Admission Information for Visiting Students

On This Page:

• What is a Letter of Permission?
• What Should Your Letter of Permission Include?
• How Do I Apply as a Visiting Student?
• Submission of Documents

What is a Letter of Permission?

A Letter of Permission (LOP) is an official letter of approval issued by your home institution. The LOP allows you to take courses for credit at the University of Guelph for a specified semester(s), transferring the credits back to your home institution for the purpose of completing an academic credential.

Students on a Letter of Permission are undergraduate students registered in degree programs at other Universities. They are admitted to the University of Guelph on the basis of a LOP issued from their home institutions. Their purpose in enrolling in undergraduate courses at the University of Guelph is to transfer credits back to a degree program at their home institution.

Transcripts are not normally required, however they may be needed to verify that course prerequisites have been completed.

What Should Your Letter of Permission Include?

To apply as a visiting student, you must obtain a letter of permission (LOP) from your home institution. Your LOP must include the following:

• The University of Guelph course code and title of each course your university has given you permission to take (e.g. ECON*1050-Introductory Microeconomics). It should also indicate that the courses are to be credited to your degree at your home institution.
• Your name and the semester(s) in which you want to take courses (i.e. summer 2024 or fall 2024). Remember, you must obtain and submit a new application and LOP if you plan to remain as a Visiting Student beyond the semester(s) outlined on your original LOP.

Note: It is recommended that your LOP list more courses than you intend to take, to give you more flexibility when it comes time for course registration. Should you not be able to register in the courses listed on your LOP, you are strongly encouraged to check with your home institution before registering in alternate courses. 

How Do I Apply as a Visiting Student?

Visiting Students may attend the University of Guelph in one of two ways:

1. We offer online courses through OpenEd. If you wish to complete courses only via OpenEd, pleae contact Open Learning and Educational Support directly and select "Distance Education".
2. We offer on-campus and online courses at the University of Guelph. Students registered in on-campus courses may also select courses that are offered via OpenEd.

How to Apply:

• Visit our Undergraduate Program Calendar to see what courses are offered. Check to make sure that you have the appropriate academic background (prerequisites) for the courses you want to take.
• Obtain a valid LOP from your school. Your school should submit the LOP on your behalf to applicant@uoguelph.ca.
• Complete the Visiting Student Application through the OUAC by the application deadline.

Application Fee: $70 (see payment instructions below)

Application Deadlines:

• Summer: April 1
• Fall: August 1
• Winter: December 1

Once we receive your application, fee and LOP, your application will be processed. You will receive an admission decision as well as registration instructions from us within approximately two weeks. Once admitted, you will be responsible for registering in courses and paying your fees.

Upon completion of the semester(s), you are responsible for ensuring an official University of Guelph transcript is forwarded to your home institution.

Submission of Documents

Your LOP can be emailed directly to applicant@uoguelph.ca, or mailed to:

Visiting Student Application
Admission Services
UC, Level 3
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON
N1G 2W1

If you have questions about admission as a Visiting Student, please contact Admission Services.