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Fall 2020 term information
New students
We’re excited for you to begin your first year at Waterloo and we want to make sure you know what the fall term will look like. As promised, here is more information about our courses for fall 2020. Not sure which faculty offers your program? View programs listed by faculty.
For courses delivered online, some may have real-time activities like online meetings and lectures. If these elements are part of your course, we have asked our instructors to make sure that no students in the class are disadvantaged if they are unable to participate synchronously.
As we confirm more details, we will keep this page updated
Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
Incoming first-year students:
- We will deliver all first-year courses including lectures, labs and tutorials online for fall 2020.
Incoming transfer students:
- We will deliver all undergraduate courses online for fall 2020.
- Submit documents such as final transcripts and course syllabi for possible transfer credit. After you’ve accepted your offer, a transfer credit assessment will be emailed to you.
- Once you’ve received and accepted your transfer credit assessment, contact your academic advisor for help with selecting courses.
Other notes:
For more information to help you prepare for the fall, please visit the Applied Health Sciences first-year guide, course selection and student mentorship program pages.
Faculty of Arts (includes School of Accounting and Finance, Global Business and Digital Arts, and University Colleges)
First-year incoming students:
- All first-year courses, tutorials, and labs will be delivered online for fall 2020. This includes Accounting and Financial Management, Computing and Financial Management, Global Business and Digital Arts, Honours Arts, Honours Arts and Business, Social Development Studies, and all arts-related courses through the University Colleges (Renison University College, St. Jerome’s University, and Conrad Grebel University College).
Incoming transfer students:
- We will deliver all undergraduate courses online for fall 2020.
Other notes:
- Incoming Honours Arts and Honours Arts and Business students can choose to take a reduced course load in the fall term.
- All Bridge to Academic Success in English (BASE) courses will be delivered online for fall 2020. For those attending iBASE prior to beginning the fall term, all courses will be delivered online.
If you have questions in the coming weeks we invite you to ask us anything about Arts.
Faculty of Engineering (includes Software Engineering)
Incoming first-year students:
- We will deliver all first-year courses including lectures, labs, and tutorials only online in fall 2020.
- Exception:
- For Chemical Engineering students: CHE 180: Design Studio 1, which includes a practical component that has been adapted so you can complete it at home, will be delivered completely online. In addition, students will have the option to complete the practical component on campus during two 2-3 hour sessions.
- Many programs will offer opportunities for you to make short visits to campus to participate in extra-curricular activities if desired.
Incoming transfer students:
- We will deliver all undergraduate courses only online in fall 2020.
- Exceptions:
- For Chemical Engineering students: all labs, including experiments, will be delivered completely online. In addition, provisions will be made to accommodate students who want to conduct the following experiments on campus: two in each of CHE 290 and CHE 291 and all three in CHE 490.
- Specific labs in Nanotechnology Engineering will be offered only in-person for NE 330L, NE 340L, NE 454C, and NE 454D. These labs, due to their nature, cannot be offered online. Students who are not able to come to campus will be given an opportunity to do these labs in a future term.
Other notes:
- Engineering students normally take a full course load every academic term. However, you may drop one elective (if the term has an elective) to lighten your load, with the electives made up in another term. If you are a first-year student and finding the load unmanageable in the fall (1A) term you may be eligible for the 1A reduced-load program, where you can complete your 1A courses over two academic terms. Please note that this does not apply to Architecture students.
- All Bridge to Academic Success in English (BASE) courses will be delivered online for fall 2020. For those attending iBASE prior to beginning the fall term, all courses will be delivered online.
If you have questions, please e-mail firstyear.engineering@uwaterloo.ca.
Faculty of Environment
First-year incoming students:
- We will deliver all first-year courses including lectures, labs and tutorials online for fall 2020.
Incoming transfer students:
- We will deliver all undergraduate courses online for fall 2020.
Other notes:
- You may be able to take a reduced course load. If this interests you, please consult with your academic advisor.
