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Special Student Status

Special Student status is assigned to four categories of individuals who are seeking admission to OCAD University:
  1. You are currently enrolled at another accredited university/university-level institution in Canada and are interested in taking a for-credit course and are on a Letter of Permission from your home institution. 
  2. You hold an undergraduate degree from accredited post-secondary level institutions —  official transcripts required.
  3. You wish to fulfill academic or professional development requirements — supporting documentation required.
  4. OCAD University alumni 

Once admitted, Special Students may register for a lifetime total of 2.5 credits with no more than 1.0 credits in a given term. By exception, OCAD U alumni admitted to Special Student status may register for a lifetime total of 7.5 credits. 

Questions related to this should be directed to the Office of the Registrar at reghelp [at] ocadu.ca (reghelp[at]ocadu[dot]ca)

All course registrations require the approval of the Faculty offering the course. 

Students who have completed OCAD U credit courses before applying to a degree program (bachelor's or master's) may request that these courses be credited toward their program requirements. Approval is granted at the discretion of the appropriate Dean in the appropriate Faculty Office. 
 
 

Special Student Admissions

All applicants to OCAD U who seek admission under Special Student status must complete the form below, and submit it along with the non-refundable application fee to the Office of the Registrar: 

Application for admission must be made at least six weeks prior to the start of the first week of classes in a given semester. Payment of the application fee does not guarantee admission to the University, nor does it guarantee the ability to register for particular courses. 

Eligible applicants must submit all required admission documentation to the Office of the Registrar before their admission can be approved. The documents required are specified in the application document found above. Documents must be original (no photocopies or faxes) and may include, where applicable, post-secondary academic transcripts, proof of professional status, proof of English language proficiency and proof of citizenship or immigration status. 

International students must have a valid Study Permit (student visa) and valid University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) before registering at OCAD U. Applicants from countries with a language other than English as the official language of instruction must present a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or equivalent test. More information on this these tests can be found here. 

Students accepted and approved to take a course as a special student will be granted access to my.ocadu.ca, the university's student portal. Here, you will find more information, videos and tutorials about how to register.