Letter of Permission Requests – Computer Science Department

Effective January 2026 

Students enrolled in the Computer Science program at Western University may request to take courses at another accredited institutions for credit through a Letter of Permission (LOP). Approval is required from both the Computer Science Department and the Faculty of Science Academic Advising Office. 

Eligibility & Timing 

  • You must be in good academic standing and meet progression requirements. 
  • Submit your LOP request at least one month before the external course begins. 
  • Processing may take up to three weeks, so please plan accordingly. 

Steps to Request a Letter of Permission 

1. Research the Host Institution 

  • Identify the course(s) you wish to take. 
  • Gather the course syllabus, including the grading scheme, course structure, required texts and learning outcomes covered.  

2. Departmental Approval 

  • Submit the LOP form and course details to the Computer Science Department for evaluation.  
  • Include a document or link to the course syllabus from the host institution’s website in your request.  
  • The department will determine if the course is equivalent to a Western Computer Science course. 
  • You may download the Letter of Permission Form (PDF) here. This form will be initialed by the Computer Science Department when we approve a course. 

3. Faculty Approval 

  • Once approved by the department, submit the signed form to the Faculty of Science Academic Advising Office.  
  • Final approval is required before the LOP is processed.    

After Completing the Course

  • Request an official transcript from the host institution to be sent directly to lop@uwo.ca.  
  • Transcripts must be received in a sealed envelope or via MyCreds. 
  • Allow up to four weeks for grade processing. 

Cancellation 

  • If you do not register in the approved courses, the host institution must send written confirmation to lop@uwo.ca.  
  • Failure to do so may result in a grade of "F".  

Restrictions 

  • Students are not permitted to complete Computer Science courses online at another institution unless the Computer Science Department offers that course online at Western. This policy supports consistent instructional standards and reliable course equivalency evaluations.
  • Online courses must have confirmed in‑person assessment with no option to write using Proctortrack or any other similar program. 
  • Students cannot request an LOP for a course that is offered by Western in the Fall/Winter terms. 

Other Pages to Read  

Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca/academics/letter_of_permission.html 

Faculty of Science Academic Advising: https://www.uwo.ca/sci/advising/procedures/letter_of_permission.html