- All Bridge to Academic Success in English (BASE) courses will be delivered online for fall 2020. For those attending iBASE prior to beginning the fall term, all courses will be delivered online.
If you have questions in the coming weeks please contact your academic advisor, or check out our course enrolment website for more information.
Faculty of Mathematics (includes Computer Science)
First-year incoming and transfer students:
Other notes:
- To meet first-year progression requirements, both BMATH/BBA and BCS/BBA Double Degree as well as Math/CPA students are required to take a full load in their 1A. For students to progress through their CFM studies in a timely manner and so that they’re not at a disadvantage for the timing of their future AFM courses starting in second year, they should be taking a full course load in 1A. All other students can choose to take a reduced course load.
- All ELAS courses will be delivered online for fall 2020.
Please visit the New Math Students website for more information about preparing for the fall term.
Faculty of Science
Incoming first-year students:
- We will deliver all first-year courses including lectures, labs and tutorials only online for fall 2020.
- Labs will focus on critical thinking, method development and error management, delivered through videos of simulations and/or demonstrations. Some will offer hands-on learning opportunities with household materials, and some will offer opportunities for interaction with other students in the same section.
Incoming transfer students:
- We will offer most courses only online, but some upper-year labs and fourth-year courses will be only in person, or a combination of in person and online. We will share more information on the Schedule of Classes.
- Visit our transfer student page for more information about transferring to the Faculty of Science from another college or university.
Other notes:
- For more information regarding required courses, please visit this website.
- For guidance on course load please visit this website.
- All Bridge to Academic Success in English (BASE) courses will be delivered online for fall 2020. For those attending iBASE prior to beginning the fall term, all courses will be delivered online.
Please visit the Science website for new students for more information about preparing for the fall term.
If you’re a high school or transfer student who has received or accepted an offer of admission for September, please also refer to our FAQs for you.
Returning students
Waterloo is preparing fall term for you! Below you will find current details pertaining to course delivery in your faculty for the fall 2020 term. Any course components that are delivered in-person will be done following the guidance of public health officials as required.
For courses delivered online, some may have real-time activities like online meetings and lectures. If these elements are part of your course, we have asked our instructors to make sure that no students in the class are disadvantaged if they are unable to participate synchronously.
As we confirm more details, we will keep this page updated.
Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
We will deliver all undergraduate courses online for fall 2020.
Faculty of Arts (includes School of Accounting and Finance, Global Business and Digital Arts, and University Colleges)
We will deliver all undergraduate courses online for fall 2020.
If you have questions, please contact your academic advisor.
Faculty of Engineering (includes Software Engineering)
- We will deliver all undergraduate courses only online in fall 2020.
- Exceptions:
- For Chemical Engineering students: all labs, including experiments, will be delivered completely online. In addition, provisions will be made to accommodate students who want to conduct the following experiments on campus: two in each of CHE 290 and CHE 291 and all three in CHE 490.
- Specific labs in Nanotechnology Engineering will be offered only in-person for NE 330L, NE 340L, NE 454C, and NE 454D. These labs, due to their nature, cannot be offered online. Students who are not able to come to campus will be given an opportunity to do these labs in a future term.
If you have questions, please contact your academic advisor.
Faculty of Environment
- We will deliver all undergraduate courses online for fall 2020.
Faculty of Mathematics (includes Computer Science)
- We will deliver all undergraduate courses online for fall 2020.
- Optional in-person components: There is only one scheduled in-person component: AMATH 456 has an on-campus tutorial.
Faculty of Science
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All 100-, 200- and 300-level undergraduate and professional lecture courses will be delivered only online for fall 2020. Some fourth-year lecture courses with fewer than 30 students per course or section will be offered only in-person, and others only online.
- Depending on space availability and logistics, some 200- and 300-level lab courses will be only in-person or a combination of in-person and online; other lab courses will be only online for fall 2020. This includes:
- Biology: all 200- and 300-level labs will be only online except BIOL 240L, which will be a combination of in-person and online.
