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On-Admission Transfer Credits (Newly-Admitted Transfer Students)

Transferring from another Post-Secondary Institution

Assessment of Transfer Credits

The assessment of previous post-secondary studies for transfer credit is compulsory. Failure to comply with the stated procedures and/or resolve any outstanding obligations, such as the submission of additional documentation or the completion of departmental interviews, within your first registered session of degree studies will result in the refusal of further course enrolments.

Acceptance of Transfer Credits

Acceptance of transfer credits by the University of Toronto shall be based on the recognition that, while learning experiences may differ in a variety of ways, their substance may be virtually equivalent in terms of their content and rigour. Insofar as possible, acceptance of transfer credit should allow for the maximum recognition of previous learning experience in university-level courses.

Subject to degree, grade and program requirements, any course offered for credit by one University shall be accepted for credit by another Ontario university when there is virtual equivalency in course content.

Length of Process

  • Assessment response time varies depending on a number of factors – e.g. whether or not the documentation in your file is complete, where your studies were completed (e.g. at a College of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT) / College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning (CITAL) or outside of Canada), the time period during which your request is received (mid-June to mid-August is our peak period).
  • Normally, a domestic assessment takes approximately 3-4 weeks and a foreign assessment up to ten weeks. The assessment of foreign studies and three-year CAATs / CITALs diplomas, however, is usually made by sending students for interviews with departmental advisors.

Maximums

  • There are limits to the number of transfer credit that can be transferred depending on where the course work was completed and on what portion of a diploma or degree program was completed.
  • A maximum of five transfer credits (4.0 at the 100-level and 1.0 at the 200-level) are transferred to applicants who have completed a degree or who have the requirements of a degree.
  • Up to a maximum of ten transfer credits may be transferred. In order to meet program and degree requirements, however, students may have to complete more than the minimum number of credits required for a degree.
  • Courses completed in the Faculty of Arts and Science as either a Special or Visiting student may be retained over and above the ten that are transferred from elsewhere.
  • Up to a maximum of five transfer credits may be granted to candidates who have completed a three-year diploma at a College of Applied Arts and Technology / College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning.
  • Up to a maximum of two “generic” credits may be granted to students who have completed a two-year diploma program at a College of Applied Arts and Technology / College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning.

Equivalencies

  • It is understood that no two institutions offer exactly the same courses. As long as the course is academic in nature (e.g. not clinical) and meets the criteria for courses offered here, it will probably be transferred. For example, a course in Dance would be not transferred but a course in the History of Dance might be considered.
  • An unspecified credit may be granted in cases where the content is appropriate for a specific discipline in the Faculty but does not have exact equivalent (e.g. HIS1**Y – Introduction). In such cases, course exclusion may be noted excluding enrolment in the similar course.
  • A generic credit may be granted in cases where the academic content of the course does not fit in with a specific discipline but is appropriate for a particular area of study (i.e.: HUM for course work appropriate in humanities; LNG for course work in language; SCI for course work appropriate for sciences; USP for course work of an interdisciplinary nature which does not fit into any specific genre).
  • Courses are normally transferred at the same level as that at which they are offered at the previous institution.
  • If you receive an unspecified half-credit with an exclusion to the equivalent full-credit course, you have the option of enrolling the full-credit course here and forgoing the half-credit transfer credit. In this case, the transfer credit would be listed as an “extra” credit and would not count towards your degree. Please click here for information on Forfeit of Advanced Standing Half-Credit for enrolment in the Full-Credit Exclusion.
  • If your post-secondary studies were completed in Ontario, you should check out Transfer Navigator [This website is currently under construction]. A number of course equivalencies have been previously assessed. However, this database is refreshed yearly and should be seen as a guideline only to transferability.
  • You may not repeat a course for which you have already received credit or which is listed as an exclusion in your transfer credit assessment unless you are required to do so in order to meet a departmental program requirement (e.g. a minimum grade requirement)

Grades

  • Normally, a final grade equivalent of 60% or more is required for transfer purposes.
  • If you have passed a course with less than 60%, you may be eligible to receive transfer credit for it if your cumulative grade point average is above 60%. Only one credit with a grade between 50-59%, however, may count for every five credits earned with final grades above 60%.
  • Grades achieved at previous institutions do not transfer.

Program Requirements

  • Admitted students who receive transfer credit equivalent to four (4.0) courses or more and who clearly indicated a choice of program on their application for admission, will also be considered for admission to their chosen programs, where possible, on their Transfer Credit Assessment letter.
  • Admission to the University of Toronto does not guarantee enrolment in any specific courses or programs.
  • Students, who are not eligible for admission to a Type 2 or Type 3 program at this time, must select and enrol in a Type 1 program(s). Failure to do so will result in the refusal of further course enrolments.
  • Students should consult the Undergraduate Secretary or Program Advisor in the relevant department to determine whether or not unspecified credit can be used to meet pre-requisite or program requirements.
  • Previously completed courses to which second-degree students receive no transfer credit recognition can be used to meet pre-requisite, program or breadth requirements at the discretion of the department/office concerned.

Degree Restrictions

  • Students who hold a degree in Commerce, Business or Economics may not enrol for a degree in any of the Commerce programs.
  • The Faculty of Arts and Science will allow a maximum of six 100-level courses to be counted towards a degree. Any additional 100-level courses will be listed an “extra” and will not be calculated in the total credits required towards a degree.
  • Students may receive more than one full-credit at the 300-level, however, only one such credit may be used to fulfil the 300.400 level degree requirement. Please consult The Faculty of Arts and Science Calendar.

Application Process

  • Complete the on-line application.
  • Pay fee of $30.00. For visa students, the transfer credit assessment fee is incorporated into your tuition and other fees to be paid later.
  • Forward any outstanding documents to the Transfer Credit Section, Faculty of Arts & Science, 1024-100 St. George Street, TORONTO, Ontario M5S 3G3. Documentation includes:
    • official transcripts
    • course descriptions for domestic studies completed five or more years ago
    • course descriptions for foreign studies regardless of when completed.
  • Your previous studies are reviewed by a Transfer Credit Assessor/Officer in accordance with Faculty policies and, where appropriate, in consultation with Faculty members.
  • Once a decision is made regarding your transfer credit, an email notification will be sent with instructions on how to view your transfer credit assessment on-line. For newly-admitted students, all correspondence from this office will be sent to the email address you provide in the Transfer Credit Application. Please ensure that you check your email regularly.

Final Note

It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of and adhere to the academic regulations and degree requirements as stated in the Calendars. Once you have been admitted, please ensure that you have read and understood all of the degree requirements. Should you have any questions concerning the requirements for degree or program completion, please consult your College Registrar or Program Adviser.

Click here to complete the Transfer Credit application.