If you’re taking courses at another university, you will need to request a letter of permission or complete a learning agreement to ensure that any courses you take at another institution are counted towards your degree. These forms are for Dalhousie or King’s students and confirm that you’re eligible to proceed with your request.
Graduate students: Contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies for more information on taking courses at other universities.
What process should I follow?
Eligibility
You may be eligible for a LOP or learning agreement if:
You're in a degree program and in good academic standing. If you’re on probation or have been academically dismissed, you are not eligible.
You don’t owe money to Dal.
You haven’t maxed out your transfer credits.
The course is eligible for transfer.
The course won’t overload your schedule and exceed Dal’s workload limitations.
The course isn’t available at Dal in the term you wish to take it, or you have another valid reason (like a full class, schedule conflict, or you're living outside the local area). If there is an equivalent class at Dal, permission may not be granted.
Letter of permission
Please submit your request to the Registrar’s Office at lop@dal.ca, unless you are registered in one of the following faculties or schools:
Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Management, School of Nursing: Get approval from your academic advisor first and then submit it to the Registrar’s Office.
Faculty of Agriculture – Get approval from the Assistant Dean of Students (ada-agr@dal.ca) first and then submit it to the Registrar’s Office.
How to get a LOP
Read the instructions carefully before completing the form.
Choose the course you wish to take at the host institution.
Use the Dal Online Transfer Equivalencies tool to see if your course has approved for transfer credits before. This means that it’s been assessed by Dal, and deemed equivalent.
Even if the course has been approved before, you will still need to submit a LOP. Prior approval does not guarantee you’ll be granted permission to take the course.
If the course has been approved before, you can skip to step 6. If not, proceed to step 3.
If the course does not appear on the equivalency table, a departmental assessment is required.
Submit your LOP along with an official copy of the course description and syllabus to the department that offers similar courses. Course descriptions/syllabi are considered official if they meet one of the below requirements:
- Printed or electronic copies from the institution’s website
- Links to the page on the institution’s website which contains the course description/syllabus
- Photocopies from the institution’s academic calendar
- Any other documentation bearing the Institution’s seal or an official signature
Please note:
All course descriptions/syllabi must be provided in English. Any translated course descriptions/syllabi must be stamped, signed, and certified in order to be considered official.
If you are submitting information electronically, forward information from its original source (ie. previous post-secondary institution, representative, or instructor of the course) to authenticate the information being sent.
Each department handles letters of permission differently, so contact them to go over their procedure. A faculty member at the department will consider the course. If they approve, they'll sign your form.
The Department of Economics requires the calendar duration of a course (when the course starts and when it ends) and a link to the course information on the host institution's website for letter of permission transfer credit assessments.
Apply as a visiting student
Send them your approved and signed LOP
Check with them to see if they have other requirements (e.g. You may need to submit an official Dal transcript).
Register for your approved course(s) following the host institution's registration process.
- Request your official transcript be sent to the Registrar’s Office at Dal.
- Official transcripts can be emailed from the host institution to lop@dal.ca.
- If you are sending your transcript, you can mail the original in a sealed envelope.
Learning agreement
There are three different types of learning agreement forms:
General: Learning agreement for Exchange Programs [PDF – 151 kB]
Bader International Study Centre Program: Learning agreement for Bader International Study Centre Program [PDF 161 KB]
Oxford Study Abroad Programme (OSAP): Learning Agreement for Oxford Study Abroad Programme [PDF – 140 KB]
If you’re not sure which form to use, check with your International Centre Advisor (exchanges@dal.ca), or departmental advisor.
Submission deadlines
- Fall term exchanges: June 15
- May 15 for Australia and New Zealand exchanges, to accommodate different academic term dates
- Winter term exchanges: November 1
- Summer term exchanges: April 1
How to complete the learning agreement
- Save the form to your desktop, then open in Adobe (to allow signature capability).
- Fill in the personal information section including the student signature portion on the reverse side of the form.
Work with your academic advisor and exchange advisor to complete the proposed study plan. It’s a good idea to gather your course descriptions and bring them to the meeting.
Helpful tools:
Transfer Credit Equivalencies Table: Check if the courses you want to take have been previously assessed and deemed equivalent to Dalhousie University courses. Review the course equivalency database or consult with your exchange advisor to confirm. If the courses do not appear, a departmental assessment may be required. Your exchange advisor can assist with this process.
Credit Conversion Table [PDF-179KB]: This table converts units used at other institutions into the equivalent credit hours at Dalhousie.
Bring your form to the International Centre (or your department exchange advisor). They’ll complete their section and send it to the Registrar’s Office.
The Registrar’s Office team will check that you meet the requirements and add the courses to your Dal academic record. You’ll get a copy of the completed form by email.
Once you arrive and begin courses at your host institution complete the confirmation section on page 2 of your learning agreement.
This is required if you are receiving financial aid and/or if there are changes to your courses.
Once the host institution completes and signs their section of the learning agreement it can be submitted to the Registrar’s Office:
Email: LOP@dal.ca
Changes to your study plan
Course changes
If you are in an exchange or study abroad program, and your courses change from your approved learning agreement or letter of permission, you risk not receiving credit for completed coursework. You will need to check and make sure that your new courses are approved by Dal:
- Check the equivalency table for current course equivalencies
- If the course is listed, complete the confirmation section
- If not listed, departmental assessment is required
- If departmental assessment is needed, contact your exchange advisor and include course information
Cancellations
If you have a course approved through a letter of permission and don’t register for it, you must notify the Registrar’s Office to have it removed from your Dal record.
- Before the add/drop date: Email LOP@dal.ca.
- After the add/drop date: Have the other institution notify the Registrar's Office at Dalhousie that you did not register for the course.
You can request a confirmation of non-enrolment letter or blank transcript from the host institution.
Grades
Courses taken at Canadian institutions
- The letter grade from the other institution will be recorded on your Dalhousie record. If letter grades are not given, numeric grades will be converted to the appropriate Dalhousie equivalent letter grade.
- If the other institution issues a letter grade that is not valid at Dalhousie, it is converted to the corresponding letter grade.
- For example a grade of D+ will be recorded on your academic record as a grade of D.
- When percentage grades and letter grades are recorded on the official transcript, the letter grade is the grade used as your final grade and recorded on your academic record.
Challenge for credit courses
Courses that the other institution identifies on the transcript as being passed through challenge for credit will not be accepted by Dalhousie, and you will not receive credit for the course.
Courses taken at international institutions
For courses taken at institutions outside of Canada, grades of P (pass) and F (fail), as appropriate, will be recorded on your Dalhousie record.
Graduating soon?
Your Dalhousie academic record will not be updated with your LOP grades until an official transcript is provided.
If this is your last course before graduation, the timing of when official transcripts are made available at the other institution may delay your graduation.
The Dalhousie Registrar’s Office typically needs to receive final official transcripts by May 1 for Spring Graduation or September 1 for Fall Graduation.
