If you're completing an undergraduate degree at another Canadian institution and want to take courses at the University of Waterloo to apply towards your degree, you'll need to submit a Letter of Permission.
If you have previously taken a course on a Letter of Permission at Waterloo, complete the Visiting Student Readmission Application. If you need assistance, email the Office of the Registrar.
Course enrolment
Completing the Letter of Permission application and providing documentation does not guarantee enrolment. The courses you wish to take may not be available due to enrolment limits, so we recommend that you request more than one course on your Letter of Permission. Course enrolment priority is given to Waterloo students. There are some subject areas that do not allow enrolment through a Letter of Permission. The Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Mathematics course availability is limited and subject to their direct approval. If we are unable to process your application for any reason the application fee is non-refundable.
Check our Schedule of Classes for enrolment limits and up-to-date information on available space.
English language requirements
The official language of instruction at the University of Waterloo is English. Therefore all applicants must satisfy the English language requirements. You may be asked to provide a passing test score.
Application fee
There is a non-refundable application fee of $55 CAD. Your application will not be forwarded from OUAC to Waterloo until all required fees have been received.
Documents required
| Document | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Letter of Permission application | Complete the Letter of Permission application on the Ontario University Application Centre by the application deadline (see below) for the term.
If you're unable to complete and submit your application, you'll need to return here to use the "Letter of Permission application" link to complete your application. A link to the application is not available on the OUAC website. If you need assistance, email the Office of the Registrar. |
| Approved Letter of Permission | You must be in good standing at your home university and provide an approved Letter of Permission listing the course(s) you intend to take. |
| Unofficial university transcripts and course syllabi | If you're applying for undergraduate courses at the 200 level (second year) or above in Engineering or Mathematics, you'll need to provide an unofficial transcript and may also be required to provide course syllabi. This may also be requested for upper-year courses in other subject areas. |
Application and document deadlines
| Term you wish to start | Application opens | Last day to apply | Last day to submit documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| January - April 2025 (winter term) | August 18, 2025 | December 12, 2025 | December 19, 2025 |
| May - August 2025 (spring term) | December 3, 2024 | April 18, 2025 | April 30, 2025 |
| September - December 2025 (fall term) | April 16, 2025 | August 15, 2025 | August 29, 2025 |
After your application
Within two weeks of submitting your application and payment, you will receive an email with further information and instructions.