UCalgary Nursing Lottery: How Admission Works (2027)

At most nursing programs, a higher average means better odds.

At the University of Calgary, it doesn't anymore.

UCalgary's main-campus Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) now admits by lottery. In each draw, every qualified applicant has the same chance, whether their average is 83 or 98. Here's how the UCalgary Nursing lottery works for Fall 2027, and what your family can still control.

What changed at UCalgary Nursing?

UCalgary moved its main-campus BScN to a lottery starting with the Fall 2026 intake.

The university gives two reasons: rising admission averages, and the high number of nurses leaving the profession within their first two years of practice. With a lottery, UCalgary says, qualified applicants have an equal chance of admission.

The lottery applies only to the main-campus BScN. It doesn't affect other routes into the program, such as:

1. The Collaborative Nursing Program at Medicine Hat College
2. The Indigenous Community Route
3. The Rural Community Route

UCalgary Nursing requirements: who qualifies for the lottery?

To enter the lottery, your child must meet what UCalgary calls the competitive lottery threshold. That means two things:

1. Having the required courses.
2. Being at or above the competitive admission average.

For high school applicants, that average is 82.0%. For transfer applicants, it's a 3.00 GPA.

UCalgary sets the competitive admission average every year, based on the applicant pool. So 82.0% is the current figure, not a permanent one.

Your child must also apply, submit all required documents and pay the non-refundable application fee by the document deadline for a round.

Does a high average help in the UCalgary Nursing lottery?

No. UCalgary answers this directly: all students are considered through the lottery process, including those with high averages.

Once your child is at or above 82.0% with the required courses, the average stops mattering for selection. A 98 and an 83 go into the same draw with the same odds.

What does this mean for you? If your child is well above the threshold, there's no extra credit for the margin. If your child is just above it, they're not at a disadvantage.

One caution. Offers are only finalized once a Scholar completes the required courses and keeps an average at or above the competitive admission average. Grades still matter after the draw.

UCalgary Nursing lottery rounds and deadlines for Fall 2027

UCalgary runs the lottery in rounds. Each round allocates 20 to 40% of seats. UCalgary says each one is conducted within 30 days of the round's document deadline.

Here are the Fall 2027 rounds for high school applicants:

UCalgary may run more rounds until August 15 if space is available.

If your child isn't selected in a round, they're automatically entered into the next one. Once every seat is filled, remaining applicants are told the program is full.

As of November 10, 2026, Round 1's document deadline has passed. Rounds 2 and 3 are still ahead. If your child applies in a later year, expect the same shape and check UCalgary's page for that cycle's dates.

Planning for nursing, or any health program, in Western Canada? Our Educators build plans around how each program actually admits. Join the program waitlist.

Is there anything you can do to improve your chances?

UCalgary names one thing: apply and submit your documents early.

That's because each round only fills part of the class. A Scholar whose documents are in by Round 1 is in that draw and, if not selected, every draw after it. A Scholar who first qualifies in Round 3 has missed the earlier ones.

Here's what else UCalgary is clear about:

1. Extra information or documents are not considered for lottery applicants.
2. If your application needs faculty or department review to confirm the threshold, entry to the lottery may be delayed.
3. For rounds after March, all initial documents must be received by March 15.

Pro Tip: Treat the first document deadline as the real deadline. Missing Round 1 doesn't end your child's chances, but it does reduce the number of draws they're in.

How should Nursing appear on the application?

UCalgary lets applicants choose two programs. Nursing can only be selected as your first choice.

If your child receives an offer to their first choice, that's the only offer they get. If they receive an offer to their second choice, UCalgary keeps considering them for their first choice, each time new grades arrive and in each lottery round they qualify for.

Program choices can be changed until the March 1 application deadline.

Your child's second choice matters more than usual. It should be a program they'd be happy to attend, because no one can count on a draw.

What if your child is below 82.0%?

It depends on whether they still have courses in progress.

Scholars with courses in progress who miss the threshold are reviewed again when new grades arrive. If they qualify then, they can enter a later round.

Scholars with no courses in progress who miss the threshold are told their application has been denied.

There are other pathways too. Scholars who apply through UCalgary's Student Access Process and submit a personal statement also have their application reviewed by the Faculty of Nursing.

UCalgary says Indigenous students who meet the threshold will be admitted. Those with the required courses but an average below it can be considered through the Indigenous Admission Supplementary Process.

A lottery rewards preparation you can't see on a report card: early documents, a strong second choice, a backup plan. Apply to our program waitlist to build it with an Educator.

How should your family plan around a lottery?

A lottery changes the math for your child's whole list. Here's how to adjust.

1. Clear the threshold with room to spare. An offer is finalized only if the average stays at or above the competitive average. Don't plan to land at exactly 82.0%.
2. Get every document in early. Earlier documents mean more draws.
3. Pick a second choice your child wants. It's the program they may attend.
4. Apply elsewhere too. No average can make a lottery program safe. Pair UCalgary Nursing with programs that admit on grades, and check that each one is genuinely in range.
5. Watch the threshold each year. UCalgary sets it annually from the applicant pool.

Pro Tip: For a Scholar in Grade 9, 10 or 11, the lesson goes beyond Calgary. Programs change how they admit. Check each program's current rules every fall, not just its average.

Other nursing programs still select on grades, with published figures in the 90s. The post on hidden competitive programs covers TMU Nursing and UBC Okanagan Nursing. For a wider view, see the best health science programs in Canada and how far back universities look at your grades.

Frequently asked questions

Is UCalgary Nursing a lottery?

Yes. UCalgary's main-campus BScN has admitted through a lottery since the Fall 2026 intake. Other routes, such as the Collaborative Nursing Program at Medicine Hat College, are not affected.

What is the University of Calgary Nursing admission average?

High school applicants need the required courses and a competitive admission average of 82.0% to enter the lottery. UCalgary sets this average annually based on the applicant pool.

Does a higher average improve your chances in the UCalgary Nursing lottery?

No. UCalgary says all students are considered through the lottery process, including those with high averages. Its stated aim is an equal chance of admission for qualified applicants.

When are the UCalgary Nursing lottery deadlines for Fall 2027?

For high school applicants, the document deadlines are November 1, March 1 and March 15. Additional rounds may run until August 15 if space is available.

How can I improve my chances in the UCalgary Nursing lottery?

UCalgary recommends applying and submitting documents early, so you're included in more selection rounds. Additional information is not considered.

Can Nursing be my second choice at UCalgary?

No. Nursing can only be selected as the first choice on the UCalgary application for admission.

Ready to plan for the programs that don't rank by grades?

At UCalgary Nursing, an 83 and a 98 now go into the same draw.

You can't control a lottery, but you can control everything around it: the threshold, the timing, the second choice and the rest of the list. Our Educators help Scholars plan all four. Start with our Program Assessment. Because that work is one-on-one, places are limited, so if you're ready, apply to our program waitlist.

Know the rules before your child applies, and plan the parts a draw can't touch.