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Letter of Permission

A Letter of Permission (LOP) is a document that states that a post secondary institution will allow the course be transferred in. It is issued by the post-secondary institution the student is enrolled in a program at. 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. While most students who submit a LOP would like the requested course(s) fit as a substitution into their program regulations, receiving the letter does not guarantee the course will fit.

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

Outgoing Letter of Permission

Athabasca University program students request an LOP from Athabasca University asking permission to use an external course as transfer credit by filling out this form: Letter of Permission Request Form.

Before you register in courses for credit at another post-secondary institution towards your Athabasca University (AU) credential, you must request a Letter of Permission (LOP) from Transfer Credit Services, Office of the Registrar. For assistance in selecting courses that will meet your program requirements, please work with an advisor.

Once a decision has been made on your LOP request, a letter will be sent to the external institution noted in your request and one to you indicating the transfer credit equivalencies. Please check your program carefully to ensure the proposed transfer credit fits into your credential before registering in them. The transfer credit equivalencies on your LOP is for the course indicated and does not take into consideration the program you are enrolled in, it may or may not fit within your credential regulations. If you need assistance in determining if the credit will fit, contact a student advisor.

The Letter of Permission is valid for 1 year and maintains your active program status if you are not registered in any AU courses at the same time.

Request the Letter of Permission a minimum of 6 weeks before the course registration date. This will allow AU time to process, approve, and forward the letter. There is no fee for this service.

Credit will not be applied to your program if you do not first obtain a Letter of Permission and after course completion make arrangements for an official transcript to be submitted to AU that indicates successful completion of the course(s). This is not an automatic process. You must request transcripts be sent to AU.

  • Letter of Permission form
  • Advising Services

Incoming Letter of Permission: visiting students

Visiting students can request an LOP from their institution asking permission to take an Athabasca University course towards their program.

Visiting students can take courses at Athabasca University (AU) for transfer credit to other post-secondary institutions. Before you register in a course at AU, you are advised to obtain a Letter of Permission from your home institution that indicates it will accept the AU course in your program. This is not a requirement of AU, but may be a requirement of your home institution.

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.

Please note: A transcript will show the courses, term, and final grade only.

Information effective Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025.

Updated July 16, 2024 by Office of the Registrar (calendar@athabascau.ca)

https://www.athabascau.ca/calendar/ e4d3f9030a2a55fc5964e4ff97b5b64f