Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for specific programs will often refer to Alberta Grade 12 course groups. 

High School course equivalencies: 

Group A (Humanities)

• English Language Arts (ELA) 30-1
• Social Studies 30-1 (Etudes Social)
• Aboriginal Studies 30
• Am Sgn Lng & Deaf Culture 35
• Am Sign L & C 35-9Y
• American Sign Lang Arts 35
• Arabic L & C 35-12Y
• Blackfoot Lang & Cult 30
• Chinese Lang & Culture 30-3Y
• Chinese Lang & Culture 30-6Y
• Chinese Lang & Culture 30-9Y
• Chinese Language Arts 30
• Cree L & C 30-12Y
• Cree Lang & Culture 30
• Cree Lang & Culture 30-3Y
• Cree Lang & Culture 30-6Y
• Cree Language & Culture 30-9Y
• Francais 30-1
• Francais 30-2
• French 30-3Y
• French 30-9Y
• French 31
• French Language Arts 30-1
• French Language Arts 30-2
• German Lang & Culture 30-3Y
• German Lang & Culture 30-6Y
• German Lang & Culture 30-9Y
• German Language Arts 30
• German Language Arts 35
• Greek 35
• Hebrew 35
• Hebrew Language Arts 35
• Hungarian 35
• Italian Lang & Culture 30-3Y
• Italian Lang & Culture 30-6Y
• Japanese 30
• Japanese Lang & Culture 30-3Y
• Japanese Lang & Culture 30-6Y
• Japanese Lang & Culture 30-9Y
• Korean Lang & Culture 35
• Korean Lang & Culture 35-3Y
• Latin 30
• Polish 35
• Polish Lang & Culture 35 - 12Y
• Polish Lang & Culture 35 - 3Y
• Polish Language & Arts 35
• Portugese 35
• Punjabi Lang & Culture 30-3Y
• Punjabi Lang & Culture 30-9Y
• Punjabi Lang & Culture 35
• Russian 35
• Sikh and Punjabi 35
• Spanish Lang & Culture 30-3Y
• Spanish Lang & Culture 30-6Y
• Spanish Lang & Culture 30-9Y
• Spanish Language Arts 30
• Swedish 35
• Ukranian Lang Arts 30
• Ukranian Lang & Culture 30-3Y
• Ukranian Lang & Culture 30-6Y
• Ukranian Lang & Culture 30-9Y  

Group B (Fine Arts)

• Adv Acting/Touring Theatre 35
• Adv Tech-Print/Draw/Sculp (5Cr)
• Applied Graphic Arts 35
• Art 30
• Art 31
• Ballet 35
• Band 35
• Band Music 35
• Choir 35
• Choral Music 30
• Communication Tech Adv(CTS - 5Cr)
• Contemporary Dance 35
• Dance 35
• Dance Composition 35
• Directing 35
• Drama 30
• Drawing(Adv Techn) 35 (CTS - 5Cr)
• Film Studies 35
• General Music 30
• Instrumental Jazz 35
• Instrumental Music 30
• Jazz Dance 35
• Music 35
• Musical Theatre 35
• Painting (Adv Techn) 35
• Performing Arts 35A
• Portfolio Art 35
• Pottery/Ceramics(Adv Techn) 35
• Sculpting (Adv Techn) 35
• Shooting the Screenplay 35
• Tap Dance 35
• Technical Theatre 35
• Technical Theatre EPS 35
• Theatre Arts 35
• Vocal Jazz 35

Group C (Sciences)

• Biology 30
• Chemistry 30
• Mathematics 30-1 or 30-2
• Mathematics 31
• Physics 30
• Science 30
• Computer Science (CSE) Adv (CTS - 5 credits)

Group D (Optional Subjects)

• Five credits at the 30, 33 or 35 level (Grade 12)

Note: May also include two three-credit Alberta grade 12 subjects (Excluding Special Projects 30) or five credits in Advanced Series Career and Technology (CTS) courses.

Note: Math 30 Applied, Social Studies 30-2, and FLA 30-2 are considered Group D subjects, as long as a higher level in the same subject is not also used for admission.  For example, if Math 30-1 is used to satisfy the Group C requirement, Math 30 Applied can’t be used to satisfy a Group D requirement.

RDP Academic Upgrading courses and upgrading courses from other colleges are equivalent to Alberta high school diploma courses for admission purposes. 

This grade comparison does not represent grade conversions made by RDP instructors when grades are assigned. It is a statement of competence equivalency between the Academic Upgrading program and Alberta Education courses and is used for admission purposes only.  

A, A+ 

• 90 - 100% 
• 4.00 GPA

A-

• 84 - 89%
• 3.7 - 3.95 GPA

B+

• 78 - 83%
• 3.3 - 3.63 GPA

B

• 74 - 77%
• 3 - 3.23 GPA

B-

• 67 - 70%
• 2.7 - 2.93 GPA

C+

• 66 - 69%
• 2.3 - 2.6 GPA

C

• 62 - 65%
• 2 - 2.23 GPA

C-

• 58 - 61%
• 1.7 - 1.93 GPA

D+

• 54 - 57%
• 1.03 - 1.6 GPA

D

• 50 - 53%
• 1 - 1.23GPA

F

• 0 - 49%
• 0 GPA

If you are from another province or country, you must have courses comparable to those of Alberta applicants. Contact the Office of the Registrar for more detailed information on specific admission requirements. 

Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate English Language Proficiency for admission to credit programs. 

Requirements for each RDP program can be found by viewing individual program webpages. 

Many RDP programs and courses have limited enrollment and fill quickly due to a high number of applications. Applying as early as possible may help your chances of getting into your preferred program. 

RDP recognizes that students learn and acquire knowledge in a variety of settings. Nonetheless, this learning needs to be measured. Applicants must meet competence equivalency for the prerequisite courses required for admission to the specific program. 

An applicant, who has completed a Home Education Program, may qualify for admission in one of three ways: 

• Successfully pass Alberta Education Diploma Exams or other provincial education equivalents 

• Apply to the RDP Academic Upgrading program and successfully complete the RDP High School equivalent courses required for program admission 

• Apply to a Red Deer Polytechnic program and subsequently submit a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) application; then apply for a Challenge Examination of RDP high school equivalent courses required for program admission 

In order to qualify for a Red Deer Polytechnic program credential, students must complete 50 per cent of the credit requirements for the credential through enrollment in RDP courses. Some RDP programs may have a different residency requirement.