Applying to a Program at NAIT

We recommend that you apply as early as possible. Space in some programs fills up very quickly. On average, applications can take between 15 to 90 days to process. After submitting your application, please provide all necessary documents (transcripts, ELP test results, etc.) as soon as possible. 

This can help speed up the processing time of your application.  We encourage applicants to check their MyNAIT Portal regularly after applying, as all updates to applications will be posted there.   

We encourage you to frequently check your Application Status and To Do List on your MyNAIT portal. Your To Do List identifies what is missing from your application – please read this list carefully. You may have an outstanding item(s) on your To Do List which needs to be submitted by the posted due date to complete your NAIT application. By frequently checking these items, you can monitor your application’s progress and keep your application in contention.

To view your Application Status and To Do List items, login to MyNAIT portal, select Open Self Service on the right (blue button), choose Admissions, and select your program of choice.

This will depend on whether you completed your education in Alberta, another Canadian province or outside of Canada.  View additional details about submitting documents based on which of these categories applies to you.  

You can view your application status by logging into your MyNAIT Portal and selecting open self service, followed by admissions. Your application status will remain as “applicant” until it has been reviewed by our admissions team. 

Once reviewed, the status and to-do list items will be updated.  We recommend that applicants regularly check their portal during the application process, as to-do list items will have due dates that need to be met or your application will be cancelled.  

NAIT has two types of waitlists:program full waitlisted and non-competitive waitlisted.

If you are on the program full waitlist, you meet all program requirements, but the program does not have any seats available. If a spot in the program becomes available, it will be offered to a student on the waitlist.

If you are on the non-competitive waitlist, you have not met the competitive entrance requirements. Students who meet the competitive entrance requirements will be accepted first, and if there is space left in the program, those spots will be offered to non-competitive applicants.

Please note that NAIT does not release waitlist positions. Open seats are filled on an ongoing basis throughout the year. More information on the waitlist process can be found in these frequently asked questions.

It can take 10 to 15 business days for documents received by NAIT to be uploaded to your application on the portal. Once uploaded, you can view your documents on your MyNAIT Portal by selecting open self service followed by admissions, then NAIT submission of documents. 

Generally, if you have completed 3 years of full-time consecutive academic studies where the language of instruction was in English (excluding English as a second language or ESL courses) and your country is on the exempt country list, you will not be required to provide additional proof of English language proficiency. Full-time study for English language proficiency purposes is defined as successfully completing 3 courses per term for 6 terms over a span of 3 years. 

If you cannot meet the English Language Proficiency requirement using your previous education, please view this English language proficiency information for details on the different methods for meeting English language proficiency.   

NAIT accepts the final grade that is determined by Alberta Education and appears on your Alberta Education transcript, regardless of whether students students have written their diploma exams.

We do keep your official documents on file from previous applications and will be able to use them for any future application. Please note that accepted documents to meet English Language Proficiency (ELP) is subject to change each academic year, so previously submitted ELP documents may no longer be valid. 

If it has been a significant amount of time since you last applied, please reach out to the Student Service Centre to confirm if your documents are still accessible. 

Offers of admission to applicants on a waitlist are made as and when seats become available. This may happen at any time during the application cycle, even on the day before or on class start, and in some instances after the program has started.

Waitlisted applicants should be prepared to receive an offer of admission at any time.

Accepted applicants may decline/lose their seat in a program for a number of reasons, including but not limited to:

• Failure to pay the tuition deposit
• Acceptance into another program
• Failure to enrol
• Failure to pay tuition
• Acceptance into another post-secondary institution

The probability of being admitted off a waitlist is dependent on highly variable factors such as the number of spaces that become available, and the total number of qualified applicants. These factors are unpredictable and can change quickly.

We do not release ranking information to applicants on the waitlist. Waitlist position is dynamic and can change daily based on the number of qualified applicants that apply to a program, and factors contingent on the decisions of admitted applicants.

Offers of admission that occur before the tuition payment deadline for the term of admittance will be communicated to the applicant’s MyNAIT Portal. Offers of admission that occur after the tuition payment deadline for the term of admittance will be communicated by telephone. Admissions Officers will work through the waitlist by ranking until an applicant accepts the offer of admission, we do not leave voicemail messages.

The phone number listed on the applicant’s APAS application is the phone number that is used to contact the applicant, unless the applicant has updated their contact information with the Office of the Registrar. To review or update your contact information, please visit MyNAIT Portal.

