Occupation
Academic advisor
Helps post-secondary students choose courses, meet program requirements, and stay on track to graduate. Interprets academic regulations and transfer credit rules, and refers students to financial, accessibility, or wellbeing services when the problem is not an academic one.
Also known as: Student adviser · Academic counsellor · Program advisor · Student success advisor
Occupation content
Part of Education and training
What the work involves
- Meet students to plan course selection and degree requirements
- Check degree audits, prerequisites, and transfer credit against program rules
- Advise students on probation, appeals, and withdrawal options
- Refer students to financial aid, accessibility, or counselling services
- Run orientation, registration, and information sessions
- Keep advising notes and records in the student information system
How people commonly enter
- Bachelor's degree, often in education, social sciences, or a program-related field
- Progression from a student services, admissions, or registrar's office role
- Master's degree in higher education or student affairs for senior advising roles
Typical training: Bachelor's degree
Licensing: Not typically licensed
Typical work context
Desk based · Public facing · Team based · Predictable routine · Remote capable
Related interests
Social (helping) · Conventional (organizing)
Related aptitude preparation
These are preparation links only. They do not measure eligibility for this occupation and no score here qualifies or disqualifies anyone.
Skills to practise
- Situational judgment
- Reading comprehension
- Data checking and clerical accuracy
- Customer-service judgment
- Problem solving
Practice suites
Related learning
Family-level learning links for Education and training.
Official sources
Labour-market facts such as pay and employment projections are not reproduced here. Open an official source below for figures, with its own geography and reference period.
- US BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Postsecondary Education Administrators · United States
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- UK National Careers Service — Explore careers · United Kingdom
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- Canada Job Bank — Career planning (Employment and Social Development Canada) · Canada
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Labour-market context (not part of exploration match)
This is broad family-level context for Education and training in Canada, not a figure for Academic advisor. It does not affect matching scores and is not an eligibility determination.
This is a broad Education and training family. Explore the official profile for the chosen occupation; entry education and training can differ within the family.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Education and training: education pathways
Some roles in Education and training may be regulated. Confirm whether the specific role requires registration, certification, or a jurisdiction-specific licence.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Education and training: licensing
Find jobs
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- Search Canada Job Bank · Canada
- Search USAJOBS · United States federal
- Search EURES · European Union / EEA
- Search Indeed · International (choose location on Indeed)