TRU Open Learning Registration
This information pertains to distance learning through Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU-OL). Information about on-campus learning is available at www.tru.ca.
Registration and Course Completion
How to Register (online, phone, fax, mail)
Tuition and Fees
About Distance Education
TRU-OL Course Delivery Formats (includes requirements for web-based courses)
Note to Students Residing outside Canada
Notice to All Students - Before Registering for a Course
Course Prerequisites
Proficiency in English Requirements
Courses Delivered by TRU-OL
TRU-OL Courses Delivered by SFU
TRU-OL Courses Delivered by UVic
UBC Distance Courses
Note to Students Residing outside Canada
TRU-OL requires an address and valid telephone contact number to send course packages to students residing outside Canada.
Registering online
All students residing outside Canada pay the international tuition rate when they register online for TRU-OL courses. Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada (landed immigrants) will be reimbursed a portion of their tuition on submission of proof of Canadian citizenship. With the reimbursement, tuition paid is equal to tuition for permanent residents of Canada residing outside BC (non-BC Canadian).
To apply for reimbursement, students are required to submit a request in writing to the TRU-OL Office of the Registrar, accompanied by a photocopy of their birth certificate, passport or citizenship certificate as proof of Canadian citizenship.
Students may submit requests for reimbursement by mail:
TRU-OL Office of the Registrar
PO Box 3010
900 McGill Road
Kamloops, BC V2C 5N3
Canada
or by fax:
250.852.6405
Alternative to registering online, paying international fees, and applying for reimbursement
Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada (landed immigrants) residing outside Canada may phone Student Services to register for courses and pay the fees applicable to Canadian citizens residing outside BC (verification of citizenship is required).
Phone Student Services:
250.852.7000
How to Register
Quickly and Conveniently
With American Express, MasterCard, Visa, or approved student loan
Register by Phone
1.800.663.9711 (toll-free in Canada) or 250.852.7000 (Kamloops and International)
With American Express, MasterCard, or Visa
Phone Student Services, with course details and credit card information, on any weekday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time (closed on statutory holidays).
Register by Fax
250.852.6405
With American Express, MasterCard, or Visa
Fax both sides of the completed Course Registration form 
to Student Services (do not mail the original Course Registration form when it is sent by fax).
Register by Mail
Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning
Student Services
BC Centre for Open Learning, 4th floor
Box 3010, 900 McGill Road
Kamloops, BC
V2C 5N3
Canada
With American Express, MasterCard, Visa, cheque or money order
Mail the completed Course Registration form with full fee payment to Student Services. Cheque or money order is payable to Thompson Rivers University.
With student loan or grant
Mail the completed Course Registration form with a completed Part-time Student Assistance application or a completed Full-time Fee Deferral Request.
Contact Student Services.
To register, applicants should:
- Select course(s) and confirm course availability by referring to the the course description(s) or by emailing Student Services.
- Ensure that course prerequisites (outlined in the course descriptions) are met and declare when registering how the necessary prerequisites have been met. Some courses have limited enrolment or particular pre- or co-requisites that will be considered by TRU-OL staff before finalizing the registration.
- Before registering, review academic regulations, including course registration, cancellation, and course withdrawal policies.
- Confirm access to equipment required (such as to the Internet for a web-based course). Required equipment is specified in the course descriptions.
- Be aware of the application deadline and the course start date, especially if the course is paced or delivered by SFU or UVic.
- Select one of the registration and payment methods listed.
Note
Applicants with a documented disability requesting services and/or accommodations must contact the Disability Services Department 12 weeks prior to their intended course start date.
Payment Processing
- Email Student Services for information on sponsorship and scholarship procedures.
- Registrations are not processed until all course fees have been received.
- Payment is deposited on receipt.
- Payment is refunded for registrations not processed.
Course Prerequisites
TRU-OL
Course prerequisites are specified in the course descriptions. When registering for courses, students are required to declare that they have met the formal or equivalent prerequisites. It is assumed that students have Grade 12 English or equivalent, for postsecondary courses requiring no formal prerequisites.
When registering for courses, students are required to declare that they have met the formal or equivalent prerequisites. Students who provide a false declaration may be subject to penalties under the student conduct policy.
Proficiency in English Requirements
Students are required to have proficiency in English suitable for the course level.
Post-secondary courses offered through TRU-OL require post-secondary English reading and writing skills.
Students registering for courses that do not specify prerequisites beyond English 12 should have sufficient English proficiency.
Students studying on campus with TRU will take an English Placement Test (EPT) and will be placed in the appropriate level of English language study as indicated. Students studying by distance in Open Learning courses need to self-assess their proficiency in English according to the following requirements (provided in the Chart, as a guideline) unless asked for further proof of proficiency (such as for HEAL courses and to meet particular partnership agreement requirements).
If an on-campus student has a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or other test score, they may elect to enter into English as a Second Language (ESL) or academic courses on-campus without taking the TRU English Placement Test for the following scores:
To expand, please click on the table or go here.
Students who have not obtained the required proficiency in English for the course level should discuss their plans with a Student Services advisor before registering.
Language Testing Resources
LPI, a provincially recognized assessment, is available for a fee from UBC's Applied Research and Evaluation Services. Refer to information on the LPI Web Site.
More information about English language testing is provided on the following websites:
www.lpitest.ca
www.ets.org/toefl
Courses Delivered by TRU-OL
Most distance courses delivered by TRU-OL are offered on a continuous basis, so students may register throughout the year. Labs, clinicals, selected classroom offerings, and some web-based, paced courses have fixed start dates.
Refer to individual course descriptions or email Student Services for information about course availability.
TRU-OL courses that have rental materials (equipment and audiovisual components) are not always available to students residing outside Canada. Refer to individual course descriptions or email Student Services.
