U of A to launch Foundation Program for international students in 2024/25

As one of the multi-pronged strategies for increasing international student enrolment, the university and Kaplan International have signed an agreement to expand international recruitment efforts. 

Under the collaboration agreement, Kaplan will recruit and provide tailored support services for international students who will attend their first year of university as part of the U of A Foundation Program; this is a transition year program for students who do not yet meet the competitive entry criteria for direct admission to their desired program because of a specific deficiency (most commonly, missing a course not available in their home country). After completing a transition year in the program, students who meet admission criteria will progress to a U of A degree program in their second year. 

Students in the foundation program will take U of A credit courses offered by U of A instructors, with Dr. Rebecca Nagel, associate dean in the Faculty of Arts, as the academic lead for the program. The first cohort of students recruited through Kaplan is expected to join the U of A in September 2024. 

Kaplan has over 80 years of experience as an education leader with expertise in international education, an extensive recruitment network and a track record of operating successful foundation programs with comparator universities; they currently have university partnerships with institutions in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Canada.