Credit transfer

Conestoga recognizes you may have formal post-secondary education that may allow you to enter a program at an advanced level or provide for individual course exemptions.

To ensure your credits are eligible for transfer, please contact our Credit Transfer Office.

Here are the possibilities to consider:

Advanced Standing (Block Exemptions and Pathways)

This process begins during the application phase. If you have completed a number of post-secondary courses in a related area of study, you may wish to consider applying to Conestoga with advanced standing.   

Have you completed a program at an Ontario college? A pathway may exist to help you bridge into an advanced diploma or degree at Conestoga. Visit www.ONTransfer.ca for details on established pathways. When submitting your application through OntarioColleges.ca, indicate the level at which you would be eligible to start, as outlined in the pathway details.   

No pathway? Compare your previous courses against those courses in the design of your Conestoga program of interest. If you think you have enough similar courses in your academic history to receive direct entry into a level greater than one (i.e. a term beyond first), you may apply with advanced standing through OntarioColleges.ca. Please request your transcript be sent now and at the end of the term.

If you are a current or former Conestoga student and think your previous education may grant you advanced standing, you may apply using the Advanced Standing Application Form (fees apply).   

Note: When a student moves from one Conestoga program to another and where course numbers/codes are identical or equivalent, automatic credit is given if the course's passing grades are met.   

Individual Credit Transfers

The credit transfer process begins once you have confirmed your acceptance into a Conestoga program. Individual credit transfers may be requested if you believe you have previously completed an equivalent course (or more) at Conestoga or another post-secondary institution. 

If you are transferring within Conestoga, courses with the same codes and names will automatically transfer over. Once you are enrolled in your new program, please go to your Student Portal>My Courses>View Progress Report button to see what transferred automatically. 

To request a credit transfer, please complete the following three steps: 

  1. Go to the Student Portal > My Courses > My Credit Transfer and follow the instructions to submit your request.
  2. You will upload the course outline(s) for the courses you previously completed and are using as the basis for exemption.
    Note:
    • Course outlines include: course title, number/code, description, learning objectives, topics covered, textbook(s) used, assignments, evaluation scheme, etc. The outline should reflect the term in which you successfully completed the course (i.e., same academic year).
    • You may be able to find your previous course outline at ontransfer.ca.
  3. Submit an official transcript from your previous post-secondary institution(s).
    Note:
    • Electronic transcripts will be accepted if received directly from the source institution by email to credittransfer@conestogac.on.ca, through MyCreds, or with your Ontario Colleges application (if applicable).
    • Officially printed transcripts must be submitted by mail or in person in the original sealed envelope from the source institution. Opened copies, as well as those that have been photocopied/printed/scanned, will not be accepted.
    • International transcripts must be formally assessed by an agency like ICAS or WES. We require the official course-by-course assessment report sent electronically from the credential assessment service or mailed in the original sealed envelope.

    Need help? Watch the Credit Transfer Request - Instructions video.

    You can track the progress of your credit transfer request on the Student Portal, so remember to check it regularly for information. 

    If you do not have an official sealed transcript (as described above), please request your previous institution(s) to mail one to:

    Attn: Credit Transfer Office
    Conestoga College ITAL
    Office of the Registrar
    299 Doon Valley Drive
    Kitchener, ON N2G 4M4

    Requests are forwarded to the Academic Team for review and students are notified of the decision(s) through their Conestoga email account. It is highly recommended that students submit credit transfer requests before the start of a term. 

    Transferring credits may result in a part-time status which may affect OSAP funding or international student status. Full-time student fees are not affected unless a student drops to part-time status. Requests must be made before the refund deadline to be eligible for any possible tuition refund. 

    If you have not completed courses at a recognized post-secondary institution but have significant life and/or work experience and wish to earn credits towards a credential, the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process may be an option for you. 

    Please review the Credit Transfer Policy.