Olds College suspending 3 programs due to decrease in international student enrolment

The Olds College sign is seen in this undated image.

Olds College is suspending intake for three programs this fall due to a decrease in revenue from international student admissions.

The school is projecting a $5.1 million loss of tuition revenue for its 2025-26 budget. It also said it has seen a decrease in operational grant funding from the provincial government over the past few years.

Last year, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) capped the number of study permit applications that could be accepted.

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For 2025, IRCC plans to issue 437,000 study permits – a 10 per cent decrease from the 2024 cap. Alberta can issue approximately 32,000 permits.

As a result, Olds College is suspending its hospitality and tourism management, craft beverage and brewery operations and agriculture technology integration programs for the fall term.

“In order to navigate the growing demands and complex issues in the post-secondary system, we’ve been reviewing our program mix to ensure we align with industry needs, student demand and institutional priorities to ensure long-term stability for Olds College,” Debbie Thompson, the interim president of Olds College, said in a news release.

It is also suspending intake into the business management diploma three-day cohort on campus and the business management diploma at Concordia University College.

The school notes that the affected programs have not been discontinued. Second-year courses will still be offered to current students already enrolled in the programs.

The budget development process is expected to continue through March and April. The program intake suspensions represent a “first step” in addressing financial challenges, the school said.

IRCC said the measures in 2024 reduced the number of international students coming to Canada by 40 per cent, easing pressures in rental markets with large student populations.