Waterloo definitions and immigration policy while studying

IRCC refers to each educational institution to determine the definition of full-time or part-time enrolment.

Full-time

A full-time student at University of Waterloo has at least 1.5 academic units in a term or enrolled in a co-operative (co-op) work term. If you choose to take any number of courses while on a co-op work term, you are still considered full-time. Co-operative Education has a cap on the number of courses you can take while on a co-op work term.

Part-time

If you are enrolled in less than 1.5 academic units, you are considered a part-time student.

A study permit holder in Canada can legally study part-time, however it is important to be aware of the implications on current and future work eligibility. Also, if you want to stay in Canada to work after completing your degree, then it is very important to remain registered full-time on your study and co-op work terms. Post-graduation work permit eligibility requires continuous full-time study with the exception of part-time registration in your final academic term being okay.

Distance learning

If you are taking some online courses or completing components of your program from outside of Canada, for example a co-op work term or taking online courses from outside of Canada, and you are interested in applying for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP) to work in Canada after completing your degree, eligibility for the PGWP includes a requirement that less than 50% of the program’s total courses be completed through distance learning (i.e. online courses) and only time spent studying in Canada counts towards the length of the PGWP. If you complete at least 2 years of your degree in Canada (6 terms), then you may be eligible to apply for the longest PGWP of 3 years, as long as you meet all the other requirements. Please see our post-graduation work permit page for more information and exceptions implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reduced course load

An approved reduced course load allows students to take less than 1.5 academic units while still maintaining full-time enrolment status. These considerations are reviewed and approved by AccessAbility Services who would provide a letter to confirm the accommodation has been made. 

Non-degree term 

If you are in a non-degree term, you are still considered an enrolled student and enrolled that term at Waterloo. Non-degree terms are used for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, not meeting academic requirements in previous terms and having to meet other academic requirements before transferring into a new program.

Required to withdraw term 

Required to withdraw (RTW) terms are imposed as per departmental policies. If you are unable to meet a program’s academic requirements or have been temporarily suspended from your program, you may be informed that you are required to withdraw for 1-2 terms.

Engineering students: Required to repeat terms and required to withdraw

Engineering students who have not met academic requirements in their first term at Waterloo may receive an academic decision of Failed Repeat Term or Failed Required to Withdraw. Students who receive this decision are eligible to repeat 1A during the following fall term and may be required to take winter and/or spring term off, depending on the co-op sequence, before repeating 1A the following fall term. 

Petition of grades

Students may petition a final grade due to special circumstances they faced during that term that resulted in poor academic standing. The results of the petition may impact enrolment status for that term. For example, a petitioned grade may be removed from the official transcript entirely even though a student was enrolled in 1.5 academic units (full-time) during that term.

Withdrawing from a course prior to the start of the WF period can impact calculation of enrolment status that term and dropping too many courses could result in finishing the term as a part-time student with less than 1.5 academic units. A WD is not an academic penalty. The important dates calendar lists the withdrawal deadlines and effects on the official transcript specified below:

• Withdrawing before the 100% tuition fee refund deadline: The course(s) will be removed from the official transcript.
• Withdrawing before the 50% tuition fee refund deadline: The course(s) will show as WD (withdrew, no credit granted) on the official transcript.
• Withdrawing before the deadline to drop a class and receive a WD on your official transcript: No refund is received for that term, however the course(s) will show on the official transcript as WD.

Withdrawing after the WD deadline: No refund received for the term, courses will show as WF (withdrew/failure, no credit granted).

When you're enrolled in a degree program at Waterloo, an off term is described as a term where you are not on a study term or co-op work term. However, IRCC does not always see an off term as a regularly scheduled break. IRCC explains on their website that if a student creates their own break, it is considered a leave from studies rather than a break.

IRCC describes a regularly scheduled break as needing to be a part of the educational institution’s schedule. 

The following are considered regularly scheduled breaks at Waterloo. The specific dates of the short break periods are stated in the important dates calendar for undergraduate students.

• Fall Reading Week
• Winter Reading Week
• Breaks between terms (The day after the final examination period or co-op work term period ends to the day before classes or co-op work term officially starts.)
• Off terms (When all students in the program or sequence are scheduled for an off term.)

For information on working during a scheduled break, please see our working in Canada page. 

Regular programs

All regular programs include an off term for the spring term (May to August) with the expectation of enrolment in fall term (September to December) and winter term (January to April). Prior to spring 2018, undergraduate students in a regular program were authorized to take a yearly off term for any term within our trimester system.

During a spring term, you are given the option to take this term off entirely, study part-time, or study full-time, and are still considered to be on a scheduled break.

