Thompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is a public, degree-granting institution with both university and college programs. More than 100 Master and Bachelor degrees, diplomas and certificates are available, along with English language programs.
Nowhere in Canada has the evolution of post-secondary education been more dramatic than in Kamloops, BC. The last two decades have seen a transition from community college to an innovative university-college, and now to a full provincial university with a unique mandate. Thompson Rivers University really is a different kind of university.
TRU is a unique combination of traditional degree programs, many allowing diploma and certificate program graduates access through laddering, along with flexible degree completion through distance education as the BC Center for Open Learning.
- Founded in 1970
- Public, government-accredited university
- Based in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
- 100 academic programs; more than 400 distance learning courses
- 12,000 students; 12,000 distance learners
- 1,200 international students from more than 70 countries
- International partnerships and projects in more than 45 countries
- 1,600 students enrolled in accredited programs with partner institutions overseas
- Students from more than 70 countries study at TRU every semester
Programs
Why study at Thompson Rivers University
You'll meet the world
TRU is a tapestry of cultures. We welcome over 3,000 students from more than 90 countries to campus each year.
You'll travel the world
Opportunities abound for you to travel while you study — there are dozens of countries to choose from.
You'll discuss big ideas in small classes
The average class size for lower-level courses is 33. In upper-level courses, it's 29.
You'll work with great instructors
Our faculty members get to know you by name, care about your success, and share their passion for learning. Over 400 faculty members teach at TRU, in eight different faculties and schools of study. Their commitment is simple: to help you get the most out of university.
You'll get your game face on
TRU Athletics covers soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, rugby, running, curling and swimming. You can count on our mascot Wolfie to lead the cheer.
You'll find your path
Whatever place you’re starting from, you can find your path at TRU. We open doors with options like open admission and Open Learning. We expand horizons with our breadth of exceptional programs — from certificates and apprenticeships to bachelor’s and master’s degrees
Campuses
TRU’s Kamloops and Williams Lake campuses are located on the traditional territory of the Secwepemc peoples, in British Columbia’s southern interior. In Kamloops (from the Secwepemc word for “meeting of the waters”), the main campus overlooks the junction of the North Thompson and South Thompson rivers, from which the university gets its name.
Today, 14,000 students study on campus in Kamloops,Williams Lake, or at our regional centres in 100 Mile House, Clearwater, Barriere, Ashcroft, and Lillooet. Another 11,000 students attend classes throughout the world by distance or online. Our campuses also welcome the community, with conferences and events such as the Canada Summer Games and the Kamloops Marathon, and opportunities to learn through continuing education and visiting speakers like John Ralston Saul, Peter Mansbridge and Margaret Atwood.
Accommodation
Thompson Rivers University's Kamloops campus offers a one-of-a-kind university community in the heart of the city, a place to live, work, learn and play.
Living on campus means being minutes away from your classes, enjoying easy access to campus and nearby city recreational facilities and belonging to an active community of students from across Canada and around the world. Do keep in mind that an application for campus housing is separate from an application to a TRU program.
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