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Taking courses at other universities

If youre taking courses at another university, you will need to request a letter of permission or complete a learning agreement to ensure that any courses you take at another institution are counted towards your degree. These forms are for AV整氈窒 or Kings students and confirm that youre eligible to proceed with your request.

Graduate students: Contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies for more information on taking courses at other universities.

What process should I follow?

Request a letter of permission (LOP) if:

  • Youre a AV整氈窒 or King's undergrad student in a degree program who has completed your first year, and you want to take a course at another institution and have it count towards your degree.
  • You are participating in a departmental exchange with the exception of departmental exchanges in the following programs/faculties:
    • Faculty of Management
    • Faculty of Computer Science
    • Marine Biology Program
Learn how to request a letter of permission

Complete a learning agreement if:

  • You are participating in a university-wide exchange in any program or one of the three Departmental Exchanges listed above.
See the learning agreement process

Eligibility

You may be eligible for a LOP or learning agreement if:

  • You're in a degree program and in good academic standing. If youre on probation or have been academically dismissed, you are not eligible.

  • You dont owe money to Dal.

  • You havent maxed out your .

  • The course is eligible for transfer.

  • The course wont overload your schedule and exceed Dals workload limitations.

  • The course isnt available at Dal in the term you wish to take it, or you have another valid reason (like a full class, schedule conflict, or you're living outside the local area). If there is an equivalent class at Dal, permission may not be granted.

Letter of permission

Please submit your request to the Registrars Office at lop@dal.ca, unless you are registered in one of the following faculties or schools:

  • Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Management, School of Nursing: Get approval from your academic advisor first and then submit it to the Registrars Office.

  • Faculty of Agriculture Get approval from the Assistant Dean of Students (ada-agr@dal.ca) first and then submit it to the Registrars Office.

How to get a LOP

Download the Letter of Permission form [PDF - 426 KB]

Read the instructions carefully before completing the form.

  • Choose the course you wish to take at the host institution.

  • Use the tool to see if your course has approved for transfer credits before. This means that its been assessed by Dal, and deemed equivalent.

  • Even if the course has been approved before, you will still need to submit a LOP. Prior approval does not guarantee youll be granted permission to take the course.泭

  • If the course has been approved before, you can skip to step 6. If not, proceed to step 3.泭

If the course does not appear on the equivalency table, a departmental assessment is required.泭

  • Submit your LOP along with an official copy of the course description and syllabus to the department that offers similar courses. Course descriptions/syllabi are considered official if they meet one of the below requirements:

    • Printed or electronic copies from the institutions website
    • Links to the page on the institutions website which contains the course description/syllabus
    • Photocopies from the institutions academic calendar
    • Any other documentation bearing the Institutions seal or an official signature

Please note:

  • All course descriptions/syllabi must be provided in English. Any translated course descriptions/syllabi must be stamped, signed, and certified in order to be considered official.

  • If you are submitting information electronically, forward information from its original source (ie. previous post-secondary institution, representative, or instructor of the course) to authenticate the information being sent.泭

  • Each department handles letters of permission differently, so contact them to go over their procedure. A faculty member at the department will consider the course. If they approve, they'll sign your form.泭

  • The Department of Economics requires the calendar duration of a course (when the course starts and when it ends) and a link to the course information on the host institution's website for letter of permission transfer credit assessments.

If youre requesting a LOP because youre participating in an exchange or study abroad program, write e單釵堯硃紳眶梗 or study abroad on the form as your reason for taking courses elsewhere.

  • In person: Drop it off at an Enrolment Services Hub in Halifax or Truro.

  • Apply as a visiting student

  • Send them your approved and signed LOP

  • Check with them to see if they have other requirements (e.g. You may need to submit an official Dal transcript).

Register for your approved course(s) following the host institution's registration process.

  • Request your official transcript be sent to the Registrars Office at Dal.
  • Official transcripts can be emailed from the host institution to lop@dal.ca.泭
  • If you are sending your transcript, you can mail the original in a sealed envelope.

