Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Program

Infographic with statistics. 14% of Fall 2023 students had picked a course because it was listed as ZTC. 32.8% of Winter 2024 courses were ZTC. ZTC courses have saved students up to $30 million over 3 years.

For instructors: Register your course in the ZTC program

For students: How to identify ZTC courses in Bear Tracks

“Zero textbook cost” means a student does not incur any costs for accessing course materials and is a great way to increase the accessibility of learning materials for all students.

The program encourages instructors to register their ZTC courses with the Students’ Union so they can be flagged in Bear Tracks. Students can then use ZTC as a search parameter when they are making decisions about their classes.

Options may include a mix of open educational resources (OER) or licensed library materials which can be linked through a Reading List. If you are an instructor interested in exploring alternative course material options, the library offers a search service linked from our Finding OER page. If you are a student, ask your instructor about ZTC or contact the Students' Union.

Background

Student affordability was flagged as a key concern in the recently released Igniting Purpose: Student Experience Action Plan. One of the main progress indicators for increasing affordability is to reduce the cost of class materials “including aiming to increase textbook affordability by having 35% of courses and class sections use the Zero Textbook Cost initiative by 2026.” Thanks to the efforts of all faculties, the University of Alberta is on track to meet this goal. Winter 2024 has seen the highest number of ZTC class sections, accounting for 32.8% across the U of A.

Source: https://www.ualberta.ca/en/the-quad/2024/03/celebrating-progress-in-textbook-affordability.html

Questions about OER and ZTC? Contact our team at oer.support@ualberta.ca