This study examined the characteristics of part-time students at the University of Calgary (Alberta, Canada) and Athabasca University (Alberta, Canada), an open admissions undergraduate distance education university. Also called adult students or non-traditional students, part-time students have been viewed as a homogenous group despite marked differences. Universities wishing to serve the needs of part-time or nontraditional students must identify the differentiated needs of persons in these groups, and develop coherent policies and strategies to address the needs of the differentiated sub-sets. At Athabasca University in 1994-95, 58 percent of students were not enrolled in a degree or certificate program and 19 percent were Probationary Program students (had not yet successfully completed nine credits or less). The average student registration was for 1.8 courses per student per year. At the University of Calgary, the average age of part time students has declined from 31.4 to 30.5 years between 1985 and 1995. Female part-time students outnumbered males with a narrowing gap, from 62 percent in 1985 to 58 percent in 1995. Overall, part-time student numbers have declined by 31 percent since 1985 and represent a smaller portion of full-time enrollment. Tables detail statistics on part-time students by category and demographics. (JLS)