Post-LPN Bachelor of Nursing (BN) FAQs

The application portal for the Post-LPN BN program will be open from Sept. 1 to Nov. 15. You cannot apply outside of these dates.

To apply, complete the undergraduate application and pay the one-time (non-refundable) application and evaluation fee.

Enrolment Services can answer any questions related to the application process: enrol@athabascau.ca or by phone at 1-800-788-9041.

If you already have an AU student ID, you can apply through myAU.

Log in to myAU. Under Manage Your Program, select Change Your Program, Post-LPN BN program.

After you apply, you will receive access to the Student Service Support Portal (Dropbox), where you will upload your supporting documents.

Please do not email your documents. Only submit them through the above link, or the link provided in your confirmation of application letter. PDF documents are required.

• You must have completed at least 1,700 hours working as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in Alberta before you apply.
• Hours worked outside Alberta are not accepted.
• Your employment verification letter must be dated within the current application cycle.

Portability letters and/or any previously submitted letters are not accepted.

To satisfy the 1,700 hours worked as an LPN in Alberta, please submit a letter from your employer on official letterhead that includes:

• the date the letter was issued
• your full name (must be the same as CLHA permit and other documents)
• your position (if your job title is not "Licensed Practical Nurse," the letter must confirm that the position requires LPN registration)
• your facility or organization, unit, patient focus on that unit
• your dates of employment
• your total hours worked
• the name and contact information of the employer representative who prepared the letter

Tip: Request this letter early, as it may take some time for your employer to complete.

Please review Athabasca University’s online transfer credit assessment tool to see if your practical nursing diploma program is listed.

*Internationally educated nurses, please review the following: Students with Non-Canadian/Non-United States Education.

Include any former names on your undergraduate application, in case transcripts are submitted under those names. This will help ensure that all your academic records are connected to your current application.

To complete a name change for your Athabasca University account, please follow these steps:

• Complete and submit the student change of information form to the Office of the Registrar at acrec@athabascau.ca.

For further assistance or if you have any inquiries: Contact the AU Service Centre at 1-800-788-9041.

For more details, you can visit the Academic Records page. If you need to get in touch, find the contact information on the AU Contact page. 

An official transcript is sent to Athabasca University directly from the issuing institution.

Please arrange to have official transcripts from each institution you attended sent directly to AU, Enrolment Services, Office of the Registrar. Electronic transcripts are preferred.

Transcripts can be sent in one of the following ways:

• Electronically to enrol@athabascau.ca
• Through a transcript delivery service such as Parchment or MyCreds
• By mail:

*Enrolment Services, Office of the Registrar
Athabasca University
1 University Drive
Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3
Canada

You do not need to submit your Athabasca University transcript. We have access to your AU records if you completed courses at AU.

*Please be aware that the Nov. 30 document submission deadline is firm, and no late documents will be accepted.

Your GPA is calculated on the most recent 30 credits you have completed at any post-secondary institution and will be calculated according to the AU undergraduate grading policy. A grade of 75% is equivalent to a B and a GPA of 3.2 at AU.

You may take any post-secondary courses to increase your GPA.

If a failed/repeated course falls within the most recent 30 credits, it will be included in the GPA calculation.

We strongly encourage applicants to enter the last 30 credits with numerical or letter grades into the AU GPA calculator before applying. *Pass/fail and zero credit courses are not counted. Only the most recent 30 post-secondary credits are counted toward the admission GPA. This means the GPA calculation result may differ from what is showing on a transcript.

The only two forms of acceptable proof of residency are an Alberta driver’s license or a government-issued Alberta ID card.

Admission decisions will be communicated via email in the spring. In the meantime, please refrain from emailing or calling about your application, as updates cannot be provided.

You are not eligible to apply to the Post-LPN BN program as per Specific Regulation #4.

If you already have an AU student number, you will not have to pay the general application fee again, as it is a one-time fee.

If you have already paid an evaluation fee, it will be carried forward from your initial application. The evaluation fee is non-refundable.

No, the general application and evaluation fee are non-refundable.

No.

Yes, if you meet the admission criteria. Application dates are available on the website.

Athabasca University allows one program change per month, so you will have to wait until the following month to request a program change. For example, if you applied to the wrong program in Oct., you can submit a program change request on Nov. 1.

You can reapply by logging into MyAU, selecting 'Manage Your Program,' then choosing 'Change Your Program' and following the instructions.

No. The Post-LPN BN program is not a bridging program, as we require a minimum of a year of LPN work experience.

Bridging programs offer direct entry from a practical nursing program, usually into the third year of a baccalaureate program, with additional summer courses required. These programs also have more practice (clinical) course requirements. Our program assumes all applicants are practicing at and have knowledge of the full scope of CLHA practice standards.

Therefore, applicants with current/recent acute care experience are best suited for this program.

We strongly advise learners not to take courses prior to formal admission to the program. Program regulations are subject to change at any time, and learners are subject to the program regulations in place at the time of their admission to the program. Required courses may change.

Admissions are for Sept. 1.

Yes, you may start later than Sept.; however, please note that your 7-year program end date will remain the same.

Learners are permitted a maximum of 7 years to complete all degree program requirements from the date of admission. You will need to register for at least 13 credits per year to stay on track. Taking only 1 or 2 courses per year will not be enough to meet your degree requirements by your program end date.

You may work at your own pace in most theory courses, but it is important to remember that practice (clinical) courses have limited registrations. You may take 1 practice course per term, and there are also prerequisite requirements to consider.

The average program completion time is 5 years.

Athabasca University does not have a formal leave of absence policy. You must register for at least one course per year to remain active in the program. Please remember to plan for the 7-year completion time as no extensions will be granted.

The provision of reasonable accommodation(s) shall not require the program to lower standards, academic or otherwise, nor shall it relieve learners of their responsibility to develop and demonstrate the essential skills and competencies expected, as per the Alberta Human Rights Commission. This includes avoiding undue hardship in the provision of safe, competent, compassionate, and ethical nursing care at our healthcare partner sites during practice courses.

Please connect with Athabasca University’s Accessibility Services before application and at any time during the program.

AU learners have access to a suite of student support programs, from academic and learning support through to health and wellness. Explore the undergraduate orientation portal to learn more.

All invigilated assessments in undergraduate nursing (NURS) courses will require the use of ProctorU as the only approved invigilation platform.

This requirement applies to all assessments designated as invigilated, regardless of whether they are identified as exams, quizzes, tests, cumulative unit assessments, or other invigilated course activities. There are no exceptions.

Alternate invigilation options, including other AU-approved in-person invigilators, are no longer accepted for undergraduate NURS course assessments.

Learners are responsible for ensuring their computer can support the requirements of ProctorU, scheduling their assessment dates/times with ProctorU, and paying associated fees.

Please see the Post-LPN BN Practice Guide for more information.

All registered nursing licenses are governed by provincial or territorial regulatory bodies. Graduates must connect with regulatory colleges of interest.

The enrolment services department (enrol@athabascau.ca) can answer questions about submitting application documents or document deadlines.

The academic advising team can answer any questions about the Post-LPN BN program, such as degree planning, course sequencing, and program regulation requirements.

Contact them at fhdundergradadvising@athabascau.ca or by phone at 1-800-788-9041, ext. 6381, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until noon and 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. (Mountain).