Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get an official high school transcript?

Most post-secondary institutions require official transcripts to be forwarded directly from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education before finalizing your admission. Click HERE to apply for your high school transcript.

Requests can be made in advance with instructions to send transcripts after Grade 12 marks are complete. Reminder: Your post-secondary application will not be finalized until your final transcript has been received.

There is a non-refundable $25.00 processing fee for a transcript request of five or fewer destinations (including those sent directly to the student).

What is a federated college?

A federated college is an educational institution which is independent in some respects, but is ultimately governed by the larger institution. This means that a federated college is just a smaller community within the university being attended. Students registering through a federated college graduate from the university being attended not from the federated college. Advantages of registering through a federated college can include:

Smaller class sizes.
Personal academic advising and numerous other student support programs.
Increased opportunity for scholarships.
On campus library, residence facility and/or cafeteria.

How soon should my child apply for residence?

Students should apply for residence as soon as the institution allows them to do so. Residence spots are limited and often fill quickly. Some institutions allow students to apply into residence before applying for admission or being accepted into their program of study. Other institutions do not allow students to apply for residence until they have been accepted into their program of study. Make sure to check regulations on the school’s website.

Where can I find out about housing options other than residence?

Not all post-secondary institutions have residence facilities for students. However, most institutions provide a housing registry. This is a free service that can help students find off-campus accommodations or a roommate.

U of R Housing
U of S Housing
Saskatchewan Polytechnic
- Students attending Saskatchewan Polytechnic Regina campus are eligible to apply to residence on the U of R campus.

If I take my training out-of-province or out-of-country will I be able to return to Saskatchewan to work?

Each career pathway is different. Some training taken out-of-province or out-of-country is recognized in Saskatchewan while other areas of training are not. It is strongly recommended that students check with the Saskatchewan professional organization’s licensing body for their career pathway of interest before enrolling in training outside the province or country to ensure that it will be recognized upon return. If the training will not be recognized, the professional organization can usually provide possible options for “certification” when returning to Saskatchewan.

What is a pre-professional program?

A pre-professional program provides students with the required courses they must take in order to apply to a non-direct entry degree in a specific area. For example, a pre-professional program must be completed before applying into professional degree programs such as chiropractics, dentistry, journalism, law, medicine, nutrition, optometry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, etc.

It is important for students to realize that acceptance into these professional degree programs is very competitive and that many students who apply do not get accepted their first try, or at all. Therefore, students should have another career pathway plan in place in case they are unsuccessful in gaining entry into their chosen professional degree program.

Glossary of Terms

Applied Certificate: Course usually not comprehensive enough to warrant certification or is intended to be additional training for those who already possess a certificate, diploma or degree.

Apprenticeship: A type of education that includes classroom and on-the-job training and leads to certification in a specific trade.

Career Ally: A person who is supporting a career planner in his/her career journey.

Career Development: The lifelong process of managing roles and transitions in order to achieve goals and attain a meaningful and satisfying future.

Career Planner: A person who is seeking information to plan his/her future career path.

Career: The sum total of a person’s life experiences including activities such as work, learning, volunteering, family roles, recreational activities, etc.

Certificate: Programs that are one year or less in length and sometimes are intended as pre-employment training, especially in the trades.

Cover Letter: A letter outlining a person’s interest in, and qualifications for, a position. Accompanies a resume.

Diploma: Two to three year full time programs that may or may not allow for individuals to practice as licensed or registered professionals.

Employability Skills: The core skills required to be successful in all work environments. The Conference Board of Canada identifies three critical skills: fundamental, personal management and teamwork.

Entrepreneur: A person who starts a business of his/her own.

High School Credit: A one-credit course is developed or approved by Saskatchewan Education and requires 100 hours of instruction.

High School Electives: Courses which are taken simply because the student wishes to take them to meet the minimum number of credits required.

High School Required Courses: There are certain courses of study which all students must take at each grade level.
Informational Interview: An interview in which a person is seeking information rather than a job.

Informational Interviews are used to learn more about a field of work, occupation or job.

Interest Inventory: A quiz or survey that compiles a list of personal interests often designed to match with related occupations.

Job: A specific set of duties performed for a specific employer in a specific location(s) for a specific rate of pay. For example, being a cook at Taste Good Eatery is a job.

Job Application Form: A questionnaire completed by a prospective employee.

Job Interview: A meeting between an employer and prospective employee with the goal to learn more about the suitability of the candidate.

Labour Market Information: Information about current employment trends.

Lifelong Learning: The idea that learning is ongoing throughout life and can occur as a result of any or all life experiences.

Locally Modified High School Courses (LMCs) - Locally modified courses are numbered ending with a “1” designation. For example, Mathematics 11, English 21, and Social Studies 31 are locally modified courses in Grades 10, 11, and 12 respectively.

Modified courses are designed for students who have experienced significant difficulty in regular courses of study. Modified courses meet Saskatchewan Education requirements for grade 12 graduation, but they may not qualify students for some post- secondary programs or institutions.

Networking: The process of connecting with other people to exchange information about work and careers.

Occupation: Type of work grouped by common characteristics. Teaching is an occupation. There are different ways to work as a teacher but the occupation remains the same.

Portfolio: A compilation of artifacts collected over time about a person’s learning. A portfolio demonstrates an individual’s efforts, progress and achievements.

Private Vocational Colleges: Training institutes that do not receive government or public funding. Some are recognized colleges and receive accreditation in their fields, while others may not.

Reference: The name of someone who can comment on another person’s character, job performance, etc.

Regular High School Courses of Study: Regular courses of study are numbered, ending with a zero. Grade 10 level courses are numbered “10”, Grade 11 courses are numbered “20”, and Grade 12 courses are numbered “30”.

Resume: A personal document that outlines experience, education and qualifications.

University Bachelor Degree: Also referred to as an Undergraduate or Baccelaurate degree, usually four years of full-time classes.

University Doctorate Degree: PH.D., also called a Post-graduate degree, length depends upon program but usually 2 or more years after earning a Master’s degree.

University Faculty or University College: Groups of departments. The Faculty of Arts & Sciences or the College of Arts & Sciences will be made up of many departments such as Biology, Psychology or English.

University Master's Degree: Referred to as a Graduate degree, usually takes 2 – 3 more years after earning a bachelor degree.

Work: Is a set of activities with an intended set of outcomes. It may include traditional employment as well as entrepreneurship, consulting, volunteerism or other non-traditional working relationships.