- Level
- ESL / English Pathway Program
- CIP code
- 24.0101
- Duration
- 1 year undergraduate academic upgrading
- Open intakes
-
Off-shoreJan 2027, May 2027, Sep 2027
- Field
- Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
- Institution
- Public University
- Offer speed
- Fast Offer Speed5–7 days
- Next deadline
- 2027-01-01
Program overview
A non credential route allowing students to take individual university courses without being admitted to a degree, with credits potentially transferring into a programme later.
Open Studies asks only 50 percent and offers seven entry windows a cycle, but it admits you to individual courses rather than to a programme, which is a crucial distinction for any visa applicant. It is also charged at the full CAD 23,800 international rate while producing no credential of any kind at the end.
Open Studies is taught at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. Understand clearly what Open Studies is before applying: it is a non credential course option, not a credential, and it does NOT lead to a Post-Graduation Work Permit under any circumstances. You can hold a study permit while taking Open Studies and progress into a degree afterwards, and it is that degree which would carry work permit rights. An Alberta attestation letter is still required with the study permit application for Open Studies, and Mount Royal issues it with the letter of acceptance.
Entry to Open Studies is Grade 12 or Class 12 at 50 percent or above. The English requirement is IELTS 6.5 with no band below 5.5, and tuition for Open Studies is recorded at CAD 23,800 a year with a CAD 100 application fee. No scholarship is recorded against Open Studies. Open Studies lists seven entry windows across September, January and May. Apply Study Visa manages the Open Studies application, the deposit, the letter of acceptance and the Canadian study permit as one process.
What it costs per year · indicative
Living cost is an estimate; tuition is the institute's published international fee. We confirm exact, current figures before you pay anything.
Do you qualify?
These are the published minimums. Whether your profile fits — with your marks, gap and budget — is exactly what a free counsellor check confirms.
Admission requirements
Who can apply (guide for international students):
- Education: Grade 12 or Class 12 at the percentage stated for this programme.
- English: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 5.5; TOEFL iBT 86 with at least 20 in every section; PTE Academic 58 with 55 in every component; or the Duolingo English Test at 120.
- Application and deposit: An application fee of CAD 100 applies. Confirm the tuition deposit and its refundability in writing before any money is transferred.
- Scholarship: No scholarship is recorded against this programme. Budget the full tuition.
- Work permit: Open Studies does NOT support a Post-Graduation Work Permit, because it is a non credential course option rather than a credential and no amount of study on Open Studies counts toward work permit eligibility. Treat Open Studies as a route into a degree, and check the work permit position of that degree instead. The study permit application for Open Studies still requires an Alberta attestation letter.
- Study permit: Apply Study Visa handles the Alberta attestation letter, the study permit application and the biometrics appointment with you.
English requirements
Documents you'll need typical · we confirm yours
- Valid passport (6+ months validity)
- Class 10 & 12 marksheets and certificates
- English test scorecard (IELTS / PTE / TOEFL) or MOI certificate
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Financial proof — bank statement / loan sanction + GIC
- Passport-size photographs
- Study-gap affidavit or work-experience letter (if applicable)
Getting documents right is the #1 reason applications succeed or get refused — our team checks every file before submission.
Career opportunities
Typical destinations for graduates:
- Credit Toward a Future Degree: where courses transfer
- Improved Academic Record: before applying to a programme
- Subject Exploration: before committing to a major
- Prerequisite Completion: for competitive programmes
- Entry to a Mount Royal Degree: after building a record
- Professional Development: individual course study
Reality check: you are enrolled in courses rather than in a programme, which carries no credential and no work permit, so confirm with us how a study permit application would be assessed before applying.
About Mount Royal University
- Type
- University
- Ownership
- Public
- Rating
- ★ 4.5
- World rank
- #2005
- Established
- 1910
- Reference No.
- O18761482032
