What is it exactly?
A letter of permission allows you to take one or more courses at a university with which the University of Ottawa has no formal agreement.
For more information about our formal agreements with Carleton University and Saint Paul University, please see Academic Regulation B-5 – General policy on credit transfers.
Who is eligible?
Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible as long as they are in good academic standing.
How does it work?
To obtain a letter of permission, you must first fill out the application form. Before you submit your application, make sure that you meet your faculty’s or school’s academic standing requirements.
Once your faculty or school has made a decision (usually within 20 business days), they will contact you by sending an email to your @uOttawa.ca account. If your application is approved, a copy of the letter of permission will be included.
Once your faculty or school has approved the course(s) on the form, you are authorized to take the course(s) and any units or credits you earn will be transferred to your current University of Ottawa program. Your intention to take the course(s) will immediately appear on your transcript.
You must present the letter of permission to the host university, along with any other documentation that they require (such as enrolment forms).
Only courses that meet your degree requirements will be approved.
Grades
You must obtain at least 60% in any undergraduate course taken through a letter of permission for the course to be credited by the University of Ottawa. Students taking Nursing (NSG) and Nutrition Sciences (NUT) courses require 65%. At the graduate level, the minimum grade required is 65% or more, depending on the program. If you do not earn the minimum grade, your transcript will reflect NC (no credit) for that course.
Except for courses completed as part of the University of Ottawa-Carleton University exchange program or the Saint Paul University exchange program, grades earned for courses completed at another university are not included in grade point average calculations and will show up as either CR (credited course) or NC on your transcript. These courses do not count towards residence requirements (see regulation B - 8.6).
Courses taken at another university without a letter of permission will not be credited, except in exceptional circumstances.
Once the term ends, you are responsible for ensuring that an official transcript is sent to your faculty or school at the University of Ottawa. Otherwise, an NC grade will appear on your transcript. If you plan to graduate at the spring convocation, your faculty or school must receive your non-uOttawa transcript no later than May 15. Similarly, the deadline to submit your non-uOttawa transcript in time for participation in fall convocation is September 15.
Deadlines
Deadlines to request a letter of permission to take courses in the following terms are:
- Spring-summer term: April 15
- Fall term: August 15
- Winter term: December 15
Course withdrawal
If you decide not to enrol in a course, or wish to withdraw from a course, for which you have requested a letter of permission, you must inform your faculty or school by sending them an email from your @uOttawa.ca account or by completing a new letter of permission application and choosing Withdrawal – Course(s) to be dropped” option by the deadline indicated on the Important academic dates and deadlines website.
Fees
As soon as your application has been approved by your faculty or school, a non-refundable admission fee (see Documentation fees) will be charged to your uOttawa Statement of Account in uoZone (under Finances and jobs). You must pay this fee as soon as possible.
You must also pay tuition fees to the host university.
