Athabasca University at a Glance

Athabasca University provides learning for life. Through the achievements of its students, faculty and staff, AU stands out as a provider of high quality post-secondary education.

The University

• AU serves over 37,000 students (over 7,300 full-load equivalents).
• AU offers over 700 courses in more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs in a range of arts, science and professional disciplines.
• AU has a $118 million annual operating budget.
• AU employs over 1,200 faculty and staff members on four Alberta, Canada, campuses located in Athabasca, St. Albert, Edmonton and Calgary.
• AU maintains over 350 collaborative agreements with other Canadian and international post-secondary institutions, with professional associations and employer groups and with First Nations institutions and communities.

Our Students

• AU students come from every Canadian province and territory and 84 countries worldwide.
• The average undergraduate is 29; the average graduate student, 37.
• 81 per cent work while they study.
• 67 per cent are women.
• 63 per cent of program students study year round, balancing their studies with other commitments.
• 63 per cent of graduates support dependents.
• 74 per cent of graduates are the first in their family to earn a university degree.

Many students enrolled at other post-secondary institutions make extensive use of AU’s courses and educational services to help them complete their degrees. These visiting students take AU courses for transfer to an academic program at their home institution. Still others take AU courses out of personal interest or for professional development.

Updated September 17, 2009