Application Process
Application Deadlines*
Applications are accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the year. However, all applications, fees, and official supporting documents must be received on or before the application deadline (normally 10 business days prior to the official program start date).
Applications received near the deadline may not be considered for their desired intake if the program is full or if there is insufficient time to adjudicate the particular application. Consequently, all applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible in advance of the deadline.
A limited number of seats may be available in each program and entry can be competitive. Seats in the programs may be limited and, upon acceptance, filled on a first come basis.
All supporting documents should be forward directly to Admissions.
Application Fee(s)
Only applications submitted with the required fees will be processed. Applications received without required fee(s) will be held for thirty (30) calendar days and subsequently destroyed. The application fee is non-refundable and will not be credited to the applicant's financial account.
Minimum Application Requirements*
At a minimum, a complete application must include the following:
- Application form;
- Application fee (non-refundable);
- Detailed resumé;
- Personal statement;
- Two letters of reference (where feasible, one academic and one professional);
- Official transcripts (from all previous and current post-secondary institutions attended);
- If any credentials are not from a recognized Canadian post-secondary institution, a recognized third party International Credential Evaluation Report (see below) or International Credential Evaluation fee;
- If English is an applicant's second language, an official English Language Proficiency score report or such other evidence of proficiency in English as may be set forth in the entrance requirements of the program to which they are applying;
- Other documents or information as requested.
Applicants with documents which are in a language other than English, must submit official documents in the original language as well as notarized English translations. Transcript documents must indicate the courses studied, grades obtained and credential awarded.
Application documents received by the University become the property of Royal Roads University and will normally not be photocopied for the applicant, returned, or forwarded to third parties.
Letters of Reference
To be considered valid, reference letters must be program specific, dated less than six months old, signed by the author, and include at least one contact number. Letters of reference may be submitted by the referee in hard copy, by facsimile, or electronically if sent from the author’s personal or business e-mail address. RRU reserves the right to request and/or confirm any information received.
Official Transcripts
Applicants are responsible for declaring and arranging for the submission of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions previously or currently attended. Transcripts are considered official only if submitted directly by the Registrar or other recognized authority of the providing institution by one of the following means:
- Mail or courier in a sealed institutional envelope;
- Facsimile to the RRU Admissions Office;
- Electronic submission from the providing institution using such means of transmission and encryption as meet the standards generally accepted by Registrars in British Columbia.
Transcript documents must indicate the courses studied, grades obtained and credential awarded.
International Credential Evaluation
All applicants who have completed post-secondary education outside of Canada are subject to a credential evaluation to determine the Canadian equivalency of the credential and to verify academic documentation submitted.
Applicants may either provide an official credential evaluation from a recognized external evaluation service (see list below) or submit an additional credential evaluation fee to have an evaluation completed by RRU (copies of this internal evaluation are not provided to the applicant). Applicants who provide an official credential evaluation from a recognized evaluation service are still required to submit all official transcripts.
Verification of international credentials may include, but is not limited to, contacting post-secondary institutions of previous attendance/credential completion and/or contacting any referees who have submitted a reference on behalf of the applicant.
Recognized External Credential Evaluation Services
Royal Roads University will accept official evaluation reports only from any of the five provincially mandated credential evaluation services across Canada:
- International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES), British Columbia
- International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS), Alberta
- Academic Credentials Assessment Service – Manitoba (ACAS), Manitoba
- World Education Services – Canada (WES), Ontario
- Centre d’expertise sur les formations acquises hors du Quebec (CEFAHQ), Quebec
English Requirements
If English is an applicant’s second language then the applicant shall provide an official English Language Proficiency score report or such other evidence of proficiency in English as may be set forth in the entrance requirements of the program to which they are applying. Please see our English Requirements page for more details.
Program Specific Requirements
For information regarding program specific structure or content requirements for applicants' reference letters, personal statement or resume, please refer to Certificate and Diploma Requirements, Undergraduate Degree Requirements, or Graduate Degree Requirements.
Incomplete Applications
Prior to the admissions deadline, applicants with incomplete applications will receive regular status reports from Admissions. Due to high volume of calls and e-mails received, Admissions Advisors may not be able to respond to requests confirming receipt of individual documentation.
Following a program start date, the Admissions Office will attempt to contact each applicant whose application remains incomplete using their last known phone or e-mail contact information at least once prior to their application being closed.
Multiple Applications
Applicants may apply to more than one program at Royal Roads University but are normally limited to enrolling in one program at a time. Exceptions may be approved by the Registrar in consultation with the Dean. An application fee is required for each application.
Requests to Reactivate an Application*
An applicant may submit a written request to reactivate a cancelled or declined application within one year of the file closure. At such time, the Admissions Office will determine if additional documents and/or fees are required to fully reactivate the application and commence with processing.
Applicants who wish to reapply or apply to a different program more than 12 months after their file was closed are required to submit a new application and applicable fee(s), along with updated supporting documents. Transcripts, if previously submitted and still on file with the University, may be used in support of a new application and need not be resubmitted unless additional courses have been completed in the interim.
All applications will be reviewed under current academic regulations, admission requirements, and program requirements. All applications are subject to current tuition/fees.
Adjudication (application review)
Applications are adjudicated once all application documentation is complete. Incomplete applications, or those with unofficial documents, may be adjudicated by the Program area (should the Program area choose to do so) but normally only within the four (4) weeks preceding a program’s application deadline. Where unofficial documents are used to adjudicate a file a conditional Letter of Offer may be issued to an applicant.
During the adjudication process, if documents or information provided are deemed insufficient for a decision, the Admissions Office may request updated information and hold the application until the information is received.
*Exceptions apply to the Doctor of Social Sciences and, in some cases, the Certificate in Environmental Practice.
