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 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 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.
Transfer credits are assessed for degree requirements only (i.e., their acceptability toward the 20.0 credits required for the degree only). 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. The student is ultimately responsible for ensuring that course selection is consistent with the academic calendar rules and that they review the detailed eligibility requirements, deadlines and steps to request a Letter of Permission and complete the transfer credit process.
Some 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.
If you have questions about the Letter of Permission application or our policies or procedures, contact the Office of the Faculty Registrar.
Transfer Credit Eligibility
A maximum of 5.0 credits can be granted in transfer credit for courses taken at a recognized 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. Transfer credits will not be granted for courses that were not pre-approved by a Letter of Permission.
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 recognized 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 provide reasons why taking these credits is necessary. Explain the importance of the particular courses selected, why this 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
- 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 or a University of Toronto partner 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 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. Upload the course overload approval to the Letter of Permission application portal. 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.
- Courses must not be taken concurrently with outbound exchange in the same term.
In addition to the points above, it is important to take note of the following points concerning the Letter of Permission transfer credits:
- French language courses: If you are taking a French language course, you need to schedule your mandatory French Placement Test. Note that you must complete the placement test immediately after completing your French language course and when arranging for an official transcript to be sent to the Transfer Credit Unit. You must achieve one level higher than your last placement test in order to receive transfer credit. Email the French Placement Test results to transfer.artsci@utoronto.ca. Please include your student number with the test result.
- 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.
- Final official transcripts, course syllabi (and evidence of course registration and course fees if applicable) must be issued from the host university.
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.
A maximum of 5.0 credits can be granted in transfer credit for courses taken at a recognized university on the basis of a Letter of Permission. If you have already received on-admission transfer credits or post-admission transfer credits, the number of Letter of Permission transfer credits that you can use toward the 20.0 credits required for your degree may be reduced. All students must complete at least 10.0 credits in Faculty of Arts & Science courses toward their degree. Refer to the Arts & Science Academic Calendar for more information.
There are firm deadlines by which you must apply for a Letter of Permission and late applications are not accepted. You should also take into consideration when the courses are scheduled to start and whether the institution at which you want to take courses has an application deadline for visiting students.
Once your completed application has been submitted, which includes the application, payment, and required course outlines or other documents, it can take up to six weeks to receive a Letter of Permission. The application fee is not refundable.
The deadlines to submit your application for a Letter of Permission and all required documents are:
| Session in which you will be taking courses at another recognized institution | Applications open | Application and documentation deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Fall (September-December) | May 15 | July 1 |
| Winter (January-April) | September 15 | November 1 |
| Summer (May-August) | January 15 | March 15 |
To ensure the course you request is not offered by Faculty of Arts & Science in the term you requested, approved letters of permission will be sent to students after the course timetable has been posted in Timetable Builder.
We will start processing applications after the application and documentation deadlines has passed.
If you decide not to use the Letter of Permission, please notify the Office of the Faculty Registrar at transfer.artsci@utoronto.ca. Without this notification, you will be restricted from applying for LoPs in the future.
Once you have completed the courses at the host institution, submit the final transcript no later than one month following the completion of the term (refer to information below).
You will have to submit separate applications for the Fall term, the Winter term and the Summer session. If you are planning to take courses that start in September and end in April, include these courses in your Fall term application. You should only apply for a Letter of Permission for one recognized university per term or session.
For the Fall term you can apply for a Letter of Permission for up to eight courses, for the Winter term you can apply for a Letter of Permission for up to eight courses, and for the Summer session you can apply for a Letter of Permission for up to six courses. Keep in mind you can only receive 3.0 transfer credits for each of the Fall and Winter terms, and 2.0 transfer credits for the Summer session.
If you wish to make changes to your submitted application before the Letter of Permission application deadline, you’ll need to cancel the application under review and submit a new application.
To apply for a Letter of Permission, you must:
- Complete the Letter of Permission application (one application for up to eight courses for the Fall term, eight courses for the Winter term, and six courses for the Summer session)
- Pay the non-refundable assessment fee
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Upload official course outlines and/or syllabi when submitting your transfer credit application:
- Files containing course outlines and/or syllabi should be uploaded as PDF documents (not screenshots), one file per course, to include the institution and course name in the file name (e.g., McMaster Univ – ENG100H)
- The course outlines and/or syllabi should match the term and year the course will be taken
- The course outlines must be provided to you directly from the university at which you will complete the courses
- An official English translation must accompany course outlines and/or syllabi issued in a language other than English or French
- Detailed syllabi should include (but not limited to) the institution name, course code name and title, length of course (number of hours and number of credits), week to week topic breakdown, textbook information and/or list of readings, assessment breakdown including number of essays, tests or exams, lab component (if applicable) and tutorial hours (if applicable). Upon review, you may be required to submit additional information or details.
- Contact the host institution(s) to request a copy. Failure to provide detailed course outlines and/or syllabi will result in delays in processing your transfer credit request and may also lead to cancelling your application.
