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Alberta post-secondaries have new system to apply

20 Alberta schools part of new online system

Students applying to an Alberta post-secondary institution will need to use a new web-based application system introduced in September 2009.

The new system, ApplyAlberta.ca, requires a one-time registration and promises to facilitate access to essential information for admission to Alberta’s colleges, universities and technical institutes.

The creation of the system—announced in 2005 by the government of Alberta under the Access to the Future Act—is part of a $4.5-billion expansion program for post-secondary endowments and scholarships.

The system links admission seekers to 20 of Alberta’s post-secondary institutions including SAIT, University of Calgary, and Mount Royal University.

Angela Lucyk, SAIT assistant registrar, said she’s found the system has improved the efficiency of the admissions’ office because applicants can know the status of their application sooner.

“When we process an application, say today, we could get a transcript later tonight for the applicant from Alberta education and qualify them for their programs faster,” she said.

“Typically when we waited for a paper transcript we could wait for about a week for that transcript to arrive.”

Lucyk said this process only works for student applying from participating Alberta schools or post secondary institutions. Out-of-province or international students would be responsible to get an electronic copy of their transcripts to the admission office if their institution is not part of the new system.

How it works

When students use the site for the first time they:

-create a profile with their personal and academic history

-request or get assigned an Alberta Student number (ASN) — which they received if they applied or attended a school in Alberta

-authorize institutions to request the transfer of their Alberta Education high school and/or post-secondary transcripts without being charged a fee for transcripts transferred through ApplyAlberta.

For more about some of the trouble spots with the new system, pick up a copy of the Weal on Feb. 11.

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