Letters of Permission (Canadian Universities)

After you have started your studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science, you may be eligible for transfer credit for courses you complete at other recognized degree granting Canadian universities. The Letter of Permission (LoP) is one of the pathways by which you might be eligible for transfer credit as an Arts & Science student. 

A Letter of Permission (LoP) is a prior confirmation that a course you intend to take at another recognized degree granting Canadian university is acceptable for transfer credit in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

To be eligible for transfer credit consideration, courses taken outside of the University of Toronto must be developed, assessed, and delivered at accredited degree-granting universities.  Courses offered through third-party affiliations on behalf of host universities will not be eligible for transfer credit.

LoPs are not routinely approved. Students must provide reasons why the LoP is necessary. Explain the importance of the particular course selected, why the course cannot be taken in the Faculty of Arts & Science or another U of T campus and the reasons for choosing the particular post-secondary institution.

Note: Letters of Permission transfer credit will not be granted if an equivalent course is being offered in the Faculty of Arts & Science in the same session.

If courses taken while on LoP are intended to meet program requirements, it is the students’ responsibility to consult the relevant academic unit that offers the program prior to their application, and keep records of all correspondence. 

Students should compile and send the host university's detailed course syllabus or Calendar descriptions to transfer.artsci@utoronto.ca for courses not available on Transfer Explorer. Course outlines or syllabi must be for the semester and/or year the course will be taken. 

Some Canadian universities may require you to obtain a Visiting Student Permission as part of their course registration process. Check the requirements and deadlines carefully for the university that you want to attend.

Transfer Credit Eligibility 

A maximum of 5.0 credits can be granted in transfer credit for courses taken at a recognized Canadian university on the basis of a Letter of Permission. If you were admitted to the Faculty of Arts & Science with transfer credit from previous studies, the maximum number of Letter of Permission transfer credits may be reduced, since students must complete at least 10.0 credits in Faculty of Arts & Science courses toward their degree. 

The Faculty of Arts & Science reserves the right to cancel the Letter of Permission or refuse to award transfer credit for any studies completed at another university if the host institution or any of its courses fails to meet the Arts & Science transfer credit eligibility requirements or degree requirements. Where applicable, external verification may be required. Faculty of Arts & Science students must always abide by the rules and regulations as outlined in the Academic Calendar, including the credit load maximum per term.

Eligibility Guidelines for Students

In order for a Letter of Permission to be granted, students:

• Must be pursuing an undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Arts & Science
• Must have completed the first session (Fall/Winter or Summer) in the Faculty of Arts & Science
• Must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 1.50 and be in good standing in the Faculty of Arts & Science when they take courses at the other Canadian university
• May not have any administrative holds (financial or other), or grade notations of GWR or SDF on their record
• Must have not previously received credit for the same or similar course(s)
• Must not have already received the maximum number of transfer credits
• Must not be on a leave of absence which restricts academic activities while on leave and/or restricts access to university services  
• Must not consider applying for Letters of Permission for the semester before their expected Convocation date (the Winter Session for Spring Convocation or the Fall Session for Fall Convocation) as the grades may not be received on time for final graduation evaluation for the next graduation period.

Eligibility Guidelines for Courses

The courses that you plan to take should meet the following conditions:

• Courses must be taken at a recognized Canadian university. Transfer credits are not normally granted for online or distance courses unless you can demonstrate, through your application, that there are extenuating circumstances. Please note, transfer credits are not normally granted for courses at universities in close proximity to the three U of T campuses unless you have extenuating circumstances.
• Courses must be developed, assessed, and delivered by recognized degree-granting Canadian universities. Courses, including courses that are part of international summer programs, offered through third-party affiliations on behalf of host universities will not be eligible for transfer credit.
• Courses must not be offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science in the session for which you are requesting the Letter of Permission. 
• Courses should be of equivalent weighting and have a similar number of instructional hours and duration (i.e., weeks) as a Faculty of Arts & Science course. Note that courses offered in a significantly condensed format and/or intersession courses are not eligible for transfer credit.
• Courses offered during the December/Winter break are not eligible for transfer credit. Transfer credits will not be granted if the final official transcript shows enrolment dates that fall within the December/Winter break.  
• Courses must be completed within the session to which the Letter of Permission applies, following Faculty of Arts & Science academic dates (no extensions).
• Courses must not be courses taken via the challenge for credit process.
• Courses cannot be practical or clinical, an internship, or courses that are more appropriate for programs in other faculties of the university (e.g., the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, the Faculty of Music, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, or the School of Graduate Studies). 
• Courses must not be graded on a pass/fail or credit/no credit basis. The final mark must be one full grade higher than the minimum passing grade for courses to be eligible for transfer credit. For example, if the passing mark in courses at your institution is 50%, you will need a final mark of 60% or higher. 
• Courses must not exceed the Faculty of Arts & Science’s maximum term loads. You can receive up to 2.0 transfer credits for courses completed during the Summer session, and up to 6.0 transfer credits for courses completed during the Fall/Winter session, to a maximum of 3.0 credits for each of the Fall and Winter terms. If you plan to exceed the maximum term load, request a course overload permission through your College Registrar’s Office before enrolling. Submit the course overload approval with your Letter of Permission application to the Transfer Credit Unit. The maximum term load includes all courses taken in the Faculty of Arts & Science and other recognized Canadian universities in the same session. Please note that the transfer credit eligibility is determined by the Faculty of Arts & Science Transfer Credit Unit. The course overload approval by the College Registrar’s Office does not guarantee that transfer credit will be granted. 

In addition to the points above, it is important to take note of the following points concerning the Letter of Permission transfer credits:

• 300- and 400-level courses: No more than 1.0 credit at the 300+ level in transfer credit from a Letter of Permission may be counted towards the minimum number of 300- and 400-level credits required for your degree.
• Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA): Transfer credits will appear on your U of T transcript but they will not count towards your CGPA. Transfer credits also do not count towards the credit count for the Dean’s List Scholar.
• Business courses: If you are not pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce degree, you will not be eligible to receive RSM or MGT transfer credits for business courses taken at another institution. If you meet the eligibility requirements for transfer credit, you will instead be awarded unspecified transfer credits, for example SII1**H (Breadth Requirement 3, Society and Its Institutions).
• You are not permitted to be concurrently registered as an undergraduate degree student at two different universities. The official final transcript must show that you were enrolled as a visiting or non-degree student at the host institution.  

Transfer Credit Information

If you have questions about any of the Letter of Permission processes or need help with your transfer credit assessment, contact the Office of the Faculty Registrar.