FAQ

Academic Standing

What happens to my GPA if I withdraw from a course?

Any attempt at a course will be on your permanent student record as well as your transcript. If you officially withdraw from a course, you will be assigned a grade of “W” and it will not be included in the GPA calculations. An official withdrawal needs to occur prior to the withdraw deadline. Important Dates and Deadlines. If you are experiencing difficulty in a course, please reach out to your instructor, or an Academic Advisor as early as possible for additional support. Withdrawing from a course(s) could affect your financial aid or student loan status. Although a “W” will not affect your GPA, it will be counted as one attempt when repeating courses.

I want to repeat a course to improve my grade - Will the old grade be erased from my transcript?

Any attempt at a course will be on your permanent student record as well as your transcript. However, KPU only calculates the higher grade of the attempts into your GPA.

How many times can a class be repeated?

A student may repeat a course once without requiring permission.

What if I need to repeat a course more than once?

If a student needs to take a course for a third or more attempts, they will be required to request permission; visit Student Enrolment Services for the Request to Repeat a Course form. 

A “W” grade is considered an attempt. Requests to repeat a course typically take 5-7business days to be processed and approval is not automatically granted. An appointment with an Academic Advisor may be required which could lengthen the process.

Please note that receiving approval to repeat a course does not guarantee you will obtain a seat in the course. Course repeat approvals are only for the semester you requested it for. You must submit a new repeat request for a future semester.

What is Academic Warning/Probation?

A student who has completed a minimum of 9.0 semester credit hours and has achieved a CGPA of less than 2.00, the student will be placed on Academic Warning. A student on Academic Warning may not repeat a course for which a grade of C or better has been assigned.

A student who has been on Academic Warning, has completed a minimum of 18.0 semester credit hours and has achieved a CGPA of less than 2.00, will be placed on Academic Probation. A student on Academic Probation may not repeat a course for which a grade of C or better has been assigned.

A student who is on Academic Probation and who has completed a minimum of 27.0 semester credit hours and whose TGPA and CGPA are both less than 2.00 will be referred to the university President for a decision as to whether the student shall be Required to Withdraw for a period of not less than six (6) months, or other action should be taken.

Students who are Required to Withdraw are not permitted to enroll in undergraduate courses, but may, be eligible to enroll in university qualifying courses during their six (6) month withdrawal period.

Please refer to Academic Standing for further information.

I have been required to withdraw - What do I do now?

Make an appointment with an Academic Advisor to discuss the best options for you. Advisor Connect. Students who are Required to Withdraw are not permitted to enroll in undergraduate courses, but may be eligible to enroll in university qualifying courses during their six (6) month withdrawal period.

A student who has been Required to Withdraw may appeal for re-admission to the university for a term which begins at least six (6) months after the student was required to withdraw. The Application for Re-admission must be submitted by the application deadline for the term for which the student is applying, and must be accompanied by a Reinstatement Plan. Please refer to Reinstatement Information for re-application deadlines and details on your next steps.

Course Planning

What do you mean by the terms "prerequisite" and "corequisite"?

A prerequisite is a course that must be completed (usually with a grade of 60% or higher unless otherwise indicated by the academic calendar) prior to another course being started.

A corequisite is a course that must be taken at the same time (or prior) to another course.

Is there a test I can take if I don't have the right prerequisites for Math or English?

If you do not have the required Math or English prerequisites you may write KPU's Math Placement Test (MPT) and/or English Placement Test (EPT). Use the following links to sign up for the Math Placement Test (MPT) and the English Placement Test (EPT). For more information, please visit the Assessment & Testing website at kpu.ca/assessment-testing-services.

Can a High School prerequisite expire?

For pre-requisite purposes, our system does not consider the age of courses. For instance, if you have submitted a high school transcript that shows English 12 with a grade of “C+”, the system will allow you to register for ENGL 1100 no matter how old the course is. The same is true for Math and Science courses, but if such courses are old enough to cloud your memory of the content, it is recommended you spend some time reviewing. You can reaffirm your MATH skills by taking the KPU Math Placement Test (MPT). There is no risk; placement tests do not override actual course grades.

What if I need to upgrade a course prerequisite?

For high school upgrading courses, we recommend you make an appointment with KPU’s Upgrading Academic Advisor to discuss the best options for upgrading your English, Math and Science prerequisites. Science and Math upgrading information. English upgrading information.

For undergraduate level courses (1100 level or higher) that require upgrading, we recommend you make an appointment with a Central Advising, Academic Advisor to discuss the best options for you.

What is KPU's "Pathway" to undergraduate Studies?

KPU's Pathway to Undergraduate Studies is an effective, affordable, and flexible English upgrading program that ladders directly into undergraduate studies at KPU. We recommend you make an appointment with KPU’s Upgrading Academic Advisor to discuss the best options for upgrading your English.

What if I don't know what I want to study?

It is more than okay to not know what you want to study. Most programs are designed with space for electives, taking your first couple of semesters to explore your options to find your area of interest is quite common. We recommend you make an appointment with a Central Advising, Academic Advisor to discuss the best options for you.

How will I know which text books I need?

Instructions on how to view your personalized booklist can be found here.

What is a Major and a Minor?

In a Bachelor's Degree, the Major is the main focus of your studies and the Minor is a secondary specialization. Your Major should be the field of study in which you wish to pursue a professional career, while the Minor can be either a complementary subject to that goal or a further exploration of a hobby or interest.

I have already completed a program at KPU, can I apply those courses towards another program?

KPU Policy AC14 clearly identifies the ruling pertaining to multiple credentials.

Appointments

How Do I Prepare For an Appointment?

