What is a Letter of Permission?
A Letter of Permission (LOP) allows you to take a course during either an academic or co-op term, at another institution for a credit towards your Waterloo degree.
Things to be aware of:
- You will need to have your LOP application approved by your academic advisor prior to starting the course. LOPs are not appropriate for all scenarios, and approval is at the discretion of your academic advisor.
- There is a fee for each LOP.
- A minimum grade of 60 is required to have the credit transferred to your record.
- You will need to request an official transcript for the course be sent from the host institution directly to the Registrar’s Office within two months of the completion of the course.
- The grade will not be included in the calculation of your term or cumulative average.
- Some host institutions require an application for admission as a part time student.
- You need to notify the Centre and your academic advisor if you withdraw from or do not take the course.
- LOPs cannot be used to replace an entire academic level (e.g., you cannot replace all required and elective 3A courses); they also cannot be used in place of an exchange agreement.
Note: if you take a course at another institution without an approved LOP, the course will not be acknowledged by Waterloo as a credit towards your degree.
Some reasons you may take a course on an LOP
- To replace a failed or dropped course,
- To take an elective to allow for a reduced load in a future term,
- To take a course not available at an exchange institution (e.g., taking a course at an online university while you are studying abroad or on a subsequent co-op term),
- To take a course required because you changed majors,
- To take courses towards additional credentials.