Learning agreement

There are three different types of learning agreement forms:

If砰oure疸ot sure which form to use, check with your International Centre Advisor (exchanges@dal.ca), or departmental advisor.

Submission deadlines

  • Fall term exchanges:浥une 15胼傭胼胼傭
    • May 15 for Australia and New Zealand exchanges, to accommodate different academic term dates
  • Winter term exchanges:November 1
  • Summer term exchanges:涉pril 1

How to complete the learning agreement

  • Save the form眩o your desktop, then皋pen疳n涉dobe (to allow signature capability).
  • Fill in the personal information section including the盎tudent盎ignature皰ortion皋n the reverse side of the form.

Work with your academic畝dvisor and exchange advisor to complete the proposed study plan.涅ts畝 good idea眩o gather your course descriptions and bring them to the meeting.

晨梗梭梯款喝梭眩棗棗梭莽:

  • 胼傭胼浚heck if the courses you want to take have been previously assessed and留eemed疾quivalent to AV整氈窒 courses. Review the course equivalency database or consult with your exchange advisor to confirm. If the courses do not畝ppear,畝 departmental assessment may be盍equired. Your exchange advisor can assist with this process.

  • Credit Conversion Table[PDF-179KB]:狼his table converts真nits used at other institutions into眩he equivalent畚redit hours at AV整氈窒.

Bring your form to the涅nternational Centre(or your department exchange畝dvisor).狼heyll畚omplete their section and send it to the Registrars Office.

The Registrars Office眩eam will畚heck that you meet the requirements and add the courses to your Dal畝cademic盍ecord.玆oull症et a copy of the completed form by email.

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Once you arrive and begin courses at your host疳nstitution畚omplete眩he confirmation section on page 2 of your learning agreement.胼傭

This is盍equired疳f you are receiving financial aid and/or if there are changes to your courses.

Once the host institution completes and signs their section of the疹earning畝greement疳t can be盎ubmitted眩o the Registrars Office:

楚鳥硃勳梭:LOP@dal.ca胼傭

Changes to your study plan

Course changes

If you are in an exchange or study abroad program, and your courses change from your approved learning agreement or letter of permission, you risk not receiving credit for completed coursework.玆ou will need to check and make sure that your new courses are approved by Dal:

  • Check the for current course equivalencies
  • If the course is listed, complete the confirmation section
  • If not listed, departmental assessment is盍equired
  • If departmental assessment is needed, contact your exchange advisor and include course information

Cancellations

If you have a course approved through a letter of permission and留ont盍egister for it, you must notify the Registrars Office眩o have it removed from your Dal record.

  • Before the add/drop date:浩鳥硃勳梭LOP@dal.ca.
  • After the add/drop date:浹ave the other institution疸otify眩he Registrar's Office at AV整氈窒 that you did not register for the course.

You can request畝 confirmation皋f疸on-enrolment letter or blank transcript病rom the host institution.

Grades

Courses taken at Canadian institutions

  • The letter grade from the other institution will be recorded on your AV整氈窒 record. If letter grades are not given, numeric grades will be converted to the appropriate AV整氈窒 equivalent letter grade.
  • If the other institution issues a letter grade that is not valid at AV整氈窒, it is converted to the corresponding letter grade.泭
    • For example a grade of D+ will be recorded on your academic record as a grade of D.
  • When percentage grades and letter grades are recorded on the official transcript, the letter grade is the grade used as your final grade and recorded on your academic record.

Challenge for credit courses

Courses that the other institution identifies on the transcript as being passed through challenge for credit will not be accepted by AV整氈窒, and you will not receive credit for the course.

Courses taken at international institutions

For courses taken at institutions outside of Canada, grades of P (pass) and F (fail), as appropriate, will be recorded on your AV整氈窒 record.

Graduating soon?

Your AV整氈窒 academic record will not be updated with your LOP grades until an official transcript is provided.泭

  • If this is your last course before graduation, the timing of when official transcripts are made available at the other institution may delay your graduation.泭

  • The AV整氈窒 Registrars Office typically needs to receive final official transcripts by May 1 for Spring Graduation or September 1 for Fall Graduation.泭