Co-operative programs

Co-operative (co-op) programs also include an off term for the first spring term (May to August) if built into the program’s co-op sequence of alternating study and work terms. The sequence of study and work terms can change throughout a degree with permission from the academic department and the Co-operative Education department.

Reduced course load for engineering co-op programs 

Some first-year engineering students who are struggling academically throughout their first term may participate in the reduced course load program. This is a program that impacts the first year of studies only. During this program, student’s will have an off term (scheduled break) in their 2nd term (winter). The Faculty of Engineering website has the details about the reduced load program.

For information on not being enrolled, other than on a scheduled break, please see request an authorized leave for immigration purposes.

IRCC refers to each educational institution to determine the definition of full-time and part-time enrolment.

Full-time and part-time enrolment status will depend on departmental policies and the structure of the program and will be noted on your official transcript.

Thesis-based students are automatically enrolled as full-time regardless of the number of courses you’re taking in a term due to the expectation of conducting ongoing research throughout your program. The only exception may be your final term, where part-time enrolment may be possible. 

A study permit holder in Canada can legally study part-time, however it is important to be aware of the implications on current and future work eligibility. Also, if you want to stay in Canada to work after completing your degree, then it is very important to remain registered full-time on your study and co-op work terms. Post-graduation work permit eligibility requires continuous full-time study with the exception of part-time registration in your final academic term being okay. 

Full-time off-campus

If you are going to be completing a component of your degree, like research or internship related to your degree, where the activity requires you to be away from campus for more than four weeks in a term, you need to request a change in enrolment status to full-time off-campus. Please see our working in Canada page for information on hours.

If you are completing components of your program from outside of Canada, for example, your thesis research or a co-op work term, and you are interested in applying for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP) to work in Canada after completing your degree, eligibility for the PGWP includes a requirement that less than 50% of the program’s total courses be completed through distance learning (i.e. online courses) and only time spent studying in Canada counts towards the length of the PGWP. Depending on how much time you spend abroad studying during your degree, the length of PGWP you would be eligible for could be impacted. Please see our post-graduation work permit page for more information and exceptions implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Full-time status during co-operative work terms 

Although the official transcript notes part-time when enrolled in co-operative (co-op) work terms, this is not a reflection of course enrolment status. Students are enrolled full-time during their co-op work terms. The part-time status is simply a part of Waterloo’s internal systems allowing for proper generation of funding and tuition decisions.

Full-time status while taking a course and completing an internship

Some graduate programs may code internship terms as full-time if the student is taking a course during their internship. This full-time status is simply a part of Waterloo’s internal systems. The student is still considered to be on a degree-required work term, but has the option to take a course during this internship term. Therefore, full-time off-campus work during this term would be considered authorized due to the existence of a degree-required internship component. 

Completion date for post-graduation work permit (PGWP) purposes 

Official transcripts may reflect a withdrawal date in the final term that is different from your official completion date, which is the completion date noted on the official proof of enrolment letter. The withdrawal date on an official transcript reflects the point in which a student is no longer enrolled, however confirmation of program completion may not have been done until a later date due to administrative processing.

IRCC describes a regularly scheduled break as needing to be a part of the educational institutions schedule. 

The following are considered regularly scheduled breaks at Waterloo. The specific dates of the break periods are stated in the important dates calendar for graduate students.

• Fall Reading Week
• Winter Reading Week
• Breaks between terms (the day after the final examination period or co-op work term period ends to the day before classes or co-op work term officially starts)

Graduate (Masters and PhD) programs do not include scheduled break terms. IRCC explains on their website that if a student creates their own break, it is considered leave from studies rather than a break. Prior to spring 2018, graduate students were authorized to take a yearly scheduled break for any term within our trimester system. Prior to spring 2018, inactive terms were considered scheduled breaks.

For information on working during a scheduled break, please see our working in Canada page.

IRCC describes a regularly scheduled break as needing to be a part of the educational institutions schedule. 

The following are considered regularly scheduled breaks at Waterloo. The specific dates of the break periods are stated in the important dates calendar for graduate students.

• Fall Reading Week
• Winter Reading Week
• Breaks between terms (the day after the final examination period or co-op work term period ends to the day before classes or co-op work term officially starts)

Graduate (Masters and PhD) programs do not include scheduled break terms. IRCC explains on their website that if a student creates their own break, it is considered leave from studies rather than a break. Prior to spring 2018, graduate students were authorized to take a yearly scheduled break for any term within our trimester system. Prior to spring 2018, inactive terms were considered scheduled breaks.

For information on working during a scheduled break, please see our working in Canada page.