International Students

Before you can receive an offer of admission, your original transcripts/diplomas/examination certificate must be submitted to Olds College for evaluation. All applicants to Olds College are assessed based on the completion of education at senior secondary/high school level. Applicants who have completed education in another country must have graduated with appropriate high school documents and credentials. 

*Transcript assessment will be completed by the Olds College Admission Office* 

• Once you have applied, a preliminary admission assessment will be completed and for the purposes of this assessment  international documents can be scanned and sent by e-mail to international@oldscollege.ca. Documents should be combined into one single PDF document. If scanned copies are difficult to read because of poor copy quality, they will not be accepted.

• Once a preliminary admission assessment has been completed, the Admission Officer will request that official transcripts be sent to Olds College by the issuing institution or organization, in a sealed envelope.

• If your documents are not in the English language, you must provide a certified English literal translation (word-for-word) with the documents at the time of submission. 

• Applicants may be required to submit verification documentation to support their application (e.g. WAEC scratch card/e-pin, Admit Card, etc.)

• Once official documents have been received, and presuming that there is still space in the desired program, an Offer of Admission will be made.

• Delays in receiving official documents may result in the applicant being placed on a waiting list if the program reaches capacity before official documentation is received. It is important that international applicants send official documents to Olds College when an application is submitted.

Once you are admitted into an Olds College program, you can request that an assessment be done on any of your previous post-secondary education to see if you might be eligible for transfer credit towards your new program. In order to complete a transfer credit assessment, you will be required to submit:

• A notarized colour copy of your post-secondary transcripts, where a signature and/or official stamp is visible
• Copies of all relevant course outlines or description for the courses you want assessed for transfer credit

PLEASE NOTE: All transcripts, course outlines and other supporting documentation must be in English. If your documentation is in another language, you must provide a certified English literal translation (word-for-word) along with a notarized colour copy of the original documents.

Fully refundable: 

• If you cancel admission up to 4 months prior to the program start date, then your deposit is fully refundable.

Partial refund:

•  If you provide proof that your Visa application is denied, then you are eligible for a refund minus an administrative fee** (based on the program specific tuition deposit).
• If you cancel your admission one month prior to the start date of the program and have not received your study permit / study visa notification, then you are eligible for a refund minus an administrative fee** (based on the program specific tuition deposit).

**The Administrative Fee is $300 (i.e.: after submitting a $1,500 tuition deposit, a student will receive a $1,200 tuition deposit refund)

Non-refundable:

• If you cancel admission within 4 months prior to the program start date and have a valid study permit / study visa, then your tuition deposit is non-refundable.

Tuition & Fees Refund Policy for Enrolled Students

Fully refundable: 

• If you withdraw from a course (or your program) prior to the “Drop Date” for that course, you will be refunded any tuition & fees paid for that course.

Non-refundable:

• If you withdraw from a course (or your program) after to the “Drop Date” for that course, you will NOT be refunded any tuition & fees paid for that course.

Students seeking additional scholarship or bursary opportunities are encouraged to apply for Olds College student awards, and to apply for external awards. View the EduCanada Study in Canada Scholarships. Check your eligibility for external awards at:

• yconic.com
• scholarshipscanada.com
• internationalscholarships.com
• International Education Financial Aid
• Smart Scholar

As a student who is considering studying in Canada, you are expected to have enough money to support yourself during your studies. You must ensure you have enough money to pay for:

• tuition
• living expenses
• transportation to and from Canada

If you are planning to attend Olds College on a study permit, you should be aware that you are not eligible to apply for Canadian government funding. If you require a loan to attend school, you should consider getting a loan through your home country.

Some countries will offer government student loans to students who attend Olds College. If your home country does not fund students through their government loans program, you may wish to speak to your bank or other financial institutions to secure funding.

Living in Canada

Open a Canadian bank account (if applicable)

Weather in Olds

Olds experiences a wide range of weather, it is advisable to prepare accordingly with appropriate clothing.

• Spring (March, April, May): Temperatures can be cooler at the start of spring and start to warm up by May. Typically days are clear and sunny, with periods of rain.

• Summer (June, July and August): Temperatures can reach as high as 35℃, however, typically in the high teens to mid 20℃. June is normally the month that we receive the most precipitation. The area is also known to produce large storms (thunder, lightning, hail, strong winds) during the summer months.

• Fall (September, October, November): Temperatures are variable over these months; September will see warmer days reaching 20℃ and November daily temperatures falling around 0℃ to 5℃. Overnight lows in October and November can fall to -20℃. 

• Winter (December, January, February): Temperatures during these months can vary drastically throughout the day. You can expect highs of +10℃ and lows of -35°C. There will typically be snow on the ground.

Clothing

A variety of seasonal clothing is required. Light layered clothing is great for Spring to Fall and warm inner clothing and heavy outerwear are necessary for the winter months. It is recommended that you obtain winter boots, mittens, and toques for the winter months. At Olds College you will see people wearing all sorts of clothing, some programs do have a dress code to adhere to (refer to program pages). It is very important to pay attention to any safety equipment/clothing required. 

The town of Olds has a variety of shopping locations to purchase clothing. Uptown Olds is a short walk from the College and offers a number of independent boutiques. The main shopping location is within driving distance of campus and offers clothing options ranging from everyday wear to work wear and safety clothing.

Transportation

There is limited public transportation from Calgary or Edmonton to Olds. Within the town limits, residents can utilize taxi services, walk, or bike ride.

All International students who are registered in programs that are one year or less will be registered in GuardMe Insurance unless they can provide the following:

• proof of Alberta Health Insurance or;
• a study permit or Letter of Introduction valid for more than 12 months and 
• not eligible for AHCIP and do have other private health insurance

GuardMe Insurance covers doctor’s visits, prescriptions and more and is charged on a semester-basis. Services not covered are dental care, eyeglasses or anything pertaining to pre-existing condition. Students with existing medical conditions should:

• bring a copy (in English) of their medical history,
• bring an adequate supply of any prescription currently being taken, and
• bring an extra pair of glasses and/or supply of contact lenses

If you are a student from outside Canada, you may be eligible for the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) coverage. You will need to apply for AHCIP coverage. Students under 18 years of age must be added to the AHCIP account of a custodian.

• Students who have a 12 month study permit (valid for an Alberta educational institute) and who will reside in Alberta for 12 months or more are eligible for AHCIP coverage.
• Students with study permits valid for more than 3 months but less than 12 months, may be eligible for AHCIP coverage if their application is accompanied by a letter from the student confirming their intent to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months. 
• If the application is received within 3 months of entry into Alberta, coverage is effective on the date of either entry into Alberta or the date signed on the study permit, whichever is later.

To enrol in AHCIP, you may mail your application to the address listed on the application form or you may appear in person with your passport and Study Permit to any authorized office. More information / forms