Exchange & Letter of Permission

Exchange Programs

A variety of exchange programs exist for undergraduate students and graduate students who wish to study at an overseas institution for a period of time. For further information about studying abroad, visit the Centre for International Programs website.

Letter of Permission

A student at the University of Guelph who wishes to enroll in a course for credit at another institution and have that course considered as a credit toward a University of Guelph degree, must complete a Request for Letter of Permission. Once the student has obtained the appropriate approvals (as indicated on the request form), they must submit the completed request form to Enrolment Services.

Download the Request for Letter of Permission form.

Conditions for the Letter

The following conditions will apply when a Letter of Permission is granted by the University of Guelph.

1. A student must complete a Request for Letter of Permission and obtain the appropriate approvals as indicated on the request form PRIOR to applying for admission to the other institution.
2. Course descriptions from the host institution must be provided to the student’s Academic Advisor with the Request for Letter of Permission form for approval.
3. When a Letter of Permission is granted to a currently registered student, it will be provisional pending successful completion of the continuation of study requirements for that semester. If a student is not eligible to continue, the Letter of Permission may be cancelled by the University of Guelph.
4. Students must normally be registered at the University of Guelph for the final semester of their Degree Program. If a Letter of Permission is granted for the final course(s) of a student's program, it is not likely that the student will be able to graduate at the next Convocation. For example, if a course is taken during the Summer Semester, the probable Convocation is February. If a course is taken during the Fall Semester, the probable convocation is June.
5. Students are responsible for adhering to the host school's visiting student application process and deadline. Once admitted to the host school, the student must also adhere to the host school's deadline to add courses.
6. Any changes in the courses taken on a Letter of Permission must have the appropriate approvals from a Academic Advisor. A revised Request for Letter of Permission form must be signed by a Academic Advisor and submitted to Academic Records at academicrecords@uoguelph.ca.
7. Changes to the application term will be treated as a new application and a $70 application fee will apply, i.e. student initially applies for the Summer term but does not attend and then wants to change it to the Fall term.
8. If a student chooses not to complete the requested course(s) on a Letter of Permission, the student must provide official documentation from the host institution that confirms withdrawal or non-registration. If this has not been received by the 20th class day of the semester following the scheduled course, a grade of "F" will be entered on the student's internal academic record (if official documentation is subsequently received, a course drop will replace the F).
9. A student taking a course on a Letter of Permission is responsible for ensuring that the host institution forwards the official transcript directly to Academic Records, Enrolment Services, Office of Registrarial Services. Transcripts can be emailed or shared to academicrecords@uoguelph.ca. Transcripts can also be mailed to:
   Enrolment Services
   Office of Registrarial Services | University of Guelph
   University Centre, Level 3 | 50 Stone Road E | Guelph, ON | N1G 2W1
   Further, the transcript for the course taken must be received by the 20th class day of the semester following completion of the course, otherwise a grade of "F" will be entered on the student's internal academic record. If official documentation is subsequently received and a passing grade was earned, a CRD (Credit - pass standing granted) will replace the F. If a failing grade was earned, the F will remain on the internal record.
10. All courses for which a Letter of Permission has been granted and the grades attained (either CRD or F) will be included in all internal academic records (e.g. program/academic evaluation). The official transcript of the University of Guelph will indicate the number of credits taken and earned on a Letter of Permission and the name of the host institution; it will not include the course number(s) or title(s).
11. Courses taken on a Letter of Permission will count toward cumulative credit attempts.
12. Courses taken on a Letter of Permission will not count in the term or cumulative average.