Thompson Rivers University

At TRU, Study Abroad refers to all student opportunities in countries other than Canada, including exchanges, field schools, practica and internships. With over 40 countries to consider, students can choose from a wide range of programs and locations to meet their needs through TRU Bilateral Exchange and the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). TRU students within the Co-op program also have the opportunity to consider International Co-op Abroad placements.

TRU programs generally require high school graduation or equivalent. Exceptions to this requirement will be indicated in the program specific admission requirements. Depending on the program, qualified applicants are admitted based on three admission processes: Non-Competitive, Limited, and Competitive.

Open (Non-Competitive) Admission: The number of students admitted into these programs is not limited. Programs have minimum admission requirements, but if you are missing a requirement, upgrading is possible.

Limited Admission: Only a limited number of students will be accepted into these programs each year. Admission decisions are made on a first-qualified basis.

Selective (Competitive) Admission: A select number of students are accepted into these programs each year. Your grades will be considered and you may be asked to submit letters of reference, attend an interview, and/or fill out a questionnaire. These programs have a set application deadline.

TRU recognizes and awards credit to both Canadian and international students who complete enriched secondary school programs, including IB programs – transfer credit granted for higher level courses passed with a grade of 5 or higher – and AP programs – transfer credit granted for approved subjects passed with a grade of 4 or higher.

English is the language of instruction at TRU. Applicants are expected to be able to demonstrate language proficiency and TRU will verify that applicants do meet language proficiency requirements prior to admission. Students who don’t meet a program’s English Language requirement may meet and/or obtain the equivalency through additional coursework [University Preparation courses – campus or distance] and/or approved English placement assessments, including the TRU Accuplacer or Language Proficiency Index (LPI) test.

TRU begins accepting applications for most programs on October 1. Application for trades programs are accepted throughout the year. Limited admission programs do not have a posted deadline, but students are encouraged to complete applications early to ensure seat availability. Applications to Arts, Communications & Digital Journalism, Science, Business, and Computing Science degree programs received prior to May 1 will be guaranteed an admission decision before priority registration dates are assigned. Some selective admission programs have much earlier deadline dates that are listed here.

The current TRU Application Fee for Canadian citizen or permanent resident is $32.27

TRU applications are submitted online through Education Planner BC, and completing the application requires a credit card to pay the application fee. Once you begin an online application, you can save it and return as often as you like prior to your final submission.

TRU has five on campus housing options. The 11-storey TRU Residence is home to 570 students and features some of the best views in the city.  The McGill Housing dorm-style residence houses 302 students in four-bedroom quads, and the East Village Residence is an apartment-style residence with over 200 beds available in two-, three- and four-bedroom furnished units. Newly built East Village – Phase 2 offers shared and single bedroom suites.  Additionally, we have our temporary West Gate Residences which offer private suites for students.

You can find the rates for each residence by clicking “Learn More” on our housing website.

Applications are accepted on a first come, first serve basis. However, priority housing may be awarded to students who apply to TRU before January 31st and who indicate that they would like on campus housing on their TRU program application.

Before January 31st, 2024 – indicate you’d like housing on your TRU program application. After January 31st apply online directly to each individual residence from the Housing page on the TRU website.

TRU provides academic accommodations and services to all eligible TRU students, both on campus and Open Learning. We facilitate equal access to educational opportunities by reducing physical, attitudinal and systemic barriers.

We have an awesome team to support Indigenous students. Plus many excellent resources.

• Cplul’kw’ten: The Gathering Place
• Mentor Program
• Elder in the House Program
• Tuition Support
• University Preparation

If you’re an Indigenous student looking at coming to TRU, book a meeting with our Qelmucw (Indigenous) Future Student Advisors who can support you on your journey to TRU. They can support program selection, navigating the application process, band funding or external funding supports and more!