I. Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students are those students who have fulfilled admission requirements and are registered in courses for credit towards an undergraduate degree, or possess an undergraduate degree and are pursuing a program of studies leading to a diploma or another undergraduate degree. Visiting students and Open Studies students are also considered as undergraduate students.

These students fall into two categories:

(a) Full-time students — i.e., those students who are registered in the equivalent of three or more half courses each session;

(b) Part-time students — i.e., those students who are registered in the equivalent of less than three half courses each session.

1. A Regular Student is any student who has been formally admitted to study in the University and is registered in a program leading to a degree or diploma.

2. An Open Studies Student(formerly Unclassified) is a student who is permitted to register in credit courses, but who is not admitted to a program leading to a degree or diploma. Open Studies students must complete an Open Studies Student Application/Registration form, which is available from the Office of the Registrar, and must submit official transcripts from all high schools and/or post-secondary institutions attended.

To be eligible for registration under this category, students must be either 18 years of age or older by the commencement of the session to which they are seeking admission or holders of an Alberta high school diploma or equivalent (Open Studies non-degree) or holders of an approved degree from an “accredited” institution with a minimum of three years of recognized university-level course work and an approximate 2.00 grade point average (Open Studies degree).

The following students are not permitted to register under the Open Studies student category:

(a) students who are currently under suspension (required to withdraw from a faculty or from another post-secondary institution within the last twelve months);

(b) students who have failed to complete the Effective Writing Test and are denied, by their faculty, further registration in any courses;

(c) continuing students whose registrations have been denied due to enrollment restrictions.

Open Studies non-degree students:

(a) are limited to registering in a maximum of two half courses per session to a total maximum of ten half-course equivalents (including withdrawals);

(b) are allowed only one “D” or “D+” grade; students who obtain an “F” grade or a second “D” or “D+” grade will be refused further registration under this category (withdrawal may be considered as failing to achieve the required standard). Review for discontinuation takes place at the end of the Winter Session and the end of the Summer Session;

(c) are not permitted to register in Fall/Winter Session courses until August 15;

(d) are not permitted to register in 700-level or above courses.

Open Studies degree holders are not restricted by the limitations in course registration stated above but will not be permitted to register for Fall/Winter Session courses until August 1. It should be noted that Open Studies degree holders will be subject to dismissal if their academic performance is less than satisfactory. Faculty regulations regarding performance apply.

Offshore applicants requiring acceptance letters for immigration purposes are required to submit their Application/Registration form and all required documents to the Office of the Registrar no later than June 1 for Fall Session, March 1 for Spring and/or Summer Sessions, and October 15 for Winter Session. Students are encouraged to apply early due to varying processing times required by Canadian Immigration. Students applying to the Learning English for Academic Purposes program should refer to the section titled Learning English for Academic Purposes Program.

Undergraduate rules and regulations of the University apply to all Open Studies students.

3. A Visiting Student is a student who has not been formally admitted to the University but who, as a bona fide student (must have successfully completed at least one half-course equivalent) of another accredited degree granting institution, is permitted to take courses for credit towards a degree program in his/her home institution. A Visiting student:

(a) is permitted to register, on a courtesy basis, with a written letter of approval from the home institution which gives the student permission to complete courses at the University of Calgary. The letter must indicate the number of courses as well as the session/year in which courses can be completed. It is also recommended that the letter indicate specific courses for the protection of the student;

(b) is responsible for ordering his/her University of Calgary transcript to be sent to the home institution for reporting grades earned in courses taken at the University of Calgary;

(c) will be subject to all rules and regulations applicable to students of this University.

Visiting students must complete a Visiting Student Application/Registration form which is available from the Office of the Registrar. All students are required to attach: (a) a letter of permission from their home institution; and (b) an official copy of their university transcript which includes all courses completed and grades received. Visiting students are permitted to register for Fall/Winter Session courses beginning on July 15 and may only register in person or via mail. Registration by telephone is not available.

Offshore applicants requiring acceptance letters for immigration purposes are required to submit their Application/Registration form and all required documents to the Office of the Registrar no later than June 1 for Fall Session, March 1 for Spring and/or Summer Sessions, and October 15 for Winter Session. Students are encouraged to apply early due to varying processing times required by Canadian Immigration. Students applying to the Learning English for Academic Purposes program should refer to the section titled Learning English for Academic Purposes Program.

4. An Exchange Student is a student who is admitted to the University of Calgary under a formal exchange agreement to take courses for transfer to a degree program at his/her home institution. An Exchange student:

(a) will have all grades for the courses taken forwarded to the Registrar of the home institution. (Grades are not generally forwarded until the end of the Winter Session and Summer Session; if transcripts are required for convocation at the home institution, application should be made by the student to have these forwarded at an earlier date.)

(b) will be subject to all rules and regulations applicable to students of this University.

Exchange students must complete an Exchange Student Application/Registration form which should be available from the home institution’s Exchange Coordinator. Permission to complete courses at the University of Calgary should be provided by either the home institution’s signed approval on the Exchange Application/Registration form itself or by a separate written letter of approval. An up-to-date copy of the student’s transcript including all courses completed and grades received must also be submitted. Exchange students are permitted to register in Fall/Winter Sessions courses beginning on June 15.

Exchange Application/Registration forms and all required documentation must be submitted to the  specific University of Calgary Exchange Coordinator who administers the exchange agreement for the prospective student. Deadlines for applicants to submit Exchange Application/Registration forms and complete required documentation will be set individually by the University of Calgary Exchange Coordinator handling the specific exchange agreement. These deadlines will be prior to June 1 for Fall Session, prior to March 1 for Spring and/or Summer Sessions, and prior to October 15 for Winter Session. Prospective students should either check with the Exchange Coordinator of their home institution or with their Exchange Coordinator at the University of Calgary for these deadlines. After review of the documentation and acceptance of the student, the forms and documents will then be directed to the Office of the Registrar of the University of Calgary. Students requiring letters of acceptance for immigration purposes are encouraged to apply early due to varying processing times required by Canadian Immigration.

Additional procedures and regulations are indicated on the Exchange Application/Registration form. Exchange students must satisfy the University’s English Language Proficiency requirement.

Note: It is the responsibility of the Exchange student to ensure that all courses taken at the University of Calgary have been approved for transfer credit by their home institution prior to commencement of courses.

Open Studies, Visiting and Exchange students who wish to enroll in degree programs at the University must complete Application for Admission forms by the prescribed deadline, submit official transcripts and meet all admission requirements as set forth by the University.

II. Graduate Students

Graduate students are those students who are admitted to a program leading towards a master’s or doctoral degree or are admitted as probationary, qualifying, special, or exchange graduate students. Please refer to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Faculty of Environmental Design calendars for further information.