Transfer + Other Student Applications | Undergraduate Admissions

As a transfer applicant, you must:

• follow the standard application process outlined in the How to Apply guidelines;

• follow standard submission of transcripts and English Proficiency test results, as required;

• submit a distinctive Transfer Applicant Portfolio*

Before you begin the transfer application process, review our partner institutions list to understand the academic requirements for transferring students to Emily Carr University.

* If you are applying to transfer to the Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Arts majors, you may qualify for exemption from the requirement for portfolio submission based on your GPA academic standing. Details are below.

Contact us to start the conversation about your candidacy.

Emily Carr University of Art + Design has established partnerships and transfer (articulation) agreements with most provincial public post-secondary universities and colleges and with a number of national institutions. The partnerships allow Emily Carr to deliver Visual Arts, Media and Design degrees, as part of its provincial mandate, to regions where such programs are in demand. The articulation agreements provide students with a clear understanding of their course credits on admission to Emily Carr.

Agreements are in place with the institutions listed below. Please contact admissions@ecuad.ca for updated transfer credit information.

• Camosun College
• Capilano University - Diploma in Textile Arts
• College of New Caledonia - Certificate and Diploma in Fine Arts
• College of the Rockies - Fine Arts Certificate
• Haliburton School of Art + Design (at Fleming College) - Ontario College Diploma in Visual & Creative Arts
• Grand Prairie College - Diploma in Visual Arts
• Langara College - Fine Arts Diploma
• MacEwan University (formerly Grant MacEwan College)
• Native Education College - Art and Design programs
• Northern Lights College
• Northwest Community College (Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art) - Diploma in First Nations Fine Art
• North Island College - Fine Arts Diploma
• Selkirk College
• Vancouver Animation School
• Vancouver Island School of Art - Certificate in Visual Arts
• Vancouver Institute of Media Arts (VANARTS) - 2D or 3D Character Animation Diploma
• Yukon School of Visual Arts (formerly Klondike School of Art & Culture)

Transferability of Previous Courses

To be considered as a transfer applicant, you must have completed appropriate academic, fine art, design, or media arts-based studio courses at an accredited post-secondary art school, university, or college. Your transfer courses must be considered transferable within your own province's or country's accredited universities.

Before applying as a transfer student all applicants should research their home institution's credit transferability to their province's or country's universities. More information on transfer credits from BC colleges and university-colleges can be found on the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer website.

Grade Point Average for all Transfer Students

You must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to 3.0, depending on the transfer institute, to be considered for admission to the second or third year of study. Please refer to the list of current transfer, partnership, and articulation agreements for detailed information.

First Year transfers

Admission to first year is based on your portfolio, previous academic standing and English proficiency (if applicable). The minimum cumulative GPA required is 2.0. Applicants must indicate all accredited post-secondary institutions attended on their application and submit supporting transcripts from each institution.

Minimum credits for second-year transfer

Admission to second year requires a minimum of 30 credits, including:

• 18 Visual Art studio credits;
• 12 academic credits including;
• 6 English Literature credits; and
• 6 Art History credits.

These requirements are the same for all majors. If you present these transferable credits, you may eligible for admission to the second year of any major.

Applicants from Quebec with a minimum two-year or three-year Academic Diplôme (DEC) in Fine Art may apply for transfer to second-year only.

Minimum credits for third-year transfer

Admission to third year requires a minimum of 60 credits, including:

• 18 first-year visual art studio credits; and
• 18 second-year visual art studio credits.

The maximum transfer credit permitted is 60 credits towards a 120 credit degree program.

Transfer credit is reviewed once an admission application and official transcripts are received by ECU. Note that not all courses are transferable.

Determination of year level (year one, two or three) will be made at the same time your transfer credits are assessed.

Admission to Emily Carr is very competitive and we are unable to offer every qualified applicant a seat.

If you are a transfer applicant from a BC university, college or university college, you may qualify for a portfolio exemption if you:

• are applying for Visual Arts major - no other majors qualify for this exemption
• meet the minimum credit requirements for either second-year transfer or third-year transfer (see the academic requirements above for details)
• have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale overall courses attempted

If you are a BC transfer applicant seeking a BFA Visual Arts portfolio exemption, you must submit proof of your GPA by official transcript(s) by the application deadline

More information on transfer credits from B.C. colleges and university colleges can be found on the B.C. Council on Admissions & Transfer's website.

If you are an applicant with transfer credit from both BC post-secondary institutions and post-secondary institutions outside of BC, you should contact the Admissions Office by email to determine whether or not you are eligible for the portfolio exemption.

Students with completed two-year diplomas from Canadian institutes of technology or applied arts and technology may be awarded transfer credit based on appropriate overall studio-based background. Transfer credit is generally granted only for completed programs as a block studio transfer to first year and is not evaluated on a course-by-course basis. Academic course transfer is generally not awarded.

Where possible, Emily Carr transfers course-by-course: we match an Emily Carr course and its requirements with one of your individual transferable courses.

A number of guidelines apply:

• Each course that is transferred must be passed with a C (60%) grade or better.
• The maximum transfer credit permitted is 50% of the Emily Carr degree requirements, or 60 credits for a 120 credit degree program.
• Only courses that will fit the Emily Carr degree requirements will be transferred.
• Final official transcripts are required before transfer credit will be awarded.
• Practicums, Field Placements, Work Placements, Internships, and/or Coop credits earned at other institutions are not eligible for transfer credit towards Emily Carr degree programs.

All applicants must have completed their senior secondary education in a program that would qualify them to apply to a college or university and also must have all of the following:

• successfully completed a minimum of 18.0 credits of introductory studio art courses;
• successfully completed a minimum of 12.0 credits of introductory academic courses at an accredited college or university recognized by Emily Carr University for transfer credit;
• a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Admission is based on an assessment of official educational documentation including transcripts and English Proficiency test results if English is your second language.

Please note, as an unclassified student:

• You will not be able to take 100 or 400 level courses;
• 200 and 300 level courses are available as space permits and only to students who have successfully completed the specific requirements;
• You may not take more than 12 credits. Should you wish to take more than 12 credits, you must apply to become a program student in one of the undergraduate degree majors.

To apply through Education Planner BC and to review the dates + deadlines please visit How to Apply | Undergraduate Admissions.

Unclassified applicants are not required to submit a portfolio.

Contact our Admissions Office if you have further questions.