New & current independent students

Recommended courses

Some Concordia degree and certificate programs require you to take certain courses to be eligible for admission. Others will suggest that you take courses as an independent student that will count towards your future program.

If you studied at CEGEP and this is your first time studying at Concordia, you may be entitled to a course exemption, which means you will be exempt from the requirement to take that specific course. Make sure to check if you are entitled to any course exemptions, so that you do not repeat the course at Concordia!

Reference the recommended courses for independent students and browse the Arts and Science elective courses open to independent students.

Course registration

For instructions on how to register for courses, follow our step-by-step guide.

Registration dates

Independent students begin registering for courses after degree program students have the chance to register. This is approximately one month before the beginning of the academic term.

Registration dates for independent students
Term	Independent student status	Registration start date	Registration end date (DNE deadline)*
Summer 2022	Newly accepted	March 21, 2022	Dates vary
Summer 2022	Returning	March 21, 2022	Dates vary
Fall 2022	Newly accepted	August 2, 2022	September 19, 2022
Fall 2022	Returning	August 2, 2022	September 19, 2022
Winter 2023	Newly accepted	November 25, 2022	January 23, 2023

*You must submit an Independent Student Request Form [PDF] to be considered for late registration.

International Students: You will only be able to register for courses once you have shared your Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ) and study permit with the International Students Office.

Maximum course load

Independent students can register for fewer than 12 credits per academic term (Fall, Winter or Summer). If you would like to exceed this maximum and take 12 credits, you must submit a special request.

Course scheduling tips:

Set aside a minimum of five hours of study time each week per course (in addition to the time you spend in class).
Consider all of your commitments as you plan your schedule to balance your academic work with any other work and/or personal commitments.

Course Prerequisites

Some courses at Concordia have a prerequisite requirement, meaning that the course requires you to first take the prerequisite (first) course before you take the next course.

If you want to take a course with prerequisites, you will need to show that you have already completed the prerequisite course by completing a Prerequisite Waiver Form. Prerequisite waivers can be a time-consuming process, so don’t wait until the last minute to submit one. Be proactive!

TIP: If you have not previously completed certain prerequisite courses, it’s best to fit them into your schedule now, so that you have access to your desired course in a later semester.

Academic regulations

As an independent student, you follow the same Concordia rules and regulations as certificate or degree program students. You can find the academic regulations in the undergraduate calendar.

Once you’ve been granted authorization to register for courses as an undergraduate independent student, this is valid for 3 years. This means that even if you don’t register for any courses in the term you first applied to, you can register for courses for up to 3 years without submitting a new application. You will only need to submit a new application after three years of not taking any classes.

Need an exception?

The Independent Student Request Committee reviews exceptions to academic regulations, or related matters. You may submit an Independent Student Request Form and supporting documentation directly to the Independent Student Request Committee. Decisions are normally made within (30) working days of receiving the request and will be final.

Types of exceptions include:

Late withdrawals
Registering for 12 credits in one term
Taking a course for a third time

Withdrawing from a course: DNE & DISC

It is your responsibility to officially withdraw from a course. There are two main ways you can withdraw from a course in your Student Centre during the academic term.

Not attending classes or telling an instructor you want to withdraw is not the same as officially withdrawing from a course. If you do not officially withdraw before the deadlines below, you will automatically receive a failing grade and are still responsible for full payment of tuition and other fees.

Did Not Enter (DNE)

Withdraw from courses with no academic penalty
Receive a full tuition refund
Did Not Enter" (DNE) courses will not appear on your transcript and will not affect your grade point average (GPA)

DNE deadlines*
Summer Term	Dates vary by session
Fall Term (and two-term courses)	September 19, 2022
Winter Term	January 23, 2023

Non-standard term dates
Not all courses fall within the standard term dates and deadlines. Please refer to term dates and deadlines.

*After the DNE deadline, you must submit an Independent Student Request Form if you want to withdraw from a course with no academic or financial impact.

Discontinued (DISC)

Withdraw from courses with no academic penalty
Must pay all tuition and course fees (including winter-term tuition for year-long courses)
Discontinued (DISC) courses will appear on your transcript, with a grade of “DISC”
Discontinued (DISC) courses will not affect your grade point average (GPA)

DISC deadlines*
Summer Term	Dates vary by session
Fall Term	December 8, 2022
Winter Term (and two-term courses)	April 18, 2023

Non-standard term dates
Not all courses fall within the standard term dates and deadlines. Please refer to term dates and deadlines.

*After the DISC deadline, you must submit an Independent Student Request Form if you want to drop a course.

Transfer credits

Courses you take as an Independent student may count towards a degree program or certificate, if you achieve a minimum grade of C-.
The acquired credit and final grade transfer to the degree program, if eligible.
Up to a maximum of 30 credits earned as an independent student can transfer to a degree program. This will be determined once you are admitted to a degree program.

Readmission

Failed standing
For Independent students with the following message on their record:
“Assessed — May Not Register Without Special Permission” or “Assessed — May Not Re-Register”

Independent undergraduate readmission process

Resources for academic success

Academic advising

While independent students are not admitted to a particular faculty, you can meet with academic advisors in each faculty for academic advising!

Type of inquiry	Info to consult	Person to talk to
Don’t know what courses to take	Check the recommended courses list to learn what courses you should take now if you hope to qualify for program admission in the future. Browse the list of elective courses open to all students to see if any interest you.	Contact an academic advisor from your target faculty.
Help using the system to register for courses	Read through the course registration How-To guides.	Contact the Welcome Crew Mentors.
Experiencing academic difficulty	Check the learning and study skills resources and events offered by the Student Success Centre.	Contact an academic advisor from your target faculty.
Placed in failed standing	Students in failed standing must apply for readmission. Follow procedures outlined in the failed standing letter.	Contact undergrad.independent@concordia.ca. Students may also speak with academic advisors and learning specialists.
Advice about applying to a degree or certificate program and your eligibility		Contact an academic advisor from your target faculty.
General questions about admission requirements for a degree or certificate; assistance with making applications	Check the admission criteria for each program and minimum program requirements.	Request a meeting with an admissions information officer in the Welcome Centre.

Academic advising contact information

Faculty/School	Telephone number	Advising email address	Building address	Academic departments
Arts and Science Student Academic Services	514-848-2424, ext. 2104	sas.fas@concordia.ca	AD 202 (LOY)	Arts & Science department advisors
Fine Arts Student Academic Services	514-848-2424, ext. 4612	finearts.sas@concordia.ca	EV 2.705 (SGW)	Fine Arts departments
Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science Student Academic Services	514-848-2424, ext. 3055	steve@encs.concordia.ca	EV 2.125 (SGW)	Gina Cody School department contacts
John Molson School of Business Undergraduate Student Affairs Office	514-848-2424, ext. 2721	steve.clark@concordia.ca	MB 4.201 (SGW)	Undergraduate Student Affairs Office

Advisors can also be reached at the Student Service Station every Wednesday at 11:30 on Zoom.

Student Success Centre

The Student Success Centre offers academic, personal and professional support throughout your Concordia education. They provide many resources that are helpful to independent students, including:

Welcome crew mentors
New student orientation events
Skill development workshops
One-on-one tutoring or study groups
Advocacy services
Career exploration and planning

...and many more!

All of the Student Success Centre’s programming and resources are available to independent students.

Independent students