I want to transfer to Bow Valley College.

Receive credit for the work you’ve already done!

If you've completed courses at other post-secondary institutions, you may be eligible for credit toward your program at Bow Valley College. Transfer credit or Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) could reduce your course load and save you time and money. Students can earn up to 75% of their program in transfer.

Types of credit include:

Transfer credits: credit for courses taken at other colleges or universities.
Prior Learning (PLAR): credit for skills or knowledge you already have, which can be from work or life experience. This can be formal or informal and is assessed by the department.
PLAR for Health Care Aides: health care aides can apply for learning credit based on experience toward the Practical Nurse program.

There are two types of transfers you can apply for depending on your previous experience:

Step 1.

When to apply.

You will have the opportunity to apply for transfer once you are accepted into the program. We recommend that you begin your application as soon as you receive your acceptance letter.

Apply to a program

Step 2.

Compare your completed courses to the program requirements.

Review the curriculum of your desired program and compare it to your completed work to see which credits can be transferred so you can avoid repeating course content.

Visit Transfer Alberta to ensure your completed courses are transferable. A decision on course or program transferability may already exist or may have an agreement in place with Bow Valley College.   

If the Transfer Alberta search results don't show your completed courses, you can still apply. Just compare the program curriculum with your previous coursework.

Check your career program course list to ensure that the courses you are requesting for transfer credit are part of the requirement of the program you are admitted to. Be aware that all types of transfer can affect your full-time status. It is your responsibility to be aware of how this will affect your studies. Any questions regarding course selection, planning, and meeting graduation requirements, please consult an Academic Advisor by emailing advising@bowvalleycollege.ca

Course Equivalency: Transfer credit is evaluated on a course-to-course equivalency. This means that the course you completed at your previous accredited post-secondary institution must be equivalent to at least 80% of the learning outcomes of the course you are requesting at Bow Valley College. In some cases, two courses may be requested towards one course if the learning outcomes are distributed amongst the two courses.
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Program course list

Program outlines

Step 3.

Have your detailed course outlines and transcripts ready.

Submit the completed course outline from your previous institution to help us assess if the content matches your new program's curriculum and to determine your eligibility for transfer credit. This will help reduce application processing times.

Official transcripts must be sent directly to Bow Valley College by the issuing institution. Official transcript must show final grades in every subject and term grade point average (GPA). Transcripts can be submitted through the following methods:

Physical copies (Must be in a sealed, stamped envelope).
Electronic/PDF copies sent by a post-secondary employee through verifiable means. For example, sent from the institution email address or authorized transcript/credential distributors for online verification (e.g., MyCreds, ApplyAlberta)
International qualifications assessment services (IQAS, WES, ICAS, ICES)

For credentials not in English, we need certified English translations of all your documents including attested (authenticated) post-secondary transcripts before we can proceed with your transfer credit request.

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Submitting supporting documents:

Comprehensive course outlines/syllabus for each course which must include the following:
- learning outcomes
- number of hours
- credit value
- textbook list
- type of evaluation and assessments
- breakdown of assessments
- mark scale
Certification as specified on the Transfer Agreement page

The transfer credit team may request additional documentation during the review process.
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Need help or have questions?
Email registrar@bowvalleycollege.ca

Step 4.

Begin your request.

When you fill out your form, you will have the choice to pick which term you are applying for. If your term is not available, please check back after the upcoming add/drop deadline.

We focus on transfer credit requests for the upcoming term. Requests for future terms will be held for processing once the upcoming term’s add/drop date has passed. Requests can take a minimum of up to 6 to 8 weeks to complete once all documents are received. Some requests can take longer depending on request.

Your Transfer Credit Form, official transcripts, and all requested documents must be submitted. If your documents are not submitted before the deadline your request may be denied.

Transfer credit request form

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Your application will be delayed if you do not provide the required transcripts or proof of enrolment.

Welcome Centre
South Campus, First Floor
info@bowvalleycollege.ca

Indigenous Recruitment Specialist
April Bellegarde
indigenousrecruiter@bowvalleycollege.ca
403-476-2256

Step 5.

Great job! Once you’ve submitted your application, paid the application fee, and submitted your transcripts, be sure to keep an eye on your application.

Next steps

What to expect after applying.

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Things to Remember When Applying:

Transfer credit and PLAR approvals are not guaranteed.
Processing time: The assessment process takes a minimum of 6–8 weeks. Requests for future terms will be placed on hold until the upcoming drop deadline has passed.
Graduation requirement: You must complete at least 25% of your program at Bow Valley College to graduate.
Status impact: Approved transfer credit may reduce you to part-time status. Check how this affects your student loans, work permits, or other obligations. It is your responsibility to verify the number of credits needed to maintain full-time student status.
- international students should meet with ISSC@bowvalleycollege.ca
- domestic students should meet with learnersuccess@bowvalleycollege.ca

Class attendance: Current or past Bow Valley College students transferring to a new program must attend overlapping courses until their transfer credit is approved. For example, if you've completed Accounting in the Business Diploma program and are transferring to Risk Management, which also requires Accounting, you must still enroll in and attend Accounting in Risk Management until your transfer credit is granted.
Appealing decisions: If your credit is denied, you can appeal by writing to the Office of the Registrar within 10 days of receiving the decision letter. The Dean of the program area will review your case, and their decision is final.

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