Academic Requirements

Other national curriculum

High school (secondary school) graduation is the normal minimum level of study to be considered for admission to the first year of an undergraduate program at Carleton University. This is your ‘basis of admission’. Academic performance in your previous studies is the main determining factor for admission. We accept credentials from most national systems. Secondary education should normally consist of a minimum of 12 years of study. For some countries, where the secondary system is fewer than 12 years, applicants may be required to have completed one year of university study.

You will need to provide transcripts from your final years of high school along with your graduation diploma or certificate, and any graduation exam results. If an application is made during the final year of study, we will review mid-year or interim marks for an early/conditional offer.

Prerequisites

In addition to your overall academic performance, for most of our programs you will also need specific required subjects (prerequisites) to be considered for admission.

In general, prerequisite subjects should be completed in the highest/final year of secondary school study.

Please review the specific admission requirements by degree program below:

Specific Requirements

Journalism (BJ)

Language Requirements

ESL Overview

The language of instruction at Carleton University is English. To be admitted, applicants must demonstrate sufficient English proficiency for academic success. Applicants can demonstrate their English language proficiency in one of the following ways:

Proof of English language Education

Applicants may submit transcripts showing they have studied full-time for the past three years in one of the following settings:

• A Canadian high school where English was the primary language of instruction.
• A high school, college or university in a country where English is the primary language and the institution’s instruction was predominantly in English. See the list of eligible countries/territories listed below.

Important notes:

• Time spent in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses do not count towards meeting the three-year requirement.
• Letters from educators will not waive the language requirement.
• If a student submits both transcripts and an English language test score, Carleton reserves the right to reassess the admission decision.

English Language Test Results / Qualifications

Students may submit official English language test scores / qualifications. You must request the testing centre send your IELTS or TOEFL results electronically to Carleton University using our institution number: 0854. To submit a Canadian Academic English Assessment (CAEL) score or a Duolingo score you must log in to your test account and select Carleton University as a recipient institution.

See the list of accepted tests and score requirements / qualifications in the tables below.

Note: Carleton may request a test from any applicant, regardless of academic background.

Table 1: Admission with no further ESL requirement

Students who submit any of the scores shown in Table 1 below may be eligible for an offer with no further ESL requirement and may begin full-time degree studies.

Applicants whose first language is French must present transcripts to indicate that they have taken four years of anglais (English) in a Canadian secondary school to be admitted without an English as a Second Language Requirement.

Table 2: Admission with an ESL requirement (Academic ESL courses required)

Students with scores shown in Table 2 below may be admitted with an English as a Second Language Requirement (ESLR). In the first term(s) of study, students will be required to take Academic ESL along with a limited number of courses from their degree program. This admission with an ESLR allows students to earn academic credits from degree courses taken while completing the English requirements.

Please note that students beginning their studies with an English language requirement are not eligible for admission to the following programs:

• Architectural Studies
• Entrepreneurship
• Health Sciences
• Humanities
• Industrial Design
• Information Technology
• International Business
• Journalism
• Journalism and Humanities
• Media Production and Design
• Nursing
• Public Affairs and Policy Management
• All Post Baccalaureate Diplomas

Academic ESL

Academic ESL courses allow students to begin their degree and study academic courses while completing the English as a Second Language Requirement (ESLR). This can take up to three terms to complete and consists of three levels of English as a Second Language courses (ESLA) which focus on the academic skills needed for university study. ESLA course(s) are taken concurrently with a limited number of degree courses.

Students admitted with an ESLR will have their level of English language proficiency reviewed and assessed by the School of Linguistics and Language Studies (SLaLS). Students will receive an ESLA placement indicating the ESLA course level they have been placed into and how many additional credits they are permitted to register in at the same time as their ESLA course. Students admitted with this requirement should check Carleton 360 to see their ESLA placement (see VIEW or DISPLAY HOLDS). During the registration period, students must register in the appropriate ESLA course in order to be permitted to register in any other degree program credits they may be entitled to.

Academic ESL courses:

Note: As students progress through the ESL courses, their ESLA placements and course credit limits will be adjusted based on previous ESLA final grades (see the ‘What you need to know about ESLA‘ page for details).

For more information on ESLR, please contact the School of Linguistics and Language Studies (SLaLS).

Countries That May Qualify for Exemption

You may qualify for an exemption if you have studied in English for at least three years in any of the following countries/territories. This list is for information only. Your eligibility for an exemption will be determined once you have submitted your application for admission and relevant supporting documents, like your transcripts, have been reviewed.

• Anguilla
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Bermuda
• Botswana
• British Virgin Islands
• Cameroon
• Cayman Islands
• Dominica
• Eswatini (Swaziland)
• Falkland Islands
• Fiji
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Gibraltar
• Grenada
• Guam
• Guyana
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Malawi
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Montserrat
• Namibia
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Papua New Guinea
• St. Helena
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• St. Lucia
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Scotland
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• Uganda
• United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Wales)
• United States of America
• Vanuatu
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

DISCLAIMER: The information above is subject to change. For the latest updates, please contact LOA Portal's advisors. The listed minimum requirements are a guideline and do not guarantee admission. Do not worry, we will notify you of any changes during the application process.