Withdrawals, Refunds & Transfers
As a student at the University of Guelph, it is important for you to understand your rights and responsibilities and the academic rules and regulations that must be followed.
Policies differ by course type. Please review your course code to determine which policy applies to your situation. Degree-credit courses can be identified by the course code pattern, ABCD*1234. All other course codes indicate non-degree courses. If you require further clarification, please contact our main office.
Withdrawals, Refunds & Transfers
Course Withdrawals
If a learner wishes to withdraw from a course, they must log into the SCS Student Portal and follow these steps:
- Using your username and password, login selecting the I already have an account option.
- Go to the My Enrolment History option under the Student Portal tab.
- There will be a drop button on the right-hand side of the course that you wish to be removed from.
- Select Request Drop in the Actions and Status column. Your request to withdraw from a course will then be sent to the appropriate staff member for review. You will be notified via email when your request is approved or denied.
Dropping a School of Continuing Studies (SCS) course before the last day of classes, for that specific course, will ensure that there is no record of that course on your School of Continuing Studies transcript (i.e., no academic penalties). It is not possible to drop a SCS course after the last day of classes, for a particular course, without applying for a backdated course drop through the Academic Consideration process. Applications for Academic Consideration are not guaranteed to be granted. See the Academic Consideration policy for more details.
If you require further assistance, please email our main office or phone us at 519-767-5000.
Withdrawal Conditions
Apart from through the SCS Student Portal, withdrawals are permitted if we receive a written request by the registered learner, or pre-authorized third-party agent, prior to the applicable deadline. Written requests must include the learner's name, student ID number, course number, course title, and the reason for the withdrawal.
The following actions do NOT constitute an official withdrawal:
- Cancelling a cheque or credit card payment.
- Failing to attend or participate in any course-related scheduled activities.
- Advising the instructor that you will no longer attend or participate in any course-related activities.
- Requesting to withdraw from a course after noted deadlines.
Refund Schedule
All refunds (as per the deadlines stated below) must be returned via the original method of payment.
This schedule is updated every semester.
Winter 2026 | 12-Week Schedule
| Dates | Tuition Refund |
|---|---|
| January 5 to January 11 | 100% |
| January 12 to January 18 | 75% |
| January 19 to January 25 | 50% |
| January 26 to February 1 | 25% |
| February 2 and later | None |
The last day to receive a full refund is January 11, 2026.
After the 100% refund date, the refund is a percentage of the tuition fee, minus a $75 administration fee.
Monday, April 6, 2026 is the last day to drop without academic penalty.
Course Transfers
There is no administrative fee for degree-credit course transfers or transfers from a degree-credit course to a non-degree-credit course. Learners are, however, responsible for paying the difference if they transfer to a course with a higher fee. The School of Continuing Studies will reimburse the difference if a learner transfers to a course with a lower fee. Course transfers are possible during the enrolment period. Once a semester enrolment period has closed, it is no longer possible to transfer from one degree-credit course to another.
To transfer out of a course and into another, log into the SCS Student Portal.
- Using your username and password, login selecting the I already have an account option.
- Go to the My Enrolment History option under the Student Portal tab.
- Select Transfer in the Actions and Status column and specify which course you wish to transfer to. Your request to transfer from one course to another will then be sent to the appropriate staff member for review. You will be notified via email when your request is approved or denied.
Course Withdrawals
If a learner wishes to withdraw from a course, they must log into the SCS Student Portal and follow these steps:
- Using your username and password, login selecting the I already have an account option.
- Go to the My Enrolment History option under the Student Portal tab.
- There will be a drop button on the right-hand side of the course that you wish to be removed from.
- Select Request Drop in the Actions and Status column. Your request to withdraw from a course will then be sent to the appropriate staff member for review. You will be notified via email when your request is approved or denied.
Dropping a School of Continuing Studies (SCS) course before the last day of classes, for that specific course, will ensure that there is no record of that course on your School of Continuing Studies transcript (i.e., no academic penalties). It is not possible to drop a SCS course after the last day of classes, for a particular course, without applying for a backdated course drop through the Academic Consideration process. Applications for Academic Consideration are not guaranteed to be granted. See the Academic Consideration policy for more details.
If you require further assistance, please email our main office or phone us at 519-767-5000.
Withdrawal Conditions
Apart from through the SCS Student Portal, withdrawals are permitted if we receive a written request by the registered learner, or pre-authorized third-party agent, prior to the applicable deadline. Written requests must include the learner's name, student ID number, course number, course title, and the reason for the withdrawal.
The following actions do NOT constitute an official withdrawal:
- Cancelling a cheque or credit card payment.
- Failing to attend or participate in any course-related scheduled activities.
- Advising the instructor that you will no longer attend or participate in any course-related activities.
- Requesting to withdraw from a course after noted deadlines.
In-Person and Online Synchronous Courses
Full Refund
A full refund will be granted if the withdrawal request is submitted 30 or more calendar days before the course start date.
Partial Refund (80%)
A refund of 80% of the course fee (a 20% administrative fee will be retained) will be granted if the withdrawal request is submitted between 14 and 29 calendar days before the course start date.
No Refund
No refund will be granted if:
- The withdrawal request is submitted fewer than 14 calendar days before the course start date, or
- The course has already started.
Online Asynchronous Courses
Full Refund
A full refund will be granted if the withdrawal request is submitted 30 or more calendar days before the course start date.
Partial Refund (80%)
A refund of 80% of the course fee (a 20% administrative fee will be retained) will be granted only if:
- The withdrawal request is submitted within 7 calendar days of the course start date, and
- Less than 10% of the course content has been accessed or completed.
Online Self-Directed Courses:
A refund of 80% of the course fee (a 20% administrative fee will be retained) will be granted only if:
- Less than 10% of the course content has been accessed or completed, and
- The withdrawal request is made within 3 days of the student’s first course access (not including the day of initial access).
Please Note: Your course will be labelled on the website as self-directed.
No Refund
No refund will be granted if:
- The withdrawal request is submitted more than 7 calendar days after the course start date, or
- 10% or more of the course content has been accessed or completed.
Note: For the purposes of this policy, accessing or completing course content includes logging into the course platform, viewing materials, downloading files, or completing any activities or assessments.
Non-Refundable Fees
Material or resource fees are non-refundable once access to digital materials has been granted or physical materials have been shipped or distributed.
Course Transfers
- A $100.00 administrative fee applies to transfer requests submitted fewer than 15 business days before the course start date.
- A course transfer counts as a final registration; once a learner has transferred into another course, the new course becomes non-refundable.
The School of Continuing Studies reserves the right to limit or deny future registrations if refund/transfer policies are abused.
Course Transfer Process
To transfer out of a course and into another, log into the SCS Student Portal.
- Using your username and password, login selecting the I already have an account option.
- Go to the My Enrolment History option under the Student Portal tab.
- Select Transfer in the Actions and Status column and specify which course you wish to transfer to. Your request to transfer from one course to another will then be sent to the appropriate staff member for review. You will be notified via email when your request is approved or denied.