Transfer credit to Sask Polytech
Get credit for courses taken at another post-secondary education institution or for certified training.
Prior courses or training must closely match one or more Sask Polytech courses.
- If you took a university chemistry course, you may get transfer credit for a similar chemistry course at Sask Polytech.
- If you have current Food Safety certification, you may get transfer credit in a program where it is part of the curriculum.
Eligibility
- Are a Sask Polytech student.
- Have credit for courses that closely match one or more Sask Polytech course(s) from:
- a recognized or authorized post-secondary institution in Canada
- certified training provided by an approved source.
- an international institution verified through the international document assessment process (pdf).
- Completed the course(s) or certified training within the last five years. If beyond five years, PLAR credit may be an option.
Learn more about important factors to be cautious of before considering transfer credit.
Cost
There is no fee to apply for transfer credit. This is subject to change.
Deadline
The best time to request transfer credit is immediately after being admitted to a full-time program or registered in a part-time course, but before the program or the course you want credit for starts.
Canadian citizens or permanent residents
- Transcripts for transfer credit must be submitted by the time you apply for transfer credit.
To avoid missing any transfer credit opportunities, submit all post-secondary transcripts when you apply for admission to a program.
International students
- All transcripts must be submitted when you apply for admission to a full-time program.
To avoid missing any transfer credit opportunities, submit all post-secondary transcripts when you apply for admission to a program.
Process
If you have prior education or training, apply for transfer credit first and consider applying for PLAR credit if transfer credit is denied.
If you have not already done so, check with Enrolment Services and/or your program head to ensure that transfer credit does not reduce your course load below the minimum required for a study permit, sponsorship, student loan, etc.
Transfer credit is not calculated into your GPA. If you want to raise your GPA, consult with your program head for advice.
Learn more about important factors to be cautious of before considering transfer credit.
- Find your program's web page from the A - Z Listing of programs. On your program's web page, scroll down to the courses heading and click on the + sign. Then click on Expand All +
- Collect the course outline(s)
for your completed courses or certified training that may match your Sask Polytech courses. Some schools and training agencies have outlines available online. If not, contact the school or agency to request an outline for the year you attended.
- Compare the course descriptions and credit units to identify transfer credit possibilities.
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- Look for a close match between one or more Sask Polytech courses and the course(s) or training you have completed.
- Credit units or instruction hours for courses or training previously taken must be equal to or greater than the matching course(s) in your Sask Polytech program.
- Two courses from another institution might match one Sask Polytech course. Or one longer course might match two shorter Sask Polytech courses. All courses considered for a match to one Sask Polytech course must be from the same institution.
Do not withdraw from the course until transfer credit is confirmed. If transfer credit is denied, you can still complete the course without delaying graduation.
- Check the deadlines section for requesting transfer credit and other required documentation.
- Request transcripts and/or documents for previous courses or training to:
- Transcripts must be sent from the other school directly to Enrolment Services at Sask Polytech. We do not accept transcripts you received and passed on to Sask Polytech. In some cases, international transcripts may be certified rather than sent directly from another school. Consult with Enrolment Services about this option.
- If a school you attended before is outside of Canada, follow the directions for foreign credentials (pdf). These apply for all education completed outside of Canada whether you are an international or Canadian student.
- Complete the student sections on the Transfer Credit Request form (pdf).
- Complete the personal information section
- In the transfer credit request section, fill in the Sask Polytech course(s) alongside the matching course(s) taken elsewhere.
- In the Step 1 section, add your electronic signature and date. Or sign and date it with pen after you print it.
- Print the form, if you filled it out online.
- Attach course outlines and any other documentation that would be useful to assess how closely course(s) or training matches a Sask Polytech course. Once a transfer credit has been approved, please use the self-registration system (mySaskPolytech > Student Menu > Course Planning) to withdraw yourself from the class up to five days past the course start date to ensure appropriate refunds. If transfer credit is approved more than five days past your start date, please submit a Program Adjustment form (pdf) signed and emailed to your program head to remove this class to ensure that your course load does not drop the minimum required for study permits, funding and other eligibility criteria.
- Take, email or mail the form and all documentation to Enrolment Services at your program's campus.
Assessment
Enrolment Services keeps a database of previously assessed courses. If your course is in the database, Enrolment Services reviews your Transfer Credit Request form (pdf) and sends your results to your Sask Polytech email account.
If your course is not in the database, Enrolment Services sends your Transfer Credit Request form (pdf) with attached documentation to your program head for assessment. The program head assesses the match between courses.
- If denied, the program head checks off whether PLAR is recommended as an alternative for receiving credit.
- Enrolment Services emails the form with results to your Sask Polytech email account.