- Chemistry: all 200- and 300-level labs will be a combination of in-person and online, except CHEM 262L, and 266L, which will be only online.
- Earth: all 200- and 300-level labs will be only online, except the following, which will be a combination of in-person and online EARTH 223, EARTH 231, and EARTH 331.
- Physics and Astronomy: 200- and 300-level labs will be offered only online, except PHYS 360A, which will be only in-person. PHYS 224L and PHYS360B will not be offered.
- Optometry: all 200- and 300-level labs will be only in-person. All participants will follow mandatory PPE and infection control measures.
- Pharmacy: PHARM 125 and PHARM 228 will be only in-person.
- Optometry 300- and 400-level clinic and clerkship courses will occur only in-person, following rigorous safety protocols. OPTOM 412 and 477 will be only online.
- Fourth Year Honours Thesis Project courses will be offered. In-person activity will be dependent on the research project and the resumption of on campus research activities.
- PHARM 401 will be offered online with optional in-person bench research opportunities. In-person activity will be dependent on the research project and the resumption of on campus research activities.
Co-op program information
Co-operative and Experiential Education is engaging with co-op students to help them search for jobs and navigate their work terms in light of COVID-19.
If you have a work term scheduled for Spring 2020, Fall 2020 or Winter 2021, please visit the webpages below to learn about changes to your work term and how co-op processes and requirements have been altered to help students meet their degree requirements.
If you have questions related to co-op, please reach out to your co-op advisor by sending a message through WaterlooWorks. Your advisor is there to support you as you search for work, make career decisions and make the most of your work term.
Students in other work placements can reach out to their academic supervisor if they have any concerns.
International student supports
International students can access free and confidential online appointments with our experienced and dedicated team of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) who are licensed with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC).
The University’s International Student Experience provides a variety of supports, available online, for international students including:
Taking courses at other institutions
All University travel is currently suspended. For most up-to-date travel-related University of Waterloo instruction, visit the Health and travel guidance page.
Letter of Permission Applications
On March 20, the Office of the Registrar announced changes to Letter of Permission Applications.
For spring and fall 2020: The University of Waterloo has instituted a travel ban. If you are wishing to study at a post-secondary institution on Letter of Permission (LOP) for either spring or fall 2020, you will only be able to do so if the courses are being offered online or, for in-person classes, if you are already in the city where the institution is located (i.e., no travel is required) and the institution is operating. This will allow you to continue your studies if you have returned home. Review the University's travel advice on the Coronavirus Information website for up-to-date information. Special note: If you already applied for a spring LOP and would like to withdraw your application, your application fee will be refunded. Contact askthecentre@uwaterloo.ca to initiate the refund.
AccessAbility Services
Although the doors of AccessAbility Services and the Exam Centre are temporary closed, our staff our still available and committed to students. AAS will continue to support students with assistive technology, learning strategy support, and accommodation consulting to ensure you are supported in the online space.
Find out more about AccessAbility Services modified services.
Accommodations due to COVID-19
You can find details on normal academic regulations and accommodations on the University’s academic calendar.
You are reminded that our rules for accommodations for justified absence from class and/or from assessments are in place to support student success and to mitigate the effects of extenuating circumstances on their academic progress. These accommodations remain in place for alternative course delivery.
Find out how to self-declare an illness.
Accommodation for illnesses
We have made the University of Waterloo Verification of Illness form for students a self-declaration, which means students do not need a doctor’s note for accommodation if they become ill. Students can find the Illness self-declaration form in the Personal Information section of Quest.
Other accommodations due to COVID-19
When in-person courses resume, if you are delayed from returning to class because of the coronavirus outbreak – please communicate with your instructors and advisors as soon as possible about your absence.
If you believe you have extenuating circumstances or have been adversely impacted by COVID-19 which has affected your academic record, you may wish to discuss with your academic advisor whether to submit a petition for exception to academic regulations in line with Policy 70.
