How to apply for a Course at SAIT University Canada if you are international Student

Application procedure for a course at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for international students is as follows:

SAIT’s programs in advanced technology are very popular and classes tend to fill up quickly. It is recommended that students apply well in advance. You may apply to more than one program but a separate application and fee are required for each.

• Applications for most full-time programs are accepted until the program start date, but it is best to apply early as some programs close applications beforehand and many programs offer early admission and/or continuous selection.

Do you meet the admission requirements?

All full-time programs have specific admission requirements that you must meet in order to qualify for admission. In addition, all applicants must demonstrate English Language Proficiency, including students educated in Canada.

Early admission

Some programs offer early admission to applicants who have achieved, or will achieve, higher grades in specific admission requirements. The timeline and the course percentage(s) required for early admission are listed on the program’s admission and selection page, if applicable.

Selection criteria

In order to determine program suitability, some programs require supplementary documentation or additional information to be submitted after you apply. This could include a career investigation report, aptitude test, resumé, essay, interview, etc. Certain programs will also use academic ranking as part of the selection process.

If you do not meet the admission requirements

• Consider the Academic Upgrading program for all core academic subjects.
• See the English Language Foundations program if English is an additional language.
• Learn more about admission testing for admission to SAIT programs.

Application process

Step 1: Apply Online 

First, use the How to Apply Checklist to make sure you’re ready to apply. Choose a program and apply online at ApplyAlberta. Each online application is $75.

Step 2: Apply for International Document Assessment

If you were educated outside of Canada, you will require an international document assessment to ensure you’ve met the admission requirements for your program. SAIT accepts assessments from all of the services listed below.

• IQAS

Apply for an IQAS Educational Assessment. IQAS evaluates formal academic/technical education. It does not evaluate trades training or vocational/professional training. IQAS application fee: $100
For best assessment outcomes, include both secondary and post-secondary credentials with transcripts/mark sheets for the Educational Assessment. The application must be completed online, then you will mail all required documents to IQAS. Use tracked mail or a courier so you can keep track of your application’s location. IQAS applications take approximately six weeks to process after all required documents and payments are received. Apply early and plan to allow sufficient processing time. Once you receive your evaluation results from IQAS, please scan and send by email to [email protected]. Refer to the IQAS website for further details and instructions to complete your IQAS application.

• WES Canada 

Visit WES Canada to apply for an International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP).  WES guarantees results within one week, providing all of the necessary documentation is included.

• • Choose COURSE-BY-COURSE WES ICAP if you’re sending in both secondary (high school) and post-secondary (college or university) documents. Application fee: $245
  • Choose DOCUMENT-BY-DOCUMENT WES ICAP if you’re sending in high school documents only. Application fee: $150

Select Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) as the recipient of your evaluation.

To ensure a complete assessment, submit all levels of education to WES, including high school documents. Once your WES evaluation has been completed, your ICAP package will be forwarded electronically to SAIT on your behalf. If you included high school documents, SAIT will assess the authenticated documents provided by WES to determine the equivalent Alberta high school subjects and grades.

Step 3: Demonstrate English Language Proficiency for all SAIT programs

All applicants to SAIT must demonstrate English Language Proficiency prior to admission, including students educated in Canada. English language proficiency is a requirement for all SAIT programs. Applicants can demonstrate English proficiency in the following ways:

• Successful completion of SAIT’s English Language Foundations Level 5 or a recognized alternate. SAIT has agreed to also accept the following as equivalent to ELF Level 5:
  • Bow Valley College – English for Academic Purposes (B or 73%)
  • Chinook College – Accelerated Academic Preparation 2 (75%)
• Successfully complete assessment testing in one of the following:

Please note: Tests are valid for admission purposes at SAIT for a one year period from date of issue.

• Successful completion of English, at the required level, as outlined in the individual program descriptions, including a minimum of three years of education at an English speaking Canadian school or at a recognized International English speaking school.

If you do not meet the English Language Proficiency requirement, consider the English Language Foundations program.

Step 4: Check your application status online

Within a week of submitting your application online, you will receive an email acknowledging that SAIT has received your application. The email will include your SAIT ID number and instructions on how to login to mySAIT.

Within six weeks, your application will be updated to one of the statuses below. When you submit updated documentation or progress through the competitive entry process, your application decision will be updated. Monitor your application status online on mySAIT.ca.

Missing Documents

‘Missing Documents’ means we have not received the transcripts/documentation required to make a decision on your application. Review your application checklist to see the admission requirements needed for the program.

