University of Alberta Psychology admission requirements: BA in the low to mid 70s, BSc in the low 80s to mid 90s

The Department of Psychology says the core requirements for a psychology major or minor are almost the same in the BA and the BSc. The difference is the rest of the degree. The BSc adds required courses in areas such as biology, chemistry, physics, computing, math and earth sciences. If you want to focus on the physical, biological and mathematical sciences, the department recommends the BSc.

Admission is run by the faculty, not the department. For the BSc, the Faculty of Science decides. For the BA, the Faculty of Arts decides. BSc psychology students also take psychology courses from both faculties.

The department's introductory courses are PSYCO 104 and PSYCO 105.

The U of A's requirements tool lists the Ontario courses for each degree. For the BSc Psychology major, you need one English course (ENG4U, EAE4U or ETS4U), Advanced Functions MHF4U, two of SCH4U, SBI4U, ICS4U, MCV4U or SPH4U, and one more course from fine arts, humanities, languages other than English, or math and sciences.

Science adds a prerequisite on top. Its prerequisites list shows Biology 30 for psychology. The U of A's Ontario equivalents page matches Biology 30 to SBI4U, so take SBI4U if you want the BSc.

For the BA, you need one English course and four more. Three must come from humanities, languages other than English, or math and sciences. The fourth can also be a fine arts course. Arts adds that students planning a psychology major or minor should present Mathematics 30-1 or 30-2. In Ontario terms, that's MHF4U or Data Management MDM4U.

Map your courses with our high school course planner.

The U of A says it doesn't publish exact admission averages. Instead it posts ranges from the last three admission cycles. For the Faculty of Arts the range is the low to mid 70s. For the Faculty of Science it's the low 80s to mid 90s. The U of A does not post a separate range for psychology.

Every program also has a floor. You need at least a 70% average across the five required courses, with no Grade 12 course below 50%. The Faculty of Science sets a 70% minimum to apply to a BSc major and 80% for a BSc Honors program.

The U of A says meeting a range does not guarantee admission, and that ranges change each cycle. It also suggests picking a second-choice program with a lower historical range. Check your five courses with our Top 6 average calculator.

Neither honors degree admits straight into psychology from high school. For the BA, high school students enter the BA Honors Foundation Year, which needs a minimum application average of 85% on the five required subjects. You then choose majors through a Program Selection Form by the end of first year. The U of A's range for BA Honors is the mid 80s to low 90s.

The BSc Honors in Psychology is entered in third year. You need 48 units including PSYCO 104 and PSYCO 105, a 3.0 GPA, and a research supervisor secured by June 15. It includes a research apprenticeship in third year and a thesis in fourth year.

Psychology admission at the U of A is based on your five required Grade 12 courses. The BA and BSc program pages list courses and English language proficiency, and no essay, interview or portfolio for high school applicants.

The U of A's separate entrance award application is optional and is about scholarships, not admission.

The U of A's Fall 2027 timeline is posted. Applications opened October 1, 2026. The entrance award application deadline is January 10, 2027. The deadline to apply for admission to most programs is March 1, 2027.

Eligible students can submit first-semester final marks by February 19, 2027. You must self-report final high school marks by April 30, 2027. Offers made before April 1 must be accepted by May 1, 2027, and high school documents are due August 1, 2027.

The U of A assesses on a rolling basis, so applying early helps. Compare dates on our Canadian university deadlines page.

On the BA side, psychology has a built-in work option. Arts Work Experience lets BA Psychology students add paid, full-time work through a discipline-specific internship. After at least 8 months of work, you get an Arts Co-operative Education Program designation on your degree. Single 4- or 8-month work terms are also possible.

To join, you need to be a continuing BA student with a GPA of at least 2.3 and between 24 and 105 credits. Meeting that doesn't guarantee a spot.

The BSc Psychology pages we checked don't describe a psychology co-op. Ask the Faculty of Science about its own work experience options before you choose.

The U of A charges by course. For Canadian citizens and permanent residents in 2026-27, a standard 3-credit course costs $729.36 and a 6-credit course costs $1,458.72. Psychology isn't on the list of faculty-specific fee programs.

Our estimate for a full year of ten 3-credit courses is about $7,294 in tuition. That's our math, not a U of A figure. Non-instructional fees, books and housing are extra.

Some U of A awards are automatic, based on your admission average. The Gold Standard Scholarship gives up to $6,000 to the top 5% of students in each faculty. Others need the single entrance award application, due January 10, 2027.

Ontario and other out-of-province students should look at two awards. The National Achievement Scholarship gives top out-of-province Canadian students $30,000 over four years. The Fly Home Award offers up to $1,500. Students with 95%+ and a strong application are assessed for the Scholastic Distinction Scholarship.

The BA is the easier door. Arts' past range is the low to mid 70s, against the low 80s to mid 90s for Science. If you want research and graduate school, both paths lead to honors later.

Neuroscience is the closest science option. The Faculty of Science lists Biology 30, Chemistry 30 and Physics 30 as its prerequisites, more than psychology's Biology 30. If you lean toward health, read our Alberta kinesiology guide.

The BA and BSc lead to similar psychology courses, but the BSc is far more competitive to enter. If your teen is unsure, the BA with MHF4U or MDM4U keeps options open.

Out-of-province Canadian students pay the same course rate, $729.36 per 3-credit course in 2026-27. Our University of Alberta guide covers residence and life in Edmonton.