Academic Upgrading Programs: Finishing High School Credits as an Adult Before College

What academic upgrading covers

Academic upgrading, sometimes called adult basic education or academic and career preparation, lets adults complete high school level courses they missed, English, math, sciences, and social studies, without re-enrolling in a Grade 9 to 12 program. Public colleges across Canada run these courses specifically for adult learners, separate from the regular high school system. You study only the specific subjects a program needs, not a full diploma's worth of credits.

This differs from a full adult high school diploma program, which rebuilds an entire secondary credential. Upgrading targets the exact prerequisites a college or university program requires: math for a trades program, biology and chemistry for a health sciences program, English for almost everything.

Who upgrading is for

• Adults who left high school before finishing and now need specific prerequisites for a college program.

• Immigrants and refugees whose foreign education did not include the exact courses a Canadian program requires.

• Workers changing careers into a field with prerequisites they never took: math for a trades apprenticeship, chemistry for nursing.

• Students who finished high school with grades below a program's entry requirement and need to retake a specific course.

How upgrading is structured at most colleges

Most public colleges run upgrading through a dedicated department, often called Academic Upgrading, Adult Basic Education, or Access programs. You take an assessment test first, English and math placement tests are standard, and the college places you into the specific level you need instead of starting from scratch if you already have partial skills. Courses run on a more flexible schedule than typical college programs, with part-time, evening, and self-paced online options common, since most upgrading students work or manage a family alongside study.

Funding and cost

Tuition support for upgrading courses differs by province and by whether you study at a public or private institution. Some provinces reduce or waive tuition for adult upgrading at public colleges, while private career colleges charge full tuition for equivalent courses. Confirm the current fee schedule directly with the college's upgrading department before you enroll, since this is one of the details that changes between provinces and between institutions within the same province.

Provincial student aid programs generally treat upgrading differently from regular post-secondary study. Some upgrading courses qualify for provincial student aid if they are a required prerequisite for a program you are already accepted into or actively applying to. Check with your provincial student aid office, StudentAid BC , OSAP , or the equivalent where you live, before assuming a course qualifies.

Do upgrading credits transfer

Upgrading credits earned at one college typically count directly toward that same college's own program admission, since the college controls both the upgrading course and the program requirement. Transfer to a different college or a university is not automatic. If you plan to upgrade at one institution and apply somewhere else, ask the receiving institution in advance whether it accepts upgrading credits from the specific college and course you plan to take, and get that answer in writing before you commit your time.

Before you enroll

1. List the exact prerequisite courses your target program requires, not a general subject area.

2. Book a placement test with the college's upgrading department to confirm your starting level.

3. Ask about the fee schedule and any provincial aid eligibility for the specific course.

4. Confirm in writing that the upgrading credit will be accepted by the program you actually plan to apply to.