to study at more than one institution. Through the Authorization to Transfer Credit system, students can search, review, and request approval to complete credits at another university during an academic year. Called the Quebec Inter-University Transfer Agreement (AEHE-IUT) or Autorisation d'études hors établissement (AEHE), this agreement allows students registered at any of the province's universities to take courses at another Quebec university, which will count toward a degree at their home university if successfully completed. 

Universities and Cégeps

Quebec has a long history supporting transfer as evidenced by its cégep system and the collaboration between these educational institutions, the universities, and the provincial government. As a result, successful completion of studies at the cégep level enables entry into second year at Quebec universities. The cégep-to-university transition can occur through program equivalencies governed by a memorandum of understanding. So-called “DEC-BAC” (college diploma to bachelor's degree) programs are governed by specific agreements between educational institutions and allow students to obtain a number of university credits for their college studies. These agreements apply only to technical courses, since general-stream courses are prerequisites to university admission in the first place.

College programs are authorized by the minister and reviewed by individual colleges. Cégep admission applications are centralized and processed in regional centres in Montreal, Quebec City, and Saguenay–Lac St-Jean, to ensure uniform province-wide processing. Harmonization of vocational and technical training can fall under individual agreements between colleges and school boards. These are used to harmonize programs and prevent duplication of curriculum in the vocational and technical sector in order to smooth the transition between secondary and college programs.

More and more equivalencies are set between college and university programs, leading to “DEC-BAC” bridges (college diploma to bachelor's degree) in technical fields. Most universities have also made arrangements to admit students with a technical DEC.

There is no provincial guide covering equivalencies or transfers from other educational institutions, but Quebec university registrars use specific resources to determine possible equivalencies. One such resource is the Guide des niveaux de formation pour l'admission générale des candidats non québécois published under the auspices of the Bureau de Coopération Interuniversitaire (BCI). Responsibility for recognizing training from another country lies with Quebec educational institutions (schools, colleges, and universities).

To facilitate mobility for students wishing to change universities, institutions may recognize prior studies under a credit-transfer mechanism between recognized universities, up to a maximum of two-thirds of credits for a specific program, according to policies that vary between educational institutions. Since programs vary between educational institutions as well, a number of mechanisms such as exemption or course substitution are also provided. Such mechanisms are the responsibility of the host institution and the program committee concerned. Transfers are not automatic.

Private Subsidized or Nonsubsidized Colleges and Institutes

Because the programs in these educational institutions are authorized by the minister, transfers between colleges fall under the responsibility of individual colleges.

Inter-regional Collaboration

Through the Bureau de coopération Interuniversitaire, the Quebec university registrars have supported the ARUCC MyCreds™ | MesCertif™ National Network initiative which is creating a national document- and data-exchange network for official postsecondary transcripts, as well as virtual “wallets” for learners to advance student mobility.

Provincial Quality Assurance

All programs offered at Quebec postsecondary educational institutions are evaluated through individual institutions' governance processes. After an internal review, they are presented to the BCI for external review and system coordination. BCI operates under the authority of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education. Institutional program assessment policies are reviewed by a program evaluation review commission.

Learner resources

• Inter-University Transfer Authorization
• Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire
• Guide des niveaux de formation pour l'admission générale des candidats non québécois
• Quebec Inter-University Transfer Agreement (AEHE-IUT)
• The R Score: What It Is and What It Does

Overview

Saskatchewan's government website provides information to learners about learning opportunities within the provinces, transfer credit, and institutional partnerships. Various learner resources are available for download including a transfer-credit inventory list. The province created the Saskatchewan Transfer Credit and Learner Pathway Council to coordinate between educational institutions and government and to encourage and facilitate increased accessibility, student mobility, and student academic success by promoting pathways among Saskatchewan's postsecondary educational institutions within and outside the province.

Universities and Colleges

Through credit-transfer arrangements and course-to-course equivalency assessment, colleges and universities mutually recognize the learning a student achieves in the other sector. Various models exist such as formal articulation agreements, established pathways, block credit policies, joint-integrated or collaborative programs, and course co-registration between educational institutions. Through joint-integrated programs, two or more distinct “free-standing” programs in two or more educational institutions are integrated into one program that is then delivered by one or more educational institutions from each sector.

Course-specific equivalency assessments also occur routinely as part of the admission and transfer processes.

Inter-regional Collaboration

Through its Saskatchewan Transfer Credit and Learner Pathway Council (STCLPC), Saskatchewan maintains membership in the Councils on Admissions/Articulations and Transfer of Canada Network (CATCan Network) and the Pan‐Canadian Consortium on Admissions and Transfer (PCCAT). Its members have also supported the ARUCC MyCreds™ | MesCertif™ National Network initiative which is creating a national document- and data-exchange network for official postsecondary transcripts and credentials, as well as virtual “wallets” for learners to advance student mobility.

The STCLPC is partnering with the Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer to become members of Alberta's Learner Pathways System. Saskatchewan institutions will then be able to record transfer and articulation decisions which will be accessible to students through the Transfer Alberta Search Tool.

Provincial Quality Assurance

The Saskatchewan Higher Education Quality Assurance Board (SHEQAB) is authorized by the Province of Saskatchewan's Degree Authorization Act to oversee a quality assurance review of educational institutions wishing to offer degrees within the province. The quality assurance process consists of rigorous evaluations of the organizational capacity of the institution proposing to offer the new degree program and of the degree program itself.

Relevant links

• Transferring Post-Secondary Credits
• Saskatchewan Higher Education Quality Assurance Board
• Saskatchewan Postsecondary Educational Institutions

Overview

In December 2019, Yukon College became formally established as Yukon University. Its credit-transfer arrangements are published in the British Columbia Transfer Guide. Articulation agreements are in place with the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, OCAD University, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and the Alberta University of the Arts among other educational institutions.

Inter-regional Collaboration

Yukon University is a founding member of the University of the Arctic which is not degree granting but rather a cooperative network of educational institutions to support collaboration, research, and access to postsecondary studies for learners.

In a number of articulations with several universities in Alberta and British Columbia, the first two years of the university programs can be taken at the college and credited by the universities. The college also has articulation agreements with several educational institutions in Alaska for delivery of courses in programs leading to various bachelor's and master's degrees. The university has an articulation agreement with the University of Regina through which the college provides a four-year degree in education for Indigenous students and a bachelor's degree in social work. 

Learner resources

• Yukon University
• British Columbia Transfer Guide (for Yukon University)