For competitive programs, it is possible for applicants to improve their competitive average through upgrading courses or by challenging a NAIT equivalency test. As upgraded or new course marks are received, the application is re-reviewed which may improve waitlist position.

In the case of upgrading courses, it is essential for applicants to upload proof of enrolment and progress report marks to their MyNAIT Portal. For more information, learn about how to submit documents.

Offers of admission off of a waitlist can happen at any time during the application cycle. Waitlisted applicants should be prepared to enrol in courses and pay for first semester tuition in the event they receive an offer of admission.

If you are applying for Student Aid Alberta, you can apply before you have received acceptance to the program.

To cancel your application or remove yourself from a waitlist, please submit an online contact form.

View the registration dates to find out when registration opens for your trade.  Registration opens at 8 a.m. on the date listed.  The best way to register for your apprenticeship training is to log in to your MyTradesecrets account and select the Class Registration tab. 

You will then see the list of available classes and be able to complete the registration and payment process online.  Please note that payment is due at the time of registration. 

Please visit the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) website. Once you are an indentured apprentice, you can automatically see your eligible classes at training providers across the province and register through your MyTradesecrets account.

Please note that full tuition payment must be made at the time of registration.

Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) lists all upcoming classes for the 2021-2022 academic year. You can also view the training delivery for more information on delivery methods.

Your notice of Confirmation of Enrolment, and receipts are now available on the NAIT Portal. An email would have been sent to you informing you of this information and how to access your MyNAIT Portal account, if you did not receive an email please contact 780.471.NAIT (6248) to have your email information updated.

For instructions on how to create your MyNAIT Portal or to access your already created MyNAIT Portal account, please visit MyNAIT Portal.

As of January 3, 2011, apprentices are required to submit your ROE to the nearest Service Canada Centre or mail to Service Canada Centre Western Canada and Territories Region PO Box 245 Edmonton, AB T5J 2J1

Apprenticeship course results are obtained through the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Centre.

Waiting lists open as soon as that class is full. You can add your name to the waitlist through your MyTradesecrets account.

Your attendance at orientation on your first day of class is mandatory. These orientation sessions are designed to help you get the most from your learning at NAIT. Failure to attend will result in cancellation of you enrolment and replacement of your seat from the waitlist. There will be no refund of tuition.

NAIT has a number of certificate and pre-employment opportunities. For more information, contact the Student Contact Centre.

Your progression in the apprenticeship program is determined by the assessment from your training provider. If your training provider submits a passing mark (PDF)  for you at the completion of your class, you will complete your technical training period and not be required to challenge the AIT theory or practical examinations. The standard for determining a passing mark in technical training will not change.

This exam exemption does not apply to students attending a Pre-Employment, Certificate or Diploma Program. These students will have to write the associated period exam at an AIT office and complete any practical exams as required if they register as an apprentice.

Contact your nearest Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) office.

In Canada, each province or territory is responsible for apprenticeship training and certification of skilled workers at a journeyperson level.

The Interprovincial Red Seal Program was developed to provide journeypersons with the ability to work anywhere in Canada. The program ensures that journeypersons are qualified through interprovincial examinations that are based on national standards.

AIT will continue to offer in-person Prior Learning Assessment exams at their offices throughout the province. Red Seal exam sessions are available at the end of final period classes. You also have the choice to get certified without writing your Red Seal exam. 

If you need information or wish to discuss your apprenticeship, please contact the AIT Information Line at 1-800-248-4823

To obtain the Blue Seal you must complete the Blue Seal Certification. For more information call 780.471.6248.

You can apply online for your Employment Insurance up to 7 days prior to your scheduled last day of work. You do not need your Record of Employment (ROE) to apply for EI. Get your application started as soon as possible.

You can send your ROE to Service Canada when you receive it from your employer. Apprentices can call 1.800.206.7218 (in Alberta) or visit the Service Canada website for the following resources: General EI information

All challenge exams are set up with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training. Contact your nearest AIT office to arrange an exam.

Apprenticeship and Industry Training

NAIT Centre for Applied Technology (CAT)
Building Suite 430, 11763-106 St.
Edmonton, Alberta T5G 2R1
Phone (Toll-free): 1.800.248.4823
Fax: 780.422.3734

Except for our Academic Upgrading and ESL programs, you do not need to apply to get started. If you would like to join us for courses, you can enrol yourself through our website and complete your fee payment by VISA/MasterCard credit or debit card.

You can proceed to the course page and select “Add to Cart” beside the course dates of your choice. You will complete your payment once you are signed into your account. A video walkthrough of this process is available at www.nait.ca/register

Visit the ESL application page for details on how to register.