• Submit your transcripts and/or international document assessment.
• If you are currently in high school, upgrading, English Language Foundations, or planning to take an English exam such as IELTS or TOEFL, you need to complete and submit an Anticipated Final Grades form. Your anticipated final grades are your best guess as to what grade you’ll achieve in the course or exam. You may be granted a conditional offer or placed in selection based on these grades. If you do not meet or exceed your anticipated final grades before the transcript deadline, your conditional offer may be withdrawn.

If your transcripts and/or international document assessment isn’t received within 30 days, your application decision will be changed to ‘Declined-missing requirements’. If you submit transcripts and/or documents within the program’s application period, your application will be re-evaluated.

Pending evaluation

‘Pending Evaluation’ means your application will be evaluated for eligibility after the results of your document assessment are received.

In Selection

‘In Selection’ means you have met the admission requirements and have now been placed in selection for the program. Selection may be based on a career investigation report, resumé and references, aptitude testing, academic ranking, and/or an interview.

• Review your program’s admission information to ensure you’re familiar with the selection deadlines and criteria.
• We recommend you add the ‘sait.ca’ domain to your safe senders list or you risk missing email messages critical to your selection process.
• If your program has more than one step in the selection process, your application decision may be updated to ‘In continued selection’.
• If you are not successful in the selection process or do not complete the selection criteria within the program’s timeline, your application will be ‘Declined through selection’.

Waitlist

‘Qualified waitlist’ means you are qualified for admission to the program, but the program is currently full, so you have been placed on a waitlist. You will be offered admission to the program if a seat becomes available.

• Seats can be offered until the program start date – be prepared by having your funding and living arrangements in place. Please keep in mind that international students must obtain a valid study permit before the beginning of classes. For this reason, we do not recommend that international students accept a late offer if there is insufficient time to obtain a study permit before the program start date.
• If your application decision is ‘Waitlist/Documents Required’, you need to submit your final transcripts before the transcript deadline.

‘Secondary waitlist’ means your application, transcripts, or documents were received after the program selection deadline. You have been placed on a secondary waitlist.

• Review the program’s admission and selection dates and consider applying for the next intake.

Applicants on a waitlist can apply for another program or have their current application moved to a future intake within the same academic year. Contact [email protected] and include your SAIT ID number.

Declined – missing requirements

‘Declined – missing documents’ means you have not met the minimum admission requirements for the program. If you submit additional transcripts and/or documents within the program’s application period, your application will be re-evaluated.

• Ensure that we’ve received all of your transcripts/documents.
• If you are currently in high school, upgrading, English Language Foundations, or planning to take an English exam such as IELTS or TOEFL, you need to complete and submit an Anticipated Final Grades form.
• Consider academic upgrading, admission testing, or our English Language Foundations program to meet the program’s admission requirements.

Offered seat

‘Offered seat’ means you have been offered admission to a program. Congratulations!

• Contact the Office of the Registrar to pay the tuition deposit and confirm your seat.
• The tuition deposit must be paid within four weeks. You will lose your seat in the program if the tuition deposit is not received by the deadline stated on your offer letter.
• The tuition deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable. The money will be applied to your account and will go towards your first semester tuition payment.
• If you pay your tuition deposit and are offered a seat in another SAIT program, you can transfer the deposit if the program starts in the same academic term.
• If your application decision is ‘Offered Seat/Documents Required’, your offer is conditional. You need to submit your final transcripts before the transcript deadline. If you do not achieve your anticipated final grades, your offer of admission may be rescinded.

Confirmation Paid

‘Confirmation paid’ means that we have received your tuition deposit and your seat in the program is now confirmed. At this time, international students are automatically sent a confirmation letter and CIC form to use for your study permit application.

• If your application decision is ‘Confirmation paid/Documents Required’, your confirmation is conditional. You need to submit your final transcripts before the transcript deadline. If you do not achieve your anticipated final grades, your offer of admission may be rescinded.
• If you have applied to the English Language Foundations program, please contact [email protected] to schedule a Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLBA) test at SAIT. The CLBA is a requirement for all students in English Language Foundations. Be sure to schedule the exam at least two weeks prior to the start of classes.

Step 5: Apply for a study permit

International students who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada require a study permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to study in a program that is longer than six months. Once you have received your SAIT confirmation letter and accompanying documentation for CIC, you can start the application process for your study permit.

Most students will also require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) in order to enter the country. Please check the CIC website to see if you require a TRV or eTA.

Step 6: Payment of tuition fees

Approximately six weeks before your program begins, you will be registered into your classes. At this time, you’ll see your tuition amount in your Account Summary on mySAIT under the myStudent tab. Payment of these tuition fees confirms your attendance into your program. For new students, tuition is due four weeks before the start of your program.