University in Canada
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
University profile
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is a public, dual-sector research university in British Columbia, Canada. It brings trades, skills-based and applied programs together with certificates, diplomas, undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees in a single institution, so students can move between credentials over time. TRU offers over 140 on-campus programs and more than 60 Open Learning programs delivered by distance and online, and serves more than 25,000 students.
The main campus is in Kamloops, in the Sahali area on the city's southwest slopes, overlooking the junction of the North Thompson and South Thompson rivers from which the university takes its name. A second campus is in Williams Lake, and regional centres operate in 100 Mile House, Clearwater, Barriere, Ashcroft and Lillooet. Both campuses stand on the traditional territory of the Secwepemc peoples. Nearly 14,000 students study on campus in Kamloops, Williams Lake or the regional centres, and another 17,000 learn exclusively online through TRU Open Learning. The Kamloops campus is next to the Tournament Capital Centre, the city's largest recreational facility, and Kamloops is about 3.5 hours from Vancouver and 2 hours from Kelowna.
Academic programs include the Faculty of Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism; the Faculty of Arts; the Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics; and the Faculty of Science, with programs such as the Bachelor of Tourism Management, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Communication and Digital Journalism, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Computing Science and Bachelor of Natural Resource Science. Professional programs include Education, Social Work, Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Veterinary Technology, Engineering (computer and software), and the Juris Doctor in Law, alongside trades foundation and apprenticeship programs. Students apply learning through co-op work terms, study abroad, undergraduate research, field schools, practicums and service learning.
On-campus housing is offered in North Tower (over 570 students), East Village (over 450 beds) and the newer Coyote Den | Sk’elȳpellcw development. TRU is a member of the International Student Exchange Program (since 2005) and runs an English for Academic Purposes program for international students who need language preparation. Mature learners are a large group: 47% of on-campus students are 25 or older.
TRU was established by the Thompson Rivers University Act of the British Columbia legislature in 2005 and holds the province's Education Quality Assurance designation. It is a member of the Research Universities' Council of BC and a full member of Universities Canada.
Student Awards & Financial Aid provides over $8 million a year in non-repayable awards, including more than $2 million through the TRU Foundation. More than 1,000 scholarships, bursaries, awards and prizes are open to students who have completed at least one full-time semester at TRU. See Funding Your Education.
Over $500,000 is offered each year to new students. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, apply to a campus baccalaureate degree program, have no prior postsecondary study (up to 12 transferable credits part-time allowed), and have at least an 80% average in the best four Grade 11 academic courses including English 11. Applications are ranked on essays and references. The deadline is March 1, with offers by April 15. Awards: Alvin & Lydia Grunert Entrance Scholarship ($30,000 over four years, 1 offered); TRU Ambassador's Entrance Scholarship (up to $24,000, at least 6); TRU Leadership Entrance Scholarship ($8,000 to $12,000, at least 15); TRU President's Entrance Scholarship ($4,000 to $6,000, 10 to 15, based on marks only); Study Abroad Entrance Scholarship ($2,000, at least 10); Relocation Top-up Award ($500, 15). Application periods: scholarships December 1 to March 1, entrance awards December 1 to April 1, entrance bursaries and the TRU Assurance Bursary April 1 to May 31. All are applied for through myTRU with two references. Entrance awards page.
International students can be considered for all merit-based funding (scholarships, awards, fellowships and prizes), whether by application, faculty nomination or automatically by GPA. Apply through the Undergraduate Awards Application (Int'l) in myTRU by September 30. Bursaries based on financial need are limited to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Emergency funding, including the TRUSU Emergency Bursary, is available to admitted, full-time international students after speaking with an International Student Advisor. International student awards.
TRU Merit Awards for International Students →
Browse the scholarships listed for Thompson Rivers University and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for Thompson Rivers University →Applicants to on-campus undergraduate programs qualify in one of three ways: graduation from a recognised high school curriculum; completion of 12 or more credits of transferable postsecondary coursework; or being 19 or older with no formal education in the past 2 years (some programs restrict this route). Each program adds its own prerequisite courses.
A minimum of 73% in Grade 12 English or equivalent is required for on-campus undergraduate degree programs, and 67% for diploma and certificate programs. The TRU equivalent is ESAL 0570 and ESAL 0580, or ENGL 0600 or ENGL 0601.
Applicants missing a general or program-specific requirement may be admitted through Flexible Entry in eligible programs (in the faculties of Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism, Arts, Science and the Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics) and complete the missing requirements normally within the first 24 to 30 credits. Exploratory Studies allows up to 24 credits of undergraduate coursework without a program, with course prerequisites only.
TRU recognises the secondary curriculum of all Canadian provinces and territories. Graduates of Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon are treated as BC graduates; Quebec applicants need one full year at CEGEP. Completion of the International Baccalaureate diploma is also treated as equivalent to BC graduation.
All programs require secondary school completion for academic admission, and applicants must be at least 17 years old. Direct entry to academic programs requires TOEFL iBT 88 with no section below 20, IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0, or Duolingo 125 with no sub-score below 115 (MET 62 also appears in TRU's guidance). Lower scores place students in the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) levels: for example TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.0 with no band below 5.5 leads to EAP Level 5 with two academic courses. Applicants without a test score can write the TRU English Placement Test on arrival.
Apply online through EducationPlannerBC with a non-refundable CDN$100 fee; send scanned official transcripts of secondary and any postsecondary study to [email protected]; a conditional acceptance letter normally follows within about a week; pay the commitment fee and courier original transcripts; a final acceptance letter is then issued for the study permit application. International deadlines: January intake October 1, May intake February 1, September intake May 1; late applications are considered if space is available.
TRU begins accepting applications for most programs on October 1. Deadlines: Fall (September) May 1, Winter (January) September 1, Summer (May) January 1. Program-specific deadlines include Bachelor of Education Elementary January 15, Bachelor of Science in Nursing January 31, Respiratory Therapy and Veterinary Technology February 1, Juris Doctor February 10, Bachelor of Education Secondary February 15 and Bachelor of Social Work February 28. The application fee is $34.23 for Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Applications are made through EducationPlannerBC.
Applicants aged 19 or older who have not graduated high school or completed an Adult Graduation Diploma may have the grade-level requirement waived but must meet other program requirements and course prerequisites. Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) can award academic credit for knowledge gained outside postsecondary education.
Requirements are set by program. The MBA requires a three- or four-year undergraduate degree with a B average (GPA 3.0 on a 4.33 scale) in the last 60 credits, no GMAT required, and for applicants without an English-language degree an academic IELTS of 7.0 with no band below 6.5. The Graduate Diploma in Business Administration requires a B average and TOEFL iBT 94 with no section below 20 or IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.5. The MA in Human Rights and Social Justice requires a four-year bachelor's degree, a GPA of 3.3 on a 4.3 scale in the last 60 credits, a letter of intent and a CV. Graduate deadlines include MBA September July 31, January October 1; Master of Education April 30; Master of Nursing January 31; Master of Science in Environmental Science August 2. Graduate application fees are $34.23 domestic and $100 international.
North Tower is an 11-storey residence with two- and four-bedroom suites, 24-hour front desk, resident advisors, a 24-hour fitness area, laundry and common lounges. East Village offers four-bedroom suites and apartment-style suites with private bedrooms, kitchens and utilities included.
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