Admission Processes

A small number of Saskatchewan Polytechnic programs are designated as competitive. The following programs are currently designated. For more information on admission requirements for competitive programs, refer to the program's official web page.

Degree programs

The Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, delivered in partnership with the University of Regina, uses a competitive admission process. Applications are ranked according to specific program requirements. Refer to the program website for details.

Diploma programs

The following diploma programs are designated as competitive.

• Combined Laboratory and X-Ray Technology
• Dental Hygiene
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Medical Radiologic Technology
• Practical Nursing
  
• Psychiatric Nursing

In order that a program be considered for the Competitive Admission Process, the following criteria must exist:

• program success reliant upon higher entering average (high school or post-secondary GPA)
• similar/like programs at colleague institutions also incorporate a competitive admissions process
• for active programs: the number of qualified applications must be at least 2.5 times the seat capacity, at each Saskatchewan Polytechnic campus location where it is offered, for two consecutive years
• must be for a future admissions cycle
  • example: proposal received Fall 2021 where required criteria has been satisfied for 2019/20 and 2020/21 academic years
    • Effective implementation date would be for the 2023/24 academic year

Competitive programs open for application on October 1, and close on February 15, each academic year. All supporting documentation is required by 4:30 p.m. (CST) on March 15. Where the 15th falls upon a weekend, documents will be due the following Monday. 

International applicants are not generally considered for admission to competitive programs.

In competitive programs, higher admission requirements and/or additional selection criteria may be required. For competitive programs that do not require an overall average in a grade level, GED 12 is accepted in lieu of the grade level standing required by the program. 

Admission requirements set the minimum academic standard required for success in a program. The selection criteria for competitive programs are broader than academic requirements. Examples of potential selection criteria include interviews, career explorations and work or volunteer experience.

Admission Average Calculation for High School Graduates

The Phase 1 admission average calculation for high school graduates is based on the final marks in high-school courses required for admission to the specific program to which they are applying.

The high school competitive score will be compared to any grade point averages(s) (UGPA) presented for a minimum of 15 passed post-secondary credit units to a maximum of 30 of the most recent credit units from recognized post-secondary institutions (which can include apprenticeship training) - and the highest score will be considered for the applicant's final competitive score. Such applicants must be in good academic standing with the institution. If transcripts from more than one post-secondary institution are submitted, the highest UGPA will be considered against the high school average. Applicants are then ranked in the order of highest averages.

The 30 passed post-secondary credits may be used to satisfy the grade level requirement; however, applicants must still present the specific high school course requirements (or equivalents, which may be at the post-secondary level) required by the program.

Final marks that high school graduates obtain through upgrading, and post-secondary transcripts, must be provided by March 15 in order to be considered. We will use only final grades provided to us by March 15. Where the 15th falls upon a weekend, documents will be due the following Monday. 

Admission Average Calculation for Current High School Students

The Phase 1 admission average calculation for current high school students is based on final marks provided by March 15. High school students must order transcripts to be sent directly to Saskatchewan Polytechnic at the end of Semester 1 and the end of Semester 2 of the grade 12 year.

Students who have not yet graduated from grade 12, and who are registered in the Adult 12 program with Saskatchewan Polytechnic, must have their instructor submit, in writing, the relevant mid-term mark(s) by March 15. Where the 15th falls upon a weekend, documents will be due the following Monday. These mid-term marks will be used in the admission average calculation.

For the Phase 1 admission average calculation, the final grade 12 mark is used where the course is completed, and the final grade 11 mark is used only in the absence of the grade 12 mark in the same subject. Saskatchewan Polytechnic will use projected or predicted marks where final marks are not available for a required grade 12 or 11 course. All program-specific admission requirements must be met before final admission is granted.

The following five courses are used to calculate the Phase 1 admission average for students enrolled in high school at the time of application to a competitive program:

• Two 20 or 30 level English Language Arts courses (ELA 20, ELA A30, ELA B30) *
• One 20 or 30 level Mathematics course (Foundations of Math or Pre-Calculus)
  • For Practical Nursing (also includes Workplace and Apprenticeship Math)
• Two 20 or 30 level Sciences (excluding Computer Science) *

* Where an applicant has only one of the English or Science courses required, the one course (grade) will be used twice in calculating the admission average.

Final grade 11 marks will only be substituted in the absence of final grade 12 marks in the same subject. If the grade 12 mark is available, it will be used. Predicted or projected grades may be used where final marks are not available.

GED and modified subject scores cannot be presented as alternatives nor can they be "converted" to Saskatchewan 20 or 30 level subjects. Only regular 20 or 30 level courses are acceptable.

Applications are ranked in the order of highest averages.

Final admission

Final admission is not determined until additional phases of the competitive process (where applicable) have been applied, and only after the program-specific requirements have been met.

For programs where final admission may be offered following the Phase 1 process, first round offers of admission will be awarded to those applicants with the highest rank up and to the starting cut-off admission average. The cut-off admission average varies by year and is dependent on the number and quality of applicants. 