Results
If accepted, your Sask Polytech transcript shows TC as the grade for a course for which transfer credit was approved.
- Transfer credit grades (TC) are not included in weighted grade point average calculations for scholarships or progression through a program.
If denied, there will be no entry on your transcript. You have the following options if transfer credit is denied:
- Start a Grade Appeal process,
- Apply for PLAR assessment for some or all of the same courses,
- Take the course
If you have registered in a course and your transfer credit is accepted, Enrolment Services should withdraw you from the course. Confirm this with Enrolment Services at your campus.
Ask Enrolment Services for refund details when you submit a transfer credit request. You may be eligible for a full or partial tuition refund.
Refunds are first applied to any outstanding balances on your Sask Polytech account. If your account is in good standing, Sask Polytech can issue a refund to your funding agency, directly to you, or apply it to tuition for another course.
Questions?
Thinking of attending Sask Polytech? Contact askaquestion@saskpolytech.ca
Already a student at Sask Polytech? Contact your program head.
Want to explore other ways to get your international education and experience recognized in Canada? Contact a career counsellor.
Want to explore Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) options?
Contact learnerpathways@saskpolytech.ca.
Transfer credit is when courses or programs completed at one post-secondary institution are accepted for credit in a program at another institution. If you receive transfer credit from another institution for a course in your Sask Polytech program, you do not have to take that course. A course from another institution must closely match a course in your Sask Polytech program to be transferable.
- Block transfer credit (e.g., one - two years) may be awarded for a completed program related to an advanced program. For example, a Civil Engineering diploma may transfer as the first two years of a four-year Construction Management degree.
- Course transfer credit may be awarded for one or two courses that closely match one or two Sask Polytech courses. For example, a university English course may transferable for a Sask Polytech Communications course.
- Credit for training transfer credit may be awarded for certified training from a reliable source that matches one or two courses at Sask Polytech.
You have to be a registered or admitted student to get transfer credit at any education institution. At Sask Polytech, that includes:
- applicants who are admitted to an upcoming Sask Polytech program,
- students currently attending a Sask Polytech program,
- students registered in one or more Sask Polytech distance or evening courses without being admitted to a program, and
- students taking a Sask Polytech program at a Saskatchewan regional college.
Sask Polytech accepts students transferring from a similar program at a recognized or authorized institution. The amount of transfer credit depends on how closely the other program aligns in courses and timing with the Sask Polytech program. Only courses that were successfully completed are considered for transfer credit.
Transfer credit fees are covered in the general administration fees that you pay with tuition. There is no additional fee for transfer credit. This is subject to change.
Up to 50 per cent of the total credit units in a Sask Polytech program may be awarded with transfer credit from other institutions. At least 50 per cent of a program must be completed with Sask Polytech courses as per Policy 116.
Transfer credits are recorded as ‘TC’ on your official transcript. Because there is no grade, transfer credit is not calculated into your grade point average (GPA).
Several factors determine whether a course or program qualifies for transfer credit:
- Institutional status: Sask Polytech accepts transfer credit from recognized or authorized institutions. Public institutions are recognized. A few private institutions are authorized. Most private institutions are registered so courses are typically not transferable. To find a Canadian institution’s status, search the online Directory of Educational Institutions. Results show a map of Canada. The institution’s status will show on the right side just below the map.
- Time lapse: Courses taken more than five years ago are typically not considered for transfer credit at Sask Polytech.
- Program accreditation: To be eligible for block credit in a Sask Polytech degree, a diploma program may need to be accredited by an industry standards organization. For example, CTAB or TAC are accrediting organizations for technology programs.
- Course match: If all other conditions are met, the course must closely match a Sask Polytech course. An 80 per cent match of learning outcomes is considered close.
Sask Polytech no longer offers transfer credit for any high school courses. However, we do offer several courses that earn dual credit as both high school electives and in a Sask Polytech program.
Apply early so you know what courses you already have credit for and can plan accordingly. The best time to apply for transfer credit is when you apply for admission to a program. Your request will be processed if and when you are admitted. If you are taking distance or evening courses without being admitted to a program, apply for transfer credit as soon as you register for at least one course.
You can also apply after you start taking courses. The final deadline to apply for transfer credit is two weeks after the matching course starts, or before it ends if the course is shorter than two weeks.
As a registered or admitted student, you are assigned a Sask Polytech email address. Enrolment Services will return your processed Transfer Credit Request form to you indicating whether credit for each course was accepted denied. As a student, you will also be able to log into mySaskPolytech. Look for your online Sask Polytech transcript to see transfer credit awarded for courses in your program.
Yes, if a course or program you took elsewhere is not eligible for transfer credit, consider applying for PLAR credit. PLAR credit involves assessment of what you know and can do, regardless of where or how you learned it.