  • Research any related information to your program of study at KPU, and, if you are planning to transfer, at the university to which you will be transferring.
  • Write down specific questions ahead of time.
  • Bring all related documentation such as test results or transfer credit evaluations.  

How Do I Make an Appointment Using Advisor Connect? 

NOTE: For optimal performance using Advisor Connect, please use Mozilla Firefox. If you are booking an appointment using your mobile, once you log in to Advisor Connect, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the mobile version on the left.   

  1. Log in to Advisor Connect using your KPU user name (student ID) and password
  2. To schedule an appointment, click the "Search Availability" button under the Student Options menu on the left. 
  3. Select the appropriate Advising Centre you wish to make an appointment with from the drop-down menu. 
  4. Select the LOCATION (campus or on-line) for your advising appointment.
  5. Modify the search options (e.g. dates, times, days, etc.). 
  6. Click the "Search" button.
  7. Click on the available time displayed on the right for when you would like your appointment (scroll to the right to find more available appointment times)
  8. Choose a REASON for your advising appointment 
  9. Add any NOTES that will assist your Academic Advisor and click SAVE
  10. A confirmation email will be sent to your KPU email in-box. (If you activated your text messaging option from the main menu, you will also receive a text message regarding your appointment)   

How To Cancel Your Appointment Using Advisor Connect?

  1. Log in to Advisor Connect using your KPU user name (student ID) and password
  2. All of your upcoming appointments will be listed on the left under your calendar
  3. To cancel the appointment, click the X next to the appointment (at the end).
  4. Enter your reason for cancelling the appointment (optional) and click the "Confirm Cancellation" button.
  5. To make a new appointment, follow the above steps on making an appointment, starting with step 2

Or you can call 604-599-2828 to cancel your appointment.

How do I prepare for an Appointment?

  • Research any related information to your program of study at KPU, and, if you are planning to transfer, at the university to which you will be transferring.
  • Write down specific questions ahead of time.
  • Bring all related documentation such as test results or transfer credit evaluations.

Transfer Credit

Who do I ask about my transfer credit evaluation?

KPU’s admissions department manages the evaluation of transfer credit. You can contact them directly at admissions@kpu.ca or 604.599.2000. Processing transfer credits can take as long as 6-8 weeks. In order to have your transfer credit evaluation done prior to registration, please submit your transfer credit evaluation before to the deadlines: https://www.kpu.ca/transfercredit/request

Where can I find detailed information about Transfer Credit at KPU?

Visit the Transfer Credit Webpage or check out the University Transfer video available on the Advising Resources Webpage

What steps do I need to complete my transfer to another post-secondary institution?

The process of transferring depends on the requirements and policies of the institution you are transferring to (usually referred to as the receiving institution). Each institution sets their own admissions and transfer credit policies and you may find that these are different from those of KPU. It is important to refer to information provided by the receiving institution and/or contact an advisor at that institution to make sure that you are aware of all requirements for admissions and transfer credit.

  • For institutions within BC, you can refer to the BC Transfer Guide to find out whether the courses you have completed at KPU will transfer to the receiving institution. You would then need to confirm with the receiving institution that these courses could be used to meet specific program requirements.
  • In addition to admissions and transfer credit policies, you should consider the requirements of the program that you are wanting to transfer to. Use the receiving institution’s calendar to guide your course selection and the BC Transfer guide (if in BC) to ensure that you are taking transferable equivalents.
  • You will probably need to arrange to have an official transcript sent from KPU to the receiving institution after you have applied for admission to that institution. You can find out how to order an official transcript by using the search bar at One.KPU.ca to search for “Order Your Transcript” 

How do I transfer my credits to KPU from another institution?

For the most up to date information, visit the Transfer Credit Webpage

  • If you checked the box to request transfer credit assessment when you filled in the online application for admissions, you will need to arrange to have an official transcript sent to KPU from the other institution.
  • If you did not check the box to request transfer credit, you will need to email admissions@kpu.ca to Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation. You will also need to arrange to have an official transcript sent to KPU from the other institution.
  • You may be required to submit detailed course outlines for courses that KPU has not already evaluated.
  • You should check your KPU email account regularly for updates on the progress of your transfer credit. Once your transfer credit assessment has been completed, you should refer to the detailed information on your KPU Online Self Service account under: Student Menu, Records, Transfer Credit. To access your KPU Online Self Service, go to one.kpu.ca.

How many credits can I transfer to KPU?

KPU does not have a limit on the number of credits that can be transferred, however, institutional policy limits the number of credits from outside KPU that can be used towards a credential. Up to 75% of the credits required for graduation in a program may be obtained through a combination of transfer credit and prior learning assessment as long as these courses were not used to make up another credential. These limits are defined by the Requirements for Graduation Policy

Once your transfer credit evaluation has been completed, you should arrange an appointment with an Academic Advisor to determine how your transfer credits can be used to meet your specific program requirements. Here is the link to book an appointment: Advisor Connect.

How do I receive transfer credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) courses?

Please refer here for the specific information and steps required to request IB transfer credit.

How do I receive transfer credit for Advanced Placement (AP) courses?

Please refer here for the specific information and steps required to request AP transfer credit.

Can I take required courses at another institution while I am still a KPU student?

KPU does not restrict students to take courses at other institutions while they are still an active KPU student; however, you are required to complete a Letter of Permission if you are intending to transfer that course back to KPU.

Can I receive transfer credit for the International Baccalaureate program courses or from College Board AP courses?

Yes, you can. Usually this process only requires submission of an official transcript. Find details at the Transfer Credit Webpage

How do I order an official transcript to send to another post-secondary institution?

Follow the instructions provided here.

If you do not find your answer in any of these pages, contact us.