Canadian educational institutes may allow a student to move from one to another. Reasons for doing so vary and may include a preferred location, change, of course, living costs, entrance requirements, and extra-curricular activities (for example, sports). Transfer programs can carry advantages for the student.

College to University Programs

A student may begin studying at a college and complete at a university. This occurs often when a student wishes to learn the practical study offered at a college and then the more academic offering from a university.
Colleges offer smaller class sizes, lower costs, relaxed entry requirements, and less strict start dates.
Be aware that a university will usually require the final two years of a course to be completed at their establishment to qualify for a degree.

University to University Programs

Whether a student wishes to move from one university to another to find a better fit, or for location purposes or any other reason, it may be possible to do so. However, there are different rules per university, hence it is essential to check the situation in depth. Be aware that a university will usually require the final two years of a course to be completed at their establishment to qualify for a degree.

Provincial Programs

Some Canadian provinces have their own transfer programs in place. That in British Columbia, for example, involves all the major universities and private institutions as well as smaller colleges and is designed to allow students to move from one to another with ease. Alberta and Ontario also have similar schemes in place and other provinces are likely to follow suit.

2+2 Model

As popularized in the 1960s in the USA and Canada, this program involves two years of study at a college followed by two at a university. Two years of credit is the maximum for the receiving university.

1+3 Model

As above except one year is spent at college and the remaining three at university, with a maximum of one year accepted by the university as credit.

Block Transfers

A school may in some cases take a student who has credit in the form of a degree or diploma to extend their education.