Course prerequisites are specified in the course descriptions.
Credit Courses
Credit courses require that students complete all mandatory coursework, including assignments and the final examination or project. Full faculty support is provided for all credit courses for the duration of the course.
Audit Courses
Some courses offer a audit option. Students complete coursework, including assignments, with full faculty support but are not required to write the final examination. Refer to the regulations and policies.
Email Student Services for more information.
Course Packages
TRU-OL course packages include all the required texts and course materials unless otherwise noted. Refer to information on tuition.
Students also receive information about their course faculty member. Open Learning Faculty members will contact students registered in courses, or students may choose to contact their faculty member first.
Students normally receive their course package by courier within two weeks of registering in TRU-OL courses with continuous registration. For courses with fixed start dates, students normally receive their packages by courier no later than two weeks before the course start date.
Completion of Courses with Continuous Registration
The following applies to courses with continuous registration (e.g., do not have fixed start dates) delivered by TRU-OL:
- Most three-credit distance courses are designed to be completed within a four-month period, based on 12 to 15 hours of study time per week. Students, however, may complete courses sooner.
- A student studying full-time over the course of a year would be expected to take a maximum of 18 credits.
- The maximum course completion time for these courses is 30 weeks from the date of registration (completion time for some ABE courses may be 36 weeks, as indicated in the course descriptions). The 30-week period includes course package processing and delivery, study time, assignment and marks delivery and final examination writing.
- It is recommended that students in courses delivered by TRU-OL complete assignments in sequential order and submit them on schedule to their faculty member (at least several weeks before the final examination) to achieve the learning outcomes and to prepare for their final examination.
- Students normally have six examination sessions to choose from over the 30-week period from the date of registration. The schedule of eligible examination session dates, within the maximum course completion time, is included in the student's confirmation of registration package.
Full-time financial aid students should refer to their Study Contract for course completion deadlines.
Refer to registration, cancellation, withdrawal, extension, and repeat registration policies.
TRU-OL Courses Delivered by SFU
TRU-OL courses delivered by Simon Fraser University (SFU) are offered in September, January and May. Not all courses are offered every semester. Courses offered are posted approximately two and a half months prior to the start of the session. Registration opens at that time. Registration deadlines apply. Space is limited and early registration is advised.
Refer to individual course descriptions or email Student Services for registration deadlines.
Course fees listed usually include tuition, textbooks, course materials, GST, and refundable deposits. Fees are subject to change without notice. Refer to information on tuition.
Course Prerequisites
Course prerequisites are specified in the course descriptions. Students registering for TRU-OL courses delivered by SFU are strongly advised to obtain a copy of the course outline, which notes the requirements of the particular course (e.g., required textbooks, number of assignments, examinations, equipment and/or software and computer requirements, etc.). For course outlines, refer to the SFU Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE) website or contact CODE by email or phone 778.782.3524 or 1.800.663.1411 (toll-free in BC).
Course Package
Students will receive a letter from TRU-OL confirming course registration. SFU provides course packages, which include all the required texts, course materials, information about faculty-marker support, and instructions on how to proceed. Additional research materials are available through SFU's library.
Course Completion
Students are required to complete the course in 13 weeks from the course start date (normally the first Monday in September, January, or May) and submit assignments according to established timelines. Course completion times are given in the course descriptions.
Many courses have supervised mid-term examinations. SFU arranges final examinations on specific dates as scheduled by SFU. Refer to examination policies for more information.
Those wishing to audit a course delivered by SFU should contact SFU directly.
Students residing outside Canada who are interested in registering in TRU-OL courses delivered by SFU are considered on an individual basis. Contact SFU's Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE) for more details.
Refer to registration, cancellation, withdrawal, extension, and repeat registration policies.
TRU-OL Courses Delivered by UVic
Course start dates for TRU OL courses delivered by the University of Victoria (UVic) are specific to the program area offering the course. Course start dates are given in the individual course descriptions. If none are listed, contact the program area at UVic. Courses offered are posted approximately two and a half months prior to the start of the session. Registration opens at that time. Registration deadlines apply. Space is limited and early registration is advised.
Refer to individual course descriptions or email Student Services for registration deadlines.
Course fees listed do not include textbooks or other course materials. Fees are subject to change without notice. Refer to information on tuition.
Course Prerequisites
Course prerequisites are specified in the course descriptions.
Course Package
Students receive a letter from TRU-OL confirming course registration. Registered students receive instructions by mail from UVic program areas about purchasing texts and course materials from the UVic Bookstore and accessing library resources.
Course Completion
Course completion times are given in the individual course descriptions. If none are listed, please contact the specific UVic program area.
UVic arranges examinations. Refer to examination policies for more information.
Those wishing to audit a course delivered by UVic should contact UVic directly.
Some TRU-OL courses delivered by UVic are available to students residing outside Canada. Students should contact the UVic program area for more details.
Some TRU-OL courses delivered by UVic include face-to-face lab, classroom, or field-trip components, which may require travel to UVic or a designated site. The UVic program area provides details.
Refer to registration, cancellation, withdrawal, extension, and repeat registration policies.
UBC Distance Courses
Students may register through the University of British Columbia (UBC) Access Studies for distance courses delivered by UBC. Students requiring a UBC course to complete a program offered through TRU-OL should obtain approval from TRU-OL, register through UBC Access Studies, and then transfer the UBC credit to TRU-OL. This credit cannot be used for TRU-OL's residency requirement.
Contact UBC Access Studies for more information.
Web: students.ubc.ca/nondegree/apply.cfm (registration) / olt.ubc.ca/distance-learning/ (course descriptions)
Email: distance.education@ubc.ca
Phone: 604.822.9836