Guaranteed Pathways to Undergraduate Programs at Carlton University

A Pathway Program is an introductory or preparatory course offered by an institute that helps a student for their transition to a full-fledged degree program. For international students, pathway programs are the best way to prepare for a degree program in the universities of Canada. These programs last from 6 months to one year and help the student to work on their academic and language skills. International students will need a study permit for courses longer than 6 months. Several universities in Canada offer Guaranteed Pathway Programs to both undergraduate and graduate courses. Carlton University in Ottawa, Ontario is one of them.

The top ranked Carleton University in Canada offers variety of courses. Students from all over the world attend the institution that offers several programs in different fields like Architectural Studies, Arts, Cognitive Science, Commerce, Communication and Media Studies, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Global and International Studies, International Business, Journalism, Humanities, Mathematics, Health Sciences, Humanities, Industrial Design, Information Technology, Music, Social Work, Public Affairs, Science, Media Production and Design. The university offers special pathway programs for foreign students who wish to take admission to the undergraduate programs in the university. Students who enroll for the 1-year pathway programs can earn credits all through the course before joining a degree program. Students can take the courses to explore their interests before deciding on a major for their Bachelor’s program.

Pathway Program by Carleton University:

The pathway program by Carleton University for international students willing to enroll in undergraduate courses is known as Enriched Support Program or ESP. This program offers conditional admission to different degree courses after completion. Students will need to score the required CGPA for each bachelors program to be eligible for guaranteed admission. The full-time ESP program entitles a student to the following advantages –

• Earn credits that are counted for the degree program.
• Opportunity to take one First-Year Seminar and two electives from the first-year university course.
• Workshops (non-credit) and academic support.
• Academic and time management support.
• Academic advice and coaching for future academic goals.
• Smooth transition to the degree program.

Part-time courses are also available in the program.

The fields which offer the ESP Program are –

• Arts and Social Sciences
• Business
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Science

Students can select majors from the above-mentioned fields after successful completion of their ESP Program. They have to score a CGPA above 6.0 to be eligible for admission to the degree courses. Students opting for ESP Program can also be eligible for financial support in the form of loan and bursaries.

Admission Criteria

The criteria for admission to Enriched Support Program (ESP) for international students are same as the regular admission criteria. They are as follows –

• High School Graduation with the subjects Math, Physics, Chemistry and English (all standard 12th level)and an average percentage between 67% and 85% (depending on the programs).
• English Language Proficiency requirement –
  • Minimum CAEL Score of 70 (60 in each band)
  • TOEFL – 86 (22 in writing, 20 in reading and listening).
  • IELTS – 6.5 (6 in each band)
  • PTE Academic – 60 (60 in each communicative skill)
  • MELAB – 85 (80 in each section)
• English as Second Language (ESL) requirement if the score for language tests is lower –
  • CAEL – between 40 and 69 (30 in each band with an average of 40 in reading, writing and listening).
  • TOEFL – 61 to 85 (15 in each section)
  • IELTS – 5 to 6.4 (4.5 in each band)

Students completing ESLR will have to get an ESLA score of 1500 or higher to be eligible for the ESP courses.

Cost

The total cost of joining the full-time ESP program at the Carleton University for international students is CAD 19,797, including fees for the three credit courses, two workshops and other mandatory charges.

How to Apply?

The application process for the ESP Program is different than regular undergraduate application. You can find the application form here – https://carleton.ca/esp/wp-content/uploads/ESP-Application-Package-Web.pdf.

Apart from the application form, students will be required to submit –

• Two letters of reference from teachers.
• Application Essay/Personal Statement (750 to 1000 words).
• Application fee – CAD 65.
• High School Transcripts.
• High School Report Card.

The completed application form along with all the documents has to be mailed to the authorities at the following address –

Enriched Support Program
1516 Dunton Tower
Carleton University
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6

The pathway program by Carleton University can be completed by the students in one term or two. An application can be sent for any one of the sessions: Fall and Winter.