Post-Admission Transfer Credit (Universities Outside of Canada)

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 universities. 

The post-admission transfer credit is one of the pathways by which you might be eligible for transfer credit as an Arts & Science student. 

A post-admission transfer credit application is to be submitted for courses taken at an accredited degree granting university outside of Canada by students not participating in Learning Abroad or Exchange Programs. This application must be submitted within one month after the completion of a course.  

Please read this page thoroughly and proceed cautiously when considering studying elsewhere outside of a Letter of Permission or Outbound Exchange Program. 

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.  

If you have questions about the post-admission transfer credit application or our policies or procedures, contact the Office of the Faculty Registrar. 

Transfer Credit Eligibility

Faculty of Arts & Science students who wish to study at another university are encouraged to do so via a Letter of Permission (for Canadian universities) or Learning Abroad and Exchange Programs (for universities outside of Canada).

If you do take courses at a university outside of Canada and these courses are not part of a formal Learning Abroad or Exchange Program, you may still be eligible for transfer credit but there is no guarantee that the courses will transfer to your Faculty of Arts & Science degree. The transfer credit assessment will take place only after your host university provides your official final electronic transcript directly to the Office of the Faculty Registrar.

Applications for post-admission transfer credit will only be reviewed provided all of the following criteria are met. 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. If you do not meet the eligibility requirements, your transfer credit application will be cancelled.

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

It is the students’ responsibility to consult the relevant academic unit that offers the program prior to taking a course, and keep records of all correspondence, if courses are intended to meet program requirements.

Eligibility Guidelines for Students

In order for post-admission transfer credit to be granted, students must: 

• Be pursuing an undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Arts & Science 
• Have completed your first session (Fall/Winter or Summer) in the Faculty of Arts & Science 
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 1.50 and be in good standing in the Faculty of Arts & Science when you take courses at the other university  
• Have not previously received credit for the same or similar course(s) 
• Meet the Faculty of Arts & Science degree and program requirements including completing at least 10.0 credits in Faculty of Arts & Science. 
• Must provide reasons why transferring 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.
• Consider not taking course outside the Faculty of Arts & Science for the semester before their expected Convocation date (the Winter Session for Spring Convocation or the Fall Session for Fall Convocation) because, as mentioned above, transfer credits are not guaranteed.

Eligibility Guidelines for Courses

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

• Courses must be taken at a University recognized by U of T. Transfer credits are not normally granted for online or distance courses unless you can demonstrate, through your application, that there are extenuating circumstances.
• Courses must be developed, assessed, and delivered by accredited 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 have been offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science or have the same content as courses offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science, in the session for which you are requesting post-admission transfer credit. 
• 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 (for example, summer courses) may not be eligible for transfer credit.
• Courses offered during the December/Winter break are not eligible for transfer credit. 
• 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 Kinesiology and Physical Education, or the School of Graduate Studies). 
• Courses must not be graded on a pass/fail or credit/no credit basis. You must obtain a final mark of 60% or higher in the courses taken at the other university (provided that the passing mark in these courses is 50%) to receive transfer credit.
• 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 complete more credits than this, you must request permission for a course overload through your College Registrar’s Office. When calculating the maximum term load, include courses taken in the Faculty of Arts and Science and those taken on a Letter of Permission, post-admission and exchange in the same session. Note that the College Registrar’s Office will review the course overload only and does not guarantee that transfer credit will be granted. Transfer credit eligibility will be reviewed by the Faculty of Arts & Science Transfer Credit Unit.
• For courses taken at universities in China, you must have a Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD) verification submitted before transfer credit(s) can be awarded. This includes courses taken in the Summer and Fall/Winter sessions. However, if you are planning to take a course at a partner university in China, you do not require CSSD verification. Visit the Learning Abroad webpage for exchange program opportunities at partner universities.
• If you are taking a French language course through one of the four pathways listed above, you need to schedule your mandatory French Placement Test. Note that you must complete the placement test within one year of completing your French language course and you must achieve one level higher than your last placement test in order to receive transfer credit. 
• Courses must not be courses taken via the challenge for credit process.
• Course must have a detailed syllabus available for the term in which taken.
   

In addition to the points above, it is important to take note of the following point:

• 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.
• Final official transcripts, course syllabi (and evidence of course registration and course fees if applicate) must be issued from the host university. 

Transfer Credit Information

If you have questions about any of the post-admission transfer credit policies or procedures or need help with your transfer credit assessment, contact the Office of the Faculty Registrar.