Visit the Academic Upgrading program page for details on how to register.

This can vary depending on the course or program. Some courses may have specific registration deadlines, which will be noted under View Course Information.

Space is limited, and our courses can fill up well before the scheduled start date. For best results, we recommend enrolling as soon as you are able. If the Add to Cart button is available on the website, you are welcome to enrol.

You may have begun and not finished the checkout process in the last 24 hours. The course is on your MyNAIT portal waiting for secure online payment to confirm your seat in the class.

Please log in to your MyNAIT portal complete online payment through Self Service.

If a course you wish to take says Add to Waitlist instead of Add to Cart, that means that there are no open seats for registration for that section.

You can add yourself to the waitlist at no charge for a chance to be enrolled if space becomes available. If you are enrolled from the waitlist, you will receive an email notice advising you to visit your student portal to make a payment.

Where possible, we recommend enrolling yourself in a different section with available space to ensure you can still complete the course even if you are not enrolled from the waitlist into your preferred section.

Yes, you do need a NAIT student account to sign up for Continuing Education classes.

If you are new to NAIT, we recommend creating a NAIT account on the MyNAIT portal. When you are asked for a NAIT ID number, leave the space blank if you have not attended or applied to NAIT before, and our system will generate a new Student ID for you.

Once your account has been made, you can search for a course and add it to your cart. You will complete your payment once you are signed into your account with your new username and password.  More details including a video walkthrough of this process is available at www.nait.ca/register

The expectations before joining any of our programs will vary for each course and certificate. We will list prerequisites or recommended prior knowledge for each certificate on the program landing page, and for individual courses in the course information.

You can view individual course information by either clicking the course title or the View Course Information option under the course title.

Most program areas list the courses in the recommended order and include any prerequisite information in the course Information description. If a course is listed as a pre-requisite, you would need to have completed the prerequisite to be able to register.

If a course is listed as recommended you can enrol without having the prerequisite on your record, which we only recommend doing if you have mastered the content of the recommended course through other work experience or education.

Many Continuing Education programs are relatively short, and you have the benefit of taking individual courses as fit your schedule and budget.

Use the drop-down menu of dates beside the add to cart button to pick out a schedule that works for you. We recommend completing most programs within 1-2 years wherever possible to help you maintain connections in your learning from course to course.

After you have completed all required courses associated with your program, you can request certification.

Download and submit the Request for Certificate form for Continuing Education programs. The form provides directions for where to submit your request.

Certificate requests typically take up to 6 weeks to be processed.

Many programs will accept previous experience or coursework.

There is a fee and formal application process for transfer credit for previous course work or work experience. Learn more about transfer and credit options.

NAIT offers six levels of ESL instruction:

• High beginner to intermediate (levels 1, 2, and 3)
• English for Academic Purposes (levels 4, 5 and 6)

ESL offers three 15 week intakes per year:

Spring 2021: May 10 to August 20, 2021

Fall 2021: September 7 to December 16, 2021

Winter 2022: January 5 to April 21, 2022

Spring 2022: May 9 to August 18, 2022

• For best results, we recommend continuous enrolment until students have successfully completed the program.
• Students who successfully complete all three Level 6 courses meet NAIT’s English Language Proficiency admission requirements for most NAIT programs.

Terms are 15 weeks in length

• Morning schedule: 8:00 am - 11:50 am MST (full-time)

Program length is individual and will depend on your learning goals and starting level.

If you want to apply to a NAIT Program: Once you take the Placement Test, you will know how many terms you need to reach Level 6, NAIT's English Language Proficiency Requirement.

Upon approval of the ESL Department, part-time study may be considered on a case by case basis if this allows a student to achieve their learning goals.

Yes, our program runs year-round. 15-week terms start in Fall, Winter, and Spring. For best results, we recommend continuous enrolment until you have successfully completed the program.

You meet the English language proficiency requirement to enter into Nait programs upon completing all level 6 courses.

You may also be granted conditional or provisional acceptance into some NAIT programs while taking level 6 courses. This allows you to reserve a spot in your program well in advance.

You must write a placement test to decide which ESL level they you begin at. 

Only our placement test can determine a your entry level. While NAIT ESL courses are online, placement tests are only done online.

Our classes are morning half-day studies Monday through Friday. It is important you devote as much time as possible to studying.

If you are in Canada on a study permit, there may be rules about where and how much you can work. Learn more about working with a study permit.