What to Know as an International Student at KPU

You are responsible for your own learning and learning-related tasks. These include, but are not limited to, registering for classes on time, understanding how to avoid plagiarism, and what your financial commitments are. Please make sure to familiarize yourself with your rights and responsibilities by clicking here. The Canadian education system is likely very different in comparison to that of your home country's. Being aware of the areas that are often overlooked by international students at KPU will ensure that your experience will be as successful as possible.

Academic integrity and plagiarism

At KPU, the same high standards of academic integrity that are central to all research and scholarships are expected from you in your coursework. Any form of cheating is a serious offense that comes with disciplinary consequences: see KPU's Policy ST2, entitled Student Academic Integrity Policy. The related Procedures for Dealing with Academic Integrity Violations offer the following definition of cheating and plagiarism:

"… an act of deception by which a Student misrepresents that he/she or others have mastered information for an Academic Assessment that the Student or others have not mastered."

KPU's Library has compiled a resource centre and an online tutorial on plagiarism, which you are encouraged to complete to demonstrate your awareness.

To better prepare for study at KPU, please book a 1:1 Consultation with a Learning Strategist. Learning Strategists work with you to create personalized study strategies for reading, learning from lectures, managing time, preparing for exams – and more!

Course registration

Unlike some countries where new students will be registered for required courses automatically, you must register for courses regardless of your status – a new or continuing student. To be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, you must have continuously studied full time in Canada. (Please see full eligibility details on the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada). A student who is enrolled in nine or more credit hours in a semester is considered to be full-time at KPU. Therefore, please ensure you have registered for courses no less than 9 credits per semester.

Please read through Registration Regulations and the FAQs for prospective international students (Step 10) regarding how to do course planning and registration.

Are you a Pathway student? Find out which courses you should register for in your first semester.

Dropping and withdrawing from a course

There are very important differences between dropping and withdrawing from a course. The option available to you depends on when you are attempting to drop or withdraw. Please take a look at our web page on Dropping & Withdrawing that outlines the academic differences between the two.

Students are NOT dropped automatically from a course if they do not attend or pay their term tuition and fees. If you intend not to attend KPU for a term, you must ensure that you drop any courses you are registered in by the established deadlines (see Dates & Deadlines or Fee Deadlines & Refunds).

Paying your fees on time

Please remember to pay each semester on or before the fee payment deadline, which is normally the end of the second week of classes (based on the semester dates). The payment date is published in the Dates & Deadlines section (by semester type) of the Registration Guide. Any fees outstanding after the fee payment deadline will incur an interest penalty of 5% assessed after the fee payment deadline and 2% on the first of each month thereafter. If an outstanding account balance exists at this time, the University reserves the right to forward the account to collections.

In addition to the interest penalty, an accounting hold preventing academic progression will be placed on a student’s account. An accounting hold prevents course registration, issuance of enrolment verification, issuance of transcripts, and graduation assessments. The accounting hold will be removed when the outstanding balance, including all penalties, is paid in full. Please visit Paying Your Fees for further information.

Signing up for BCMSP and opting out from Guard.me

It is mandatory for international students who are planning to stay in the province of British Columbia for more than 6 months to enroll in the British Columbia Medical Services Plan (BCMSP). As soon as you receive proof of your coverage under BCMSP, please opt-out of the KPU Temporary Medical Insurance Plan (Guard.me). Please refer to the Medical Insurance page for more information.

Achieving Academic Success: Adapting to the Canadian Classroom

The Canadian approach to teaching and learning may be very different from what you have experienced in your home country. You may find it takes some time to get used to this new style of learning. Learn More.