Academic-Related Regulations

5.5.2 Letter of Permission

A Letter of Permission is a document issued by the post-secondary institution the student is enrolled in a program at. It permits a credential student to take one or more courses at another institution to be used towards their credential. The Letter of Permission is a means of tracking the courses you take at other institutions. The letter also indicates to the external institution that you are a visiting student and provides you information regarding the transfer credit that will be awarded for external courses.

There are two types of Letter of Permission: Outgoing and Incoming.

• Letter of Permission Request Form (PDF)
• Information Request Form

5.5.2.1 Outgoing Letter of Permission: Before You Register

Before you register in courses for credit at another post-secondary institution towards your Athabasca University credential, you must request the Letter of Permission from Transfer Credit Services, Office of the Registrar. It is important to remember that credit cannot be applied to your program if you do not first obtain a Letter of Permission and make arrangements for an official transcript to be submitted to Athabasca University that indicates successful completion of the course(s). Please check your program carefully to ensure the proposed transfer credit fits into your credential. If you need assistance in determining if the credit will fit, contact a student advisor.

The Letter of Permission is valid for one year and maintains your active program status if you are not registered in any Athabasca University courses at the same time.

Request the Letter of Permission a minimum of six weeks before the course registration date. This will allow Athabasca University time to process, approve, and forward the letter. There is no fee for this service.

• Transfer Credit Services
• Information Request Form

5.5.2.2 Incoming Letter of Permission: Visiting Students

Visiting students can take courses at Athabasca University for transfer credit to other post-secondary institutions. Before you register in a course at Athabasca University, you are advised to obtain a Letter of Permission from your home institution that indicates it will accept the Athabasca University course in your program.

Make sure you are aware of any special considerations that your home institution has related to course completion, course withdrawal, course extensions, supplemental exams, and delivery mode. For example, some institutions require that their students complete the course within specified timelines, will not accept a grade if a supplemental exam has been written, or will not accept a grade if it was taken by Challenge for Credit.