Students entering an Alberta-accredited senior high school program from outside Alberta or Alberta students completing courses with a different province or territory should submit transcripts, or other official statements of previous standing in senior secondary coursework, to the school they plan to attend. The principal is to evaluate these documents in relation to approved senior high school courses. For courses the student has been evaluated as passing, credits may be awarded or, if no equivalent Alberta approved senior high school course is available, unassigned credits may be awarded.
This assessment of documents should take into consideration the best interests of the student. The assessment establishes the specific requirements needed to obtain a senior high school diploma, as outlined in the Diploma and Certificate Requirements section. Students who are assessed as passing a 30-level course are not required to take the Alberta diploma examination to receive credit for that course.
Evaluations of coursework completed outside of an Alberta-accredited school are to be reported with a mark of “P” for pass. Only evaluations resulting in a “P” for pass are to be reported. All marks are submitted into PASI. The Alberta Transcript of High School Achievement will report the course code and credits awarded for the evaluation. If the student wishes to have a percentage mark reported on the Alberta Transcript of High School Achievement, they must complete the course within an Alberta-accredited school. This can be done either by enrolling in and successfully completing the course, or by completing a course challenge. To complete diploma examination courses with a percentage mark, the student must complete the high school course and the diploma examination.
Former students of a francophone education program from outside Alberta entering an Alberta non-francophone high school may be granted credits for either French as a second language or French language arts but not for Français. Only a francophone school can offer credit for Français.
If a course evaluated as completed outside of Alberta is a prerequisite to another course in a sequence, the “P” must be submitted into PASI prior to enrolling the student in the subsequent course.
Schools must not use the following when evaluating out-of-province documents:
- Agriculture Safety (AGR3000)
- Career Internship 10
- Dual credit, dual enrolled courses (courses that begin with the PSI prefix)
- English as an Additional Language courses
- Green Certificate Program courses
- high school K&E occupational courses
- locally developed courses, with the exception of locally developed language arts or language and culture courses
- Special Projects 10, 20, 30
- Work Experience 15, 25, 35
- K&E Workplace Readiness 10-4, Workplace Practicum 20-4 and Workplace Practicum 30-4
- Workplace Safety Systems (HCS3000)
Waived prerequisite credits are not automatically awarded from an out-of-province assessment. To receive credit, each course must be evaluated and submitted with a “P.”
For the evaluation of out-of-country documents, including information on the comparison of grade levels based on the achievement of specific secondary level credentials, principals may wish to consider the following sources:
- The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) has online country education profiles and comparison tools as well as guiding principles for the recognition of foreign credentials.
- The International Qualifications Assessment Service has also developed International Education Guides as resources for educational institutions, employers and professional licensing bodies. The International Education Guides provide current and comprehensive profiles of the educational systems (secondary and post-secondary) in other countries and how credentials from these countries compare to educational standards in Canada.
An Alberta High School Diploma is not to be issued solely on the basis of the evaluation of out-of-province credentials. A student in this category who wishes to obtain an Alberta High School Diploma is required to complete a minimum of 5 approved credits as prescribed by a school principal. The required credits are to be completed at the 30-level in one or more of the subject areas specified under the diploma requirements, exclusive of physical education.
For the Certificate of High School Achievement, the student is required to complete a minimum of 5 credits in 30-level occupational practicum courses (Knowledge and Employability Workplace Practicum course, Work Experience course, Green Certificate course, Special Projects, Registered Apprenticeship Program course).
Students planning to enter directly into a post-secondary institution in Alberta should submit their out-of-province documents to the post-secondary institution of their choice.