Panoramic photo of Fort Garry campus

Study outside the UM on a Letter of Permission

International studies via Letter of Permission are limited to Faculty/College/School or Department-facilitated exchanges, Faculty/College/School or Department-approved specialized course arrangements, or Exchange Partnerships facilitated through the International Centre.

Students are encouraged to discuss any external course study options with an Academic Advisor prior to submitting a Letter of Permission application. Approval by your Faculty/College/School is required prior to course registration.

Before you submit your Letter of Permission application

  • Discuss your course(s) of interest with an Academic Advisor to see how credit will fit with your program. Students must be aware of program residency requirements (hours successfully completed at the University of Manitoba towards your credential).

    University 1 students must meet with a U1 Academic Advisor to review the U1 Letter of Permission rules prior to submitting a Letter of Permission application.
  • International students are advised to consult with the International Centre to ensure they are aware of any impact Letter of Permission studies may have on their status as an international student. Letter of Permission courses will not count towards your full-time status at the University of Manitoba.
     
  • The UM Achieve resource looks at the courses you have taken and what you still need to complete to meet the requirements of your program. You may consult the UM Achieve Audit prior to completion of the Letter of Permission application.
     
  • Review the online Transfer Credit Resource for outgoing University of Manitoba students to determine whether an active course evaluation already exists:
  • If no evaluation exists on the online Transfer Credit Resource for outgoing students, ensure you have a detailed course outline for each course of interest. These will be uploaded as part of the application process (calendar descriptions will not suffice).
     
  • Address any registration holds on your account - these must be cleared before your online application can be successfully submitted and reviewed. There are a variety of reasons for your account to be on hold; usually it is due to  an outstanding financial or administrative obligation. Check the Hold Status website for more information.

Letter of Permission Application Submission Deadlines

Course Start (month) Active Course Assessment on Transfer Credit Resource No Active Assessment (Evaluation Required)
Fall (September) July 15 July 01
Fall (October) August 15 August 01
Fall (November-December) September 15 September 01
Winter (January-February) November 15 November 01
Winter (March-April) January 15 January 01
Summer (May-June) March 15 March 01
Summer (July-August) May 15 May 01

Review before you apply for a LOP

Before you apply for Letter of Permission, review the sections below to aid in making the best decision. If you need assistance in determining if the credit will fit into your program, contact an Academic Advisor.

Required documentation

It may be necessary for you to obtain course outlines (covering content, bibliography, final examination, etc.) from the other institution.  This information is required for the evaluation of the credit equivalency. Ensure you have provided the following:  

  • Course syllabus
  • Hours of instruction
  • Dates of course
  • Duration of course
  • Laboratory information, if applicable*

*University of Manitoba courses that include an integrated laboratory requirement must also be met to receive specified course recognition on transfer.

It is expected that external courses have a comparable number of instructional hours and duration as our University of Manitoba course offerings. Courses offered in a significantly condensed format and/or intersession courses (e.g., courses offered during the Winter Term break) will not be eligible for Letter of Permission approval.

We cannot process or approve Applications without this information. 

Approval

Your Letter of Permission will be issued after the Registrar's Office has received approval from your Faculty/College/School (or, in limited circumstances, University 1).  The approval of your application is not guaranteed and is subject to individual Faculty/College/School regulations. you should note the following:

  • You must submit your application as early as possible, prior to the Letter of Permission application deadlines. Some institutions may have registration restrictions that occur much earlier than the application deadlines noted.
  • Your application fee is required as part of the letter of permission submission process.
  • If you are planning to seek permission, you should consult the current Calendar for the residence and degree requirements of the degree programs in which you are enrolled or speak to an Academic Advisor.

The approval from your Faculty/College/School is subject to the following regulations:

  • You must be in good academic standing
  • You must meet the minimum residency requirement of your degree program.
  • During the Summer Session (May to August inclusive) the number of courses that can be taken (both at University of Manitoba and from an external institution) must not exceed eighteen credit hours total. 
  • During the Regular Session (September to April), the number of courses to be taken on a Letter of Permission (both at the University of Manitoba and from an external institution) may not exceed the maximum number of credit hours normally associated with a full year's program of study at the University of Manitoba.
  • Students wishing to exceed the maximum course load per Session must request and receive advanced approval from their academic program. 
  • Once submitted, it is not possible to revise course selections. Any changes will require the submission of a new application, and fee.