Official high school transcripts must be submitted directly to Saskatchewan Polytechnic at the end of semester one and the end of semester two of the grade 12 year. The Ministry of Education will send transcripts at the end of each semester for the cost of a single transcript. Saskatchewan Polytechnic must receive final grade 12 transcripts by August 1. Applicants coming from provinces where the final official transcript will not be available by August 1 are encouraged to contact Admissions to hold their spot. Note: Manitoba can only produce Interim High School Transcripts until final marks are reported in September. Their admission will not be revoked pending receipt by September 30. 

Cut-off scores

When competitive scores are calculated, students are ranked and offered seats in order of their ranking. Competitive programs have higher initial cut-off scores. As the start date approaches, new offers are issued as needed, lowering the cut-off score. Only the final cut-off score, established close to the start date of the program, are noted below.  They change yearly due to a variety of factors, including seat capacity.  For programs who have historically had a Phase 1 and Phase 2 score, only the lowest Phase 1 score from those admitted is indicated. Equity seats have separate cut scores which vary greatly year to year.  Equity applicants are encouraged to apply. 

Program	Final Competitive Score Cut-Off
	2020 Intake	2021 Intake	2022 Intake	2023 Intake	2024 Intake
Combined Laboratory and X-Ray Technology	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	85.80	TBA
Dental Hygiene	86.60	87.80	88.20	87.80	80.58
Medical Laboratory Technology	Not applicable	77.00	72.40	72.40	81.80
Medical Radiologic Technology	87.60	90.50	88.65	86.67	92.00
Practical Nursing
Prince Albert	85.50	83.20	83.60	81.45	80.20
Regina	87.60	82.00	84.00	85.31	80.00
Regina Online	87.80	89.60	89.84	90.72	86.60
Saskatoon	84.60	82.00	85.00	89.60	89.75
Psychiatric Nursing
Regina					83.50
Saskatoon					73.80
Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing	Go to https://www.sasknursingdegree.ca/scbscn/#apply

Canadian citizens and permanent residents (landed immigrants)

Applications are accepted all year round for FQFA programs. For the greatest chance of obtaining a seat, Domestic applicants (Canadian citizens and permanent residents [landed immigrants]) are encouraged to apply before our February 15th priority consideration date.

Out-of-country applicants with study visas (international applicants)

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires that all foreign visitors or students intending to study in Canada must apply for and obtain a student authorization from an immigration officer prior to attending any institution.

Out-of-country applicants are required to apply online. View the How to Apply page to learn more. Consult our International Programs page for programs currently accepting out-of-country students.

Sask Polytech international students beginning their studies in the Fall of 2024 intake onward will now require an attestation letter issued by the provincial government of Saskatchewan when applying for a study permit through IRCC. Please refer to the official IRCC announcement.

Students who have been accepted to a program of study and paid their non-refundable tuition deposit will be able to access and download an electronic copy of their attestation letter online through the MyCreds platform. There is no fee required to download the attestation letter from MyCreds.

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 The First Qualified/First Admitted (FQFA) process is used for the majority of Saskatchewan Polytechnic programs. The sooner an application is received with all of the required documentation (application, fee, transcripts, requested documents), the earlier that applicant may become 'qualified' for admission to a program. The day that an application is considered complete is the FQFA date. Qualified applicants are admitted in the order of their assigned FQFA dates.

International students applying to a program of study at Saskatchewan Polytechnic will now be admitted via a two-step process.

• Step one - Offer letter
  • If the applicant is eligible and there are available seats in the program, they will be provided with an offer letter detailing the program and requiring a non-refundable $10,000 tuition deposit within 30 days. Payment of the tuition deposit will confirm their seat in the program to which they applied, and nonpayment of the tuition deposit by the specified deadline will lead to cancellation of the admission offer.
• Step two - Acceptance letter and provincial attestation letter
  • Applicants who receive an offer letter and pay their tuition deposit by the specified deadline will be provided with a Letter of Acceptance and a Provincial Attestation Letter. The letter of acceptance will confirm the student’s seat in their program of study and can be submitted with the provincial attestation letter when the student is ready to apply for a study permit from Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Once the program is filled, qualified applicants are waitlisted in the same order. If seats become available, additional admission offers are made. Following the program start date, any domestic waitlisted applicants who have not been offered a seat are invited to reapply for the next academic year, and by doing so will maintain their FQFA date.

Refer to specific program web pages and to our Admission Requirements web page for more detail.

If a program has more than one start date within the academic year, qualified waitlisted applicants are automatically considered for that additional start date.

Qualified applicants may also choose to defer their application to a subsequent start date within the same academic year. As well, applicants who have accepted an offer of a seat in a program, and later reconsider, may defer their application to a subsequent start date within the same academic year.

Sponsored programs or programs that are delivered to specific groups do not accept applications year round or maintain waitlists.

Current high-school students are encouraged to apply as early as possible, on or after September 1 of the year they are enrolled in the grade level required for the program of their choice - and to submit a course schedule as confirmation of registration. This allows the student to qualify conditionally, while completing high school.

High-school students or persons upgrading should apply as soon as they are enrolled in the grade level or courses that meet the admission requirements for the program.