How to Apply | Undergraduate Admissions

A step-by-step guide to applying to ECU.

Interested in applying to undergraduate programs at ECU? Follow these steps to understand the requirements and submission process.

Before you begin, please note:

  • You may only submit one application per intake year, and you will be asked to specify a second-choice program in your application.
  • All admission applications must be accompanied by a portfolio, unless you qualify and have been approved for an exemption by our Admissions staff.
  • If you have any previous post-secondary studies, you must apply as a transfer student.
  • All required materials must be submitted by the deadline for your application to be reviewed. Late applications are not accepted.
  • Fees for domestic applications are $71.40CAD (Education Planner BC) plus $12USD (Slideroom)
  • Fees for international applications are $110CAD (Education Planner BC) plus $12USD (Slideroom).
  • Application fees are non-refundable.

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Step 1: Decide which program you would like to apply for.

Explore our program offerings below.

Some things to note:

  • All students participate in Foundation Studies in their first year, regardless of their program selection. Foundation Studies is not a separate program.
  • A limited number of seats are available for students to be admitted without selecting a preferred program (Undeclared). Students who apply and are accepted as Undeclared apply to a first- and second-choice program during the second term of their Foundation Year. Admission is based on GPA and availability of seats in the program. There is no guarantee of acceptance into a major of choice when applying to a major entering second year.

View all our Undergraduate programs.

Take our Program Explorer quiz.

Step 2: Decide which intake you would like to apply to.

ECU has three intakes per year. Explore the information about each intake below.

Some things to note:

  • Prospective students applying to either Spring or Summer must have already graduated high school.
  • Available programs will appear for selection on Education Planner BC and SlideRoom. If a program does not appear for selection, it is not available.
  • No 2nd or 3rd year transfer applications are accepted for the Summer intake.

Who is this typically for?

1st year applicants who have completed their high school studies/have graduated, transfer applicants from other universities.

  • August 15, 2025 - Applications open for the Spring 2026 intake
  • September 30, 2025 - Deadline to apply through Education Planner BC, submit portfolio through Slideroom, and submit all transcripts and other documents

    Students applying to First year will be starting their degree in the second semester. Due to core course availability, this can mean that students who start their studies in Spring take longer to complete their degree.

Who is this typically for?

1st year applicants who are still completing their final year of high school or those who have already graduated. Transfer applicants from other post-secondary institutions, and prior Emily Carr students seeking re-admission who have studied at other institutions during their absence.

  • October 1, 2025 - Applications open for the Fall 2026 intake
  • January 15, 2026 - Deadline to apply through Education Planner BC and submit required transcripts and other documents
  • January 31, 2026 - Deadline to submit a portfolio through Slideroom

Who is this typically for?

The Summer Foundation (Accelerated) Program is tailored for students who have already graduated from high school and are interested in fast-tracking the first year of their undergraduate studies. Students graduating in June 2026 are not eligible. Read more on the program page.

  • October 1, 2025 - Applications for the 2025 Summer intake open.
  • January 15, 2026 - Deadline to apply through Education Planner BC, submit a portfolio through Slideroom, and submit required transcripts and documents

Step 3: Make sure you've fulfilled all the application requirements.

To apply to ECU, you'll need to meet our minimum academic and English proficiency requirements, and submit a portfolio.

READ ABOUT OUR MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS HERE

Step 4: Apply for admission and submit your portfolio.

How to apply and submit your portfolio.

Ready to apply?

1. Submit your admission application via Education Planner BC

This includes uploading your transcript(s) and documents.

2. Submit your portfolio via Slideroom

Portfolios submitted without a corresponding EPBC application will not be considered for admission.

Step 5: Submit your transcript(s) and documents.

All transcripts and documents uploaded to EPBC are considered unofficial and are used for admission evaluation.

When uploading your documents to EPBC:

  • Double check your document(s) prior to uploading; once your EPBC application is submitted you are unable to delete, make edits, or add additional documents.
  • If you have transcripts from multiple institutions, combine these into one document prior to upload (i.e., all high school documents combined into one document, and all post-secondary documents combined into a separate document).
  • Do not upload portfolio items to EPBC. Your portfolio must be submitted through Slideroom.

High school students studying outside of BC must upload their transcripts to EPBC.

If you did not upload your documents to EPBC, have forgotten a document, or uploaded the incorrect document, send your documents to admissions@ecuad.ca

High school students studying in BC must release their high school transcripts to ECU through The Student Transcript Service (STS).

All post-secondary (i.e. college and university) transcripts, including BC, must be uploaded to EPBC. Upload transcripts that include final grades and all in-progress courses for upcoming semesters. For example, if you are enrolled in fall courses and plan to take spring courses, wait to upload the transcript that includes your final fall grades and lists the spring courses you are registered in.

Transfer applicants are required to submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.

All students must upload their English language proficiency scores (if required) to EPBC.

ECU may reject your uploaded document if:

  • the information is insufficient, such as screenshots of student portals or course schedules
  • the quality is unacceptable
  • the document is password protected

If you uploaded the wrong document, email the correction to admissions@ecuad.ca. If during our evaluation your document is deemed unacceptable or missing information, Admissions will reach out to request that you re-submit directly to ECU.

Do not submit documents via email or mail to our office that were uploaded to EPBC. This will result in delays in processing your application.

Once your documents are uploaded, Admissions will determine whether your documents are sufficient to evaluate your admission application. Monitor your email regularly for updates to your admission application.

For your application to be considered complete, official transcripts must be received by ECU, along with any additional required supporting documents. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution to Emily Carr University.

Transcripts received by Admissions become the property of ECU. If you cannot replace your original transcripts, please notify Admissions and we will make verified copies of your documents and return the originals to you.

To submit your official transcripts, follow the instructions below:

  • Official transcripts can also be mailed directly from the high school or dropped off in person in a sealed envelope.
  • Transcripts emailed in a PDF format will only be considered official if they are received from a school (eg. high school or post-secondary) administrator’s email address.
  • Transfer applicants are required to submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended. Students who are attending or have previously attended ECU do not need to submit ECU transcripts, as the transcripts are on file.
  • Transcripts that are not in English must be accompanied by a verified English translation. Applicants from China (excluding Hong Kong) must verify their educational documents through China Credentials Verification (CSSD formally known as CHESICC). Send your documents to this Chinese agency for verification in English. Ask the agency to send your official academic transcript and English verification report directly our mailing address.

The deadline to submit supporting documents for your application, including high school and post-secondary transcripts, is 10 working days after the application deadline.