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University of Waterloo

This institution has signed on to Ontario’s Principles for Credit Transfer.

Transfer Advisor

General Information

Provides students with the main website(s) containing general credit transfer information.

Check out the following resources to learn more about credit transfer at the University of Waterloo: 

Required Grades and/or GPA, Level(s) of Completed Previous Education, and Program Prerequisites (Admission)

Provides students with the minimum grades and/or GPA, level(s) of completed previous postsecondary, and program prerequisites required for admission.

Review the admission requirements for all programs at the University of Waterloo:

Required Grade and/or GPA (Transfer Credit Eligibility)

Provides students with the minimum grade and/or GPA required for transfer credit eligibility.

The minimum grade required to transfer a course to the University of Waterloo is 70% for college applicants and 60% for university applicants. Some programs may have higher requirements.

Course Equivalencies, Pathways and Articulation Agreements

Provides students with available course equivalency, pathway, and articulation agreement materials for planning purposes.

 

Types of Credit Awarded

Provides students with the types of credit awarded and a brief definition of each (advanced standing, block, exemptions, equivalencies, specified, unspecified, generic, etc.).

The University of Waterloo awards equivalencies (PSYCH 101), non-specific (PSYCH 1XX) and generic (MISC 1XX) credits in recognition of previous learning.

Residency Requirements

Provides students with the amount of study they must complete in order to be awarded the credential in which they are enrolled.

The amount of transfer credit you can receive is limited by the University of Waterloo's residency policy. The policy states that at least 50% of courses must be completed at the University (a maximum of 10 units [20 courses] in a 4 year degree and 7.5 units [15 courses] in a 3 year degree). In addition, some programs may further limit the amount of transfer credit granted. 

Students must meet all requirements of the University of Waterloo academic plan in order to graduate, regardless of the number of transfer credits that they receive.

Currency/Timing of Previous Postsecondary Education

Provides students with an indicator of the currency required to utilize their previously completed postsecondary education for transfer credit.

All currency considerations at the University of Waterloo are dependent on the Faculty in which you are enrolled.

Faculty of Applied Health Sciences

  • Courses completed within the past 5 years, prior to admission, will be considered. Courses completed between 5 and 10 years, prior to admission, may receive direct elective transfer credit (no core courses) or non-specific miscellaneous credit (i.e. MISC 1XX). Courses completed beyond 10 years, prior to admission, will not receive transfer credit.

Faculty of Arts

  • Courses completed within the past 10 years, prior to admission, will be considered. Courses completed beyond 10 years, prior to admission, will be consider on a case-by-case basis and will most often receive non-specific credit (i.e. PSYCH 1XX).

Faculty of Engineering (except Architecture) 

  • Applicants will rarely receive up to one or two terms for university credits, depending on previous work experience and course schedule overlap. Courses completed within the past 3 years, prior to admission, will be considered for related university subjects. No transfer credits will be awarded for related courses taken at a college.

Architecture

  • The maximum number of transfer credits applicants can receive is 1.5 credits for courses in related university subjects. No transfer credits will be awarded for related courses taken at a college.

Faculty of Environment 

  • Courses completed within the past 10 years, prior to admission, will be considered. Courses completed beyond 10 years, prior to admission, will be consider on a case-by-case basis and will most often receive non-specific credit (i.e. GEOG 1XX).

Faculty of Mathematics

  • Courses completed within the past 10 years, prior to admission, will be considered.

Faculty of Science 

  • Courses completed within the past 10 years, prior to admission, will be considered.

PLAR Procedures/Steps

Provides students with the procedures/steps they must follow in order to receive a PLAR assessment.

Follow these steps in order to receive your PLAR assessment at the University of Waterloo:

  • The University of Waterloo does not grant PLAR credits. Credits granted by another institution on the basis of PLAR are not transferable to the University of Waterloo.

PLAR Costs

Provides students with the cost of completing a PLAR assessment (challenge exam, course challenge, portfolio, etc.).

Not applicable.

Appearance of Awarded Transfer Credit(s) on Transcript

Provides students with the code(s) used to record transfer credits on their transcript and an indication of whether these credits will be included in GPA calculation.

Transfer credits will be recorded on your University of Waterloo transcript as total units/credits awarded and will not be included in GPA calculation. 

Key Point(s) of Contact (Transfer Advisor and/or Service Area)

Provides students with a contact to discuss common credit transfer inquiries (Transfer Advisor, service area, etc.).

Contact a University of Waterloo Transfer Advisor to discuss your credit transfer inquiries:

Official Credit Transfer Policies (Academic Regulations/Directives Documents, Calendars and Handbooks)

Provides students with a reference to official credit transfer policies outlined in academic regulations/directives documents, calendars, and handbooks.

Familiarize yourself with the University of Waterloo’s official credit transfer policies:

Transfer Credit Procedures/Steps

Provides students with the procedures/steps they must follow in order to receive a transfer credit assessment.

Follow these steps in order to receive your transfer credit assessment at the University of Waterloo:

  • Transfer credits will be assessed after you've been admitted to the University of Waterloo.
  • All official documents, including an official final transcript and English language test results, must be sent directly to the Office of the Registrar by the issuing college, university or testing authority. In addition, you'll need to submit detailed course outlines (syllabi) for all courses you've completed or are in the process of completing. Brief calendar descriptions are not sufficient for transfer credit assessment. Please contact us if detailed course syllabi are not available from your institution. Send your transcripts and course outlines to:
  • Office of the Registrar
  • University of Waterloo
  • 200 University Ave W
  • Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1
  • Fax: 519-746-2882
  • E-mail: transfer@uwaterloo.ca
  •  
  • Please include your full name, program(s) applied to, University of Waterloo ID number, and Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) reference number in your correspondence. If you are emailing course descriptions, please send in PDF or Microsoft Word .doc or docx format.

Transfer Credit Costs

Provides students with the cost of completing a transfer credit assessment (advanced standing, exemption, etc.).

 

Transfer Credit Required Documentation

Provides students with a listing of the documentation they must submit to have their previously completed postsecondary education assessed for transfer credit.

The documentation required to have your previously completed postsecondary education assessed for transfer credit at the University of Waterloo includes: 

  • Official transcript(s) for all courses attempted or completed at a postsecondary institution and high school
  • Course outline(s)/syllabi

Transfer Credit Application Form(s)

Provides students with a copy of the transfer credit application form or link to the online submission tool (where applicable).

An application form is not required at the University of Waterloo. Applicants who have previously attended a postsecondary institution are automatically assessed for transfer credit.

Deadline(s) for Application

Provides students with the deadline by which they must apply for transfer credit.

Transfer credit is automatically assessed at the University of Waterloo. Students must disclose all previous postsecondary education (transcripts) upon submitting their admissions application. All required supporting documentation should be submitted in accordance with the deadlines associated with your program and semester of admission.

Timing of Transfer Credit Decisions

Provides students with an expectation regarding the time it takes to process a transfer credit decision.

A transfer credit decision at the University of Waterloo varies in the time it takes to process, as it is determined on a case-by-case basis. For the majority of students applying from Ontario post-secondary institutions the transfer credit assessment begins at the time of offer. The time it takes to process a transfer credit decision is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Review/Appeal Procedures

Provides students with the process for appealing a transfer credit decision.

 

 

ONTransfer.ca endeavours to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding credit transfer; however, changes and updates to transfer opportunities happen on an ongoing basis. Students MUST check with the institution directly before applying to any program.