• LocationEdmonton, Canada
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Athabasca University (AU) describes itself as Canada's Open University. It is a public post-secondary institution recognised by the Government of Alberta, and it specialises in distance and online education. Its home campus is in Athabasca, Alberta, about 145 km north of Edmonton, but students take their courses from home anywhere in the world. Since 1970, according to the university, more than 50,000 program and course alumni from over 100 countries have graduated.

AU offers online undergraduate degrees, diplomas and certificates in business, health, technology, science, the humanities and other fields, as well as master's and doctoral degrees and more than 850 individual courses. Most programmes can be taken full-time or part-time. Undergraduate admission is open: for most first-year programmes the only requirement is to be at least 16 years old.

International students can study from their home country through the regular application process. Applicants whose first language is not English must prove English proficiency, for example with IELTS 6 or TOEFL iBT 80. Because the programmes are delivered online, the university states that they cannot be used to obtain a Canadian study permit. Fees are paid per course at registration and include textbooks, course materials and access to a tutor.

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, Edmonton, Canada

All programmes are delivered online, and most can be studied full-time or part-time.

• Undergraduate degrees, diplomas and certificates in business, health, technology, science, humanities and other fields
• More than 850 individual undergraduate and graduate courses
• Short professional development courses, some combinable into a certificate

Previous diplomas, courses and work experience can be recognised as transfer credit.

AU offers online master's degrees, doctoral degrees, graduate diplomas and graduate certificates, with opportunities for graduate-level research. International applicants to a graduate programme should check the programme page for its specific admission requirements, deadlines and English requirements.

Undergraduate admission is open: for most first-year programmes applicants only need to be at least 16 years old. International students who stay in their home country follow the regular online application and pay a one-time, non-refundable application fee in Canadian dollars. Courses should be booked at least a month before the planned start. Non-Canadian credentials must be assessed by an international assessment agency to count as transfer credit.

Because AU programmes are online, a Canadian study permit cannot be issued for them, and an existing study permit cannot be maintained by switching to an AU online programme.

Applicants whose first language is not English must prove English proficiency. Accepted evidence includes:

• IELTS: minimum 6
• TOEFL iBT: minimum 80, with an essay score of 20
• TOEFL PBT: minimum 213, with 4.5 in the TWE
• PTE: minimum 59
• CAEL: minimum 60%
• MELAB: minimum 80
• High school completed in an English-speaking country
• AU's English Language Proficiency Program with an average of 75%

Graduate programmes have slightly different requirements.

https://www.athabascau.ca/applications-admissions/apply-au/international-students.html