🏞️Thompson Rivers University

Kamloops, BC, Canada

A BC interior university combining a Kamloops campus with one of Canada's longest-running distance-education operations.

About TRU

Thompson Rivers combines a conventional campus in Kamloops with TRU Open Learning, one of Canada's most established distance-education operations, giving families genuine flexibility for staged or partly remote study. Its tourism management programme ties directly into BC interior's outdoor-recreation and hospitality economy, alongside solid business, nursing and a relatively young but growing law faculty. Kamloops has a drier, sunnier climate than the coast but colder winters than Vancouver, and living costs sit meaningfully below Vancouver's or Victoria's. It suits students who want BC access without coastal pricing, or families weighing a blended on-campus and distance-learning approach.

Why students choose it

  • Tourism management ties directly into BC interior's real outdoor-recreation and hospitality economy
  • TRU Open Learning offers unusual flexibility for staged or partly remote study
  • BC interior living costs meaningfully lower than Vancouver or Victoria

🎓 Free application support for TRU

Submit a free enquiry and Tutopiya's admissions team will guide you through your application to TRU — personal statement, interview prep and deadlines — at no cost, no obligation. Application fees are typically waived through our university partnerships.

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Typical entry grades

BBB (A Level)  ·  IB 26

Solid tier · indicative for the flagship courses below — always verify per-course requirements directly with the university.

Tuition (international, per year)

<CA$25,000/yr

low tier for Canada — figures are typical ranges, not this specific university's published fee.

Language of instruction

English

Campus

campus campus, Kamloops, BC

🏆 Scholarships to look into

Informational only — scholarship amounts, deadlines and even which schemes are running change often (sometimes per intake), so treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee. Always confirm current details directly with the scholarship provider or TRU's financial aid office.

Many Canadian universities offer automatic entrance scholarships for international students based on high-school grades — often no separate application needed beyond the standard admission application.

  • University international entrance scholarships: e.g. University of Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship, UBC's International Major Entrance Scholarship — merit-based, automatically considered for eligible applicants at many universities.
  • Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships: Federally funded, but for doctoral/research study, not undergraduate admission.

Coverage ranges from a one-off award to full tuition for the most competitive automatic scholarships — check each university's international scholarships page for exact criteria.

Want help figuring out which of these you'd actually qualify for? Talk to a free Tutopiya counsellor.

Popular courses

Tourism Management

⏱️ Typical duration: 4 years

📝 Apply for this course →

Typical entry: Mathematics helps but usually isn't required recommended

Business

⏱️ Typical duration: 4 years

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Typical entry: Mathematics helps but usually isn't required recommended

Nursing

⏱️ Typical duration: 4 years

📝 Apply for this course →

Typical entry: Biology recommended

Natural Resource Science

⏱️ Typical duration: 4 years

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Law

⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years for an undergraduate LLB (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia); typically a 3-year postgraduate JD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)

📝 Apply for this course →

Typical entry: Not required at Bachelor's entry — Law is typically a postgraduate JD here, entered via LSAT after completing a Bachelor's degree.

Durations are typical for Canada — always confirm the exact length (including any placement or integrated Master's year) on the course's own page before applying.

Not sure which course fits your grades and interests? Run the full shortlist builder →

How to apply

Main intake(s)
September (Fall), January (Winter, some programmes)
Typical deadline
Rolling from October, with most competitive programmes closing mid-January
Note
High-demand programmes (e.g. UofT Engineering, UBC) fill up fast — apply as soon as the portal opens for the best chance.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0)

TOEFL: 80–90 iBT

Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.

Read the full Tutopiya guide

A deeper walkthrough of applying to TRU for international IGCSE / A Level / IB students.

Read the guide →

See where TRU ranks on your personal shortlist

Enter your grades and budget in the free Canada University Shortlist Builder to see whether TRU is a reach, target or safety for you — alongside every other Canada university that matches.

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TRU FAQ

Quick answers about grades, tuition, deadlines and applying to TRU as an international IGCSE / A Level / IB student.

What grades do I need to get into TRU?

As a typical benchmark for international entry, TRU expects around BBB at A Level or 26 points on the IB Diploma. This is indicative for TRU's flagship courses — competitive subjects like Medicine and Law usually sit above this baseline, and the exact requirement varies by course, so always confirm the specific figure on TRU's own admissions page before applying.

How much does TRU cost for international students?

International tuition at TRU typically falls in the range (low tier for Canada). This is a typical range for the university's tuition tier, not TRU's specific published fee for every course — confirm the exact figure for your intended programme directly with the university.

When is the application deadline for TRU?

TRU follows Canada's typical intake calendar: September (Fall), January (Winter, some programmes), with applications generally due rolling from october, with most competitive programmes closing mid-january. High-demand programmes (e.g. UofT Engineering, UBC) fill up fast — apply as soon as the portal opens for the best chance. Always verify the exact date on TRU's own admissions page, since deadlines can shift year to year.

What IELTS score do I need for TRU?

Canada universities, including TRU, typically ask international applicants for 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0). Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.

What is TRU known for?

A BC interior university combining a Kamloops campus with one of Canada's longest-running distance-education operations. Thompson Rivers combines a conventional campus in Kamloops with TRU Open Learning, one of Canada's most established distance-education operations, giving families genuine flexibility for staged or partly remote study. Its tourism management programme ties directly into BC interior's outdoor-recreation and hospitality economy, alongside solid business, nursing and a relatively young but growing law faculty. Kamloops has a drier, sunnier climate than the coast but colder winters than Vancouver, and living costs sit meaningfully below Vancouver's or Victoria's. It suits students who want BC access without coastal pricing, or families weighing a blended on-campus and distance-learning approach.

Can I apply to TRU with IGCSE, A Level or IB qualifications?

Yes — TRU accepts applicants from IGCSE-to-A-Level, IGCSE-to-IB-Diploma, and directly from the IB Diploma. Tutopiya's free Canada University Shortlist Builder matches your predicted or actual grades against TRU and every other Canada university we track, tagging each as reach, target or safety.

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