FAQs: International Students

1. When can students enrol?

   Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU-OL) offers open admission to programs, which means students can enrol at any time throughout the year.

   Admission into some individual TRU-OL courses is offered continuously throughout the year, while admission into other courses, specifically "paced courses," is offered at specific intervals, often three times per year. Please refer to the Courses section for information regarding specific courses.

   Note: At TRU-OL "programs" are a series of credits/courses that are required to obtain a credential; "courses" are individual topics of instruction that can be taken alone or combined together, with approval, to use towards a credential.

   

2. How many days prior to the commencement of a course can a student enrol?

   Continuous enrolment courses begin the day students register in the course and as admission is open, students can enrol at any time throughout the year.

   Paced course registration deadlines vary, but paced courses are normally available for registration from two months up to approximately two weeks before the course start date.

   Please refer to the Courses section for information regarding specific courses.

   

3. What methods can a student use to pay fees?

   Program and course fees must be paid once a student has applied for programs and courses. The acceptable methods of fee payment include credit card (MasterCard, Visa and American Express) and bank cheques drawn from Canadian financial institutions.

   Note: Payments must be paid in Canadian funds. For more information regarding fees please visit the Tuition section. To view individual course fees refer to the Courses section.

   

4. What are the minimum and maximum times allotted for courses to be completed?

   The minimum and maximum time allotted for course duration varies by course; there are no time restrictions for program completion.

   In general, continuous enrolment, self-paced courses are designed to be completed within four months. Students can however choose to complete them within two months of registering, or within the maximum six month course deadline. Students may also purchase course extensions for most continuous enrolment courses.

   Paced courses have required study periods, normally of 13-14 weeks in duration; there is no option to accelerate or extend these study periods.

   

5. What is the procedure for coursework assessment and grading?

   Assessment procedures vary by course.

   All courses include assignments which are submitted to an accredited instructor (called a course tutor) for marking; a tutor is assigned for each TRU-OL course. Assignment marks and final grades are posted for students to view on the myTRU student portal; students also receive feedback directly from their tutors. All courses have either a supervised exam, or a major course project.

   To find detailed course outlines please refer to the Courses section. This information includes assignment and assessment information. Find examination information under the Services section.

   

6. How many TRU-OL credits are equal to one unit?

   The definition of "unit" varies across countries. At TRU-OL three-credit courses follow a standard British Columbia, Canada method of describing course weighting. Credits are expressed as equivalent to what a course would normally require in a single-semester course, if the course was offered in a standard semester-based university environment. For example, a three-credit course is equivalent to three hours of lecture per week for a semester at an on-campus institution.

   Most TRU-OL courses are three-credit courses however, some courses offer less credit while others offer more. Please refer to the Courses section for information regarding credit for specific courses. For further information about higher education terminology used in British Columbia, Canada, please refer to: http://bctransferguide.ca/glossary.cfm.

   

7. How many courses are required to complete a program credential?

   TRU-OL offers many different kinds of programs that will result in a certificate, diploma, degree or post-baccalaureate credential. Certificates and diplomas require from five to 20 courses to complete the credential while degrees require the equivalent of 40 courses.

   Please refer to the Programs section for information regarding specific programs.

   

8. How many credits are required to receive a degree?

   A degree requires 120 credits, which is the equivalent of 40 individual courses. In some instances, students can transfer credit from different accredited universities and apply it towards their TRU-OL degree. In addition, students may be eligible to gain credit through the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process, which provides credit towards a TRU-OL degree based on knowledge gained through informal learning and work experience.

   

9. Is it possible for a student to complete a program on campus after partially completing the program by distance?

   If a student is interested in applying for and completing a TRU campus-based program, it is possible to do so if they complete a separate application for on-campus registration. Students can apply to have their OL credits transferred to the new on-campus program. Please refer to TRU Campus admission details for more information at www.truworld.ca/howtoapply.html.

   

10. What is the certificate which the student receives at the end of the course?

    All credentials earned by completing TRU-OL program requirements are issued by Thompson Rivers University and as such, are the same as those earned through TRU's Kamloops campus.

    

11. Can the student be present for on-campus convocation to collect their credential?

    Yes, eligible students are invited to attend one of two convocations held at the Kamloops, BC campus annually in both June and October. Students will be eligible to attend one of the two ceremonies depending on when their credential is completed and approved for graduation; details can be accessed at www.tru.ca/convocation.html.

    

12. Are there any exemptions for admissions based on work experience?

    Yes, for some programs. Refer to the Programs section for details regarding admission requirements and exemptions to particular programs.

    Students with significant work and/or volunteer experience may be interested in attempting to earn credit by having their experiential learning assessed for credit through Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). PLAR is the process which helps you to identify, describe and document knowledge and learning you have gained through life experience including: industry-based training, professional development workshops and seminars, private study and work experience. Successful PLAR applicants must demonstrate learning and knowledge they have gained from their experiences by taking part in a challenge examination or process that requires submitting a portfolio.

    Challenge Examination: Students registered in TRU-OL programs may write one or more challenge examinations to demonstrate knowledge of the content of a particular TRU-OL course or of a first language. The amount of credit awarded is the same as if you had completed the course as a registered student. PLAR grading applies.

    Portfolio-Assisted Assessment: Students may be eligible to demonstrate that their prior learning has provided them with a series of "competencies" (such as communication abilities or problem-solving abilities), which are critical for success in completion of program requirements. Students are required to prepare and submit a learning portfolio with written documents and other materials and may be required to have an oral interview. Portfolio-assisted assessment may also be used to demonstrate learning equivalent to specific TRU-OL courses that you require to complete your program.

    Note: PLAR credit may not be accepted for admission to post-degree programs offered by other post-secondary institutions.

    More information is available at www.tru.ca/distance/services/resources/transfer.html#plar. Since the language of study at TRU is in English, students are expected to have English language proficiency suitable to the course level. For example, post-secondary (university-level) courses offered through TRU-OL require post-secondary English reading and writing skills. For more information, see Educational Advising and Planning on the TRU-OL web site at www.tru.ca/distance/services/resources/advising.html