Credits and grades

The credit obtained at the other institutions will be transferred into your University of Manitoba Records when:

  • You submit an OFFICIAL SEALED TRANSCRIPT (or an electronic transcript sent directly from the institution to LOP@umanitoba.ca) to the Registrar's Office. The transcript must show final grades/marks obtained and the institution's official explanation of its grading system.
  • Your Faculty/College/School reserves the right to deny any subsequent requests for Letters of Permission if an official sealed transcript is not received by the Registrar's Office.
  • Your student grade report is NOT acceptable.
  • Failure to provide the required documentation (transcript/confirmation of non-enrolment) by the document submission deadline will result in a grade of F being transferred to your University of Manitoba record.

If you have been granted a Letter of Permission, but withdraw or do not register for the course(s) approved, you must provide official verification of this action from the other institution.

Some Faculties/Schools may stipulate minimum grade requirements on transfer beyond successful completion.  Pass/Fail courses are not recognized by many programs for transfer credit consideration.

Challenge for credit courses completed at an external institution will not be recognized for transfer at the University of Manitoba.

Travel safety

You should note that the approval of a Letter of Permission does not constitute university endorsement of the safety of the proposed destination and any travel while on Letter of Permission is not authorized, funded, organized or administered by the University and as such is not considered to be a University sponsored activity.

You will be solely responsible for assessing the safety of your destination. Safe travel planning resources are available to students on the Travel Safety website

Graduation

Students completing their degree requirements through a letter of permission must indicate to the University their intent to graduate via the declarations menu on Aurora:

  1. Log in to Aurora
  2. Select Enrolment and Academic Records
  3. Select Declarations
  4. Select Declare Graduation Date

If the course(s) on a Letter of Permission completes The University of Manitoba Graduation requirements, the transcript must be received by:

  • For Spring Convocation, Transcripts must be received by May 15th.
  • For Fall Convocation, Transcripts must be received by September 15th.
  • For February Graduation, Transcripts must be received by January 15th.

Transcripts not received by these dates will cause graduation to be delayed until the next Graduation period.

Non-attendance

If you have been granted a letter of permission and decide not to attend, a letter of non-attendance or non-enrolment is required directly from your host institution's Registrar's Office (or equivalent). Please see the After you take your courses section below for information on how to submit your transcript and follow the same procedures. Letters provided by students are not acceptable. Until an official letter is received,  an "F" grade will be assigned.

Faculty of Graduate Studies students

Graduate students must apply for any outgoing letters of permission through the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Applying for a LOP

Apply

Students will find the Letter of Permission application through their Aurora account.

  1. Log into Aurora 
  2. Select the “Open Registration dashboard” card. 
  3. Select Enrolment & Academic Records
  4. Select Registration and Exams.
  5. Select Letter of Permission Application.
  • There is a $81.25 application fee.
  • Your Letter of Permission will be emailed to your UM email account, and will be directly emailed to the host institution you have selected.

Application processing time can take up to 8 weeks to complete.

After you take your courses

You must provide the Registrar’s Office with an OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT, showing final grades/marks obtained, including the institution’s official explanation of its grading system. If it is a physical transcript, it must be sealed. If it is an electronic transcript, it must be emailed directly from the institution.

Have your physical transcript sent directly from the institution to:

Registrar's Office
400 UMSU University Centre
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2

Electronic transcripts may be sent directly from the institution to:

LOP@umanitoba.ca

In addition, the University of Manitoba is now a registered recipient of official transcripts sent through MyCreds. When using MyCreds to send transcripts to the University of Manitoba for your Letter of Permission, you must select “Send my documents to a registered organization”. You will then be able to select the University of Manitoba from the “Recipient” search field. For timely processing of your transcript, letter of permission students should enter “Letter of Permission” in the “Program of Application” field.

Important transcript submission deadlines, including potential graduates:

  • For Spring Convocation, transcripts must be received by May 15.
  • For Fall Convocation, transcripts must be received by September 15.
  • For February Graduation, transcripts must be received by January 15.

Contact the Registrar's Office

In-person  If you are visiting in-person, you are required to check in to our virtual queue.

400 UMSU University Centre
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2
 

General Questions?Email us

Inquire about convocation: graduation.convocation@umanitoba.ca
Transcript inquiries: Transcripts@umanitoba.ca

204-474-9420
1-877-474-9420 (toll free)
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Subject to change based on University closures.