- Provide the associated course links in the academic calendar of your host institution(s) in the space provided on the LoP application.
Your Letter of Permission cannot be finalized until you have submitted any course outlines that are required. The Letter of Permission may be cancelled if the course outlines do not include all the required information needed for assessment. There is no guarantee that a specific course will transfer until it is confirmed to be eligible for transfer credit in your Letter of Permission. Once finalized, your Letter of Permission will be available on the Letter of Permission application portal. Download a copy for future reference.
You are responsible for sending a copy of the Letter of Permission to the host university, if required. Keep in mind that providing a Letter of Permission does not guarantee that you will be able to enrol in the course(s) at the host university.
To monitor your Letter of Permission application updates, submit any additional required documents and review your transfer credit assessment, log in to the Letter of Permission portal.
Once a transfer credit assessment is available, please save a copy for your own records. Any updates to the assessment will supersede prior versions of the assessment.
Once you have received final marks for the courses that you completed, arrange for the host university to send your official final electronic transcript directly to transfer.artsci@utoronto.ca. Transfer credit will not be awarded if you fail to submit your final official transcripts no earlier than the completion of your course(s) and no later than one month following the completion of the term. When requesting your transcript from your host university, please include your first and last name and, if possible, your U of T student number.
Once your transfer credits are finalized, they will appear on the LoP portal and your academic record. Your transfer credits do not have any grades/marks associated with them. Your grade is used only to determine whether you are eligible for transfer credit. Your transfer credits therefore do not contribute to your grade point average (GPA) calculations.
If you have requested graduation, there are important deadlines for you to submit all required documentation and final transcripts. If you miss these deadlines you may need to postpone your graduation.
- Spring graduation: The deadline to submit final official transcripts is May 1.
- Fall graduation: The deadline to submit final official transcripts is September 30. Transcript copies issued to you will not be accepted. When requesting your transcript from your host university, please include your first and last name and, if possible, your U of T student number.
If your host university cannot provide an electronic final transcript, please contact transfer.artsci@utoronto.ca.
Upon receipt of the official transcript, the Letter of Permission is re-evaluated, and students are notified of the transfer credits they received. In some cases, the Faculty of Arts & Science may require additional information in order to grant a Letter of Permission or to award credit upon completion of courses. If you decide not to take the course you were given permission to take, please notify the Office of the Faculty Registrar at transfer.artsci@utoronto.ca. Without this notification, you will be restricted from applying for LoPs in the future.
No. You are only permitted to study at one institution per academic session on a Letter of Permission.
Faculty of Arts & Science students who wish to study at an accredited university outside of Canada can do so via Learning Abroad and Exchange Programs. Students can also apply for Letter of Permission for courses offered by University of Toronto partner universities – these will appear on the drop-down menu on submitting the application. Note that students cannot concurrently take courses on a Letter of Permission and as part of an outbound exchange program in the same term.
Transfer credit will not be granted for courses that were not pre-approved by a Letter of Permission.
When you apply to graduate school, you will need to ask the host institution to send a final official transcript to the graduate school.
Your transfer credit assessment will have a few different notifications and important sections. Read through the Understanding Your Transfer Credits page to understand what the notifications in your transfer credit assessment mean. Transfer credits are assessed carefully by the Office of the Faculty Registrar. When you receive your transfer credit assessment, please review it carefully. If you believe that your transfer credit assessment should be reviewed based on new information that was not available at the time of assessment, you can request a reassessment. Requests for re-assessment are normally granted only in exceptional circumstances and will only be considered if you provide all necessary documentation within the specified timeframe.
Current students must submit a request for re-assessment or clarify any transfer credit-related questions within 6 months from the date the transfer credit assessment was issued.
A request for re-assessment for a given transfer credit can be submitted only once. Submit a letter explaining why, along with a detailed description of the course or courses in question to transfer.artsci@utoronto.ca.
You can use your Canadian or international university transfer credits in a number of ways:
Degree credits: Students may be eligible to receive a maximum of 5.0 transfer credits overall for courses taken at a recognized institution on the basis of a Letter of Permission. If you have already received on-admission transfer credits or post-admission transfer credits, the number of Letter of Permission transfer credits that you can use toward the 20.0 credits required for your degree will be reduced. All students must complete at least 10.0 credits in Faculty of Arts & Science courses toward their degree. Refer to the Academic Calendar for more information.
Breadth requirement: All Arts & Science students have to complete the breadth requirement before graduation. Most transfer credits count toward breadth requirements categories.
Program requirements and course prerequisites: In some cases, transfer credits can be used to satisfy enrolment or completion requirements for specific programs, or to meet prerequisite requirements for courses. Check the Academic Calendar for detailed program requirements and course prerequisite information, and contact the academic unit that offers the program or course if you have any questions.
If you are unsure about how your transfer credits can be applied toward your degree and program requirements, contact your College Registrar’s Office for advice.