Additional Qualification/ Additional Basic Qualification (AQ/ABQ)

Regulations listed in this section apply to all Additional Qualification / Additional Basic Qualification (AQ/ABQ) courses:

• Admission requirements
• Applications
• Prerequisite and application requirements
• Application deadlines
• QECO approval
• Receipts
• Tax forms

• Voluntary withdrawal/refunds
• Grading and final grades
• Grade reappraisal
• Course hours
• Course participation, attendance and absences
• OCT records and certification issuance

All general regulations also apply to all AQ/ABQ courses.

Admission requirements

To register for AQ/ABQ courses, learners must:

• Have successfully completed a Bachelor of Education;
• Hold a Certificate of Qualification and Registration or interim Certificate of Qualification from OCT;
• Be in ‘Good Standing’ with OCT; and
• Meet all other AQ/ABQ course application and prerequisite requirements.

Ontario Tech University teacher candidates

Ontario Tech University teacher candidates may register for AQ/ABQ courses prior to membership with OCT if they:

• Meet all graduation requirements for the Bachelor of Education program prior to the AQ/ABQ course start date;
• Have registered with OCT;
• Have paid their OCT dues; and
• Meet all other AQ/ABQ course application and prerequisite requirements.

Applications

Learners are responsible for ensuring that they satisfy all prerequisite requirements prior to applying/registering for AQ/ABQ courses. Prerequisite requirements are specified in the course description and below.

Applications are completed through the online Additional Qualifications Portal. Full payment must be made at the time of application. Payment includes a non-refundable $75 processing fee. Applications submitted after the application deadline, but before the closure of applications (see Important Dates) are subject to a non-refundable $75 late fee.

Applications are not considered complete until all required documentation is received and verified. Documentation requirements are listed on the applicable AQ/ABQ course page. 

All course prerequisites that are ABQ/AQ courses (e.g. proof of divisional ABQ, AQ - Part 1 and/or AQ - Part 2) must be reflected on the OCT Public Register. Where application requires an official university transcript, the official transcript must be submitted prior to registration in the course. Official transcripts must be sent from the originating institution directly to Ontario Tech with a notation that the transcript is for AQ/ABQ and/or the Continuous Learning office. Official transcripts should be sent to:

2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, ON
L1G 0C5

Ontario Tech University graduates do not need to submit an official Ontario Tech University transcript if they inform Continuous Learning graduates of Ontario Tech University. All other documentation can be submitted to continuouslearning@ontariotechu.ca.

If Continuous Learning is unable to process an application for any reason, the learner will receive an email from Continuous Learning.  It is imperative that learners respond to emails regarding applications promptly to ensure processing of their application.

See Prerequisite & admission requirements in the General regulations section for additional important information about applications.

Prerequisite and application requirements

The following are the general prerequisite and application requirements for all AQ/ABQ courses. Specific prerequisite and application requirements are specified in the course description.

Additional Basic Qualification (ABQ)

One-session Additional Qualification (AQ)

Applicable course:

• Teaching and Learning Through e-Learning

Three-session Additional Qualification (AQ)

Important note: divisional entry (i.e. Primary, Junior, Intermediate, Senior) requires completion of the Additional Basic Qualification (ABQ) course NOT Part 1 of an AQ course.

Certificate of Teaching Experience

Only teaching experience completed after completion of a Bachelor of Education will be considered during review of applications.

Supervisory officers

• Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent of the applicable district

• Ministry of Education official appointed to provide supervisory services for the applicable school

Important note: School principals do not meet the requirements for Supervisory Officers, regardless of whether the teacher is employed by a District School Board of Education or private school.

Application deadlines

All AQ/ABQ application deadlines are posted on the Important dates and Programs > Education > Schedule pages of the Continuous Learning website.

Qualifications Evaluation Council of Ontario (QECO) approval

Learners applying to complete any ABQ/AQ course to satisfy a QECO requirement, or requirement of another organization, are advised to obtain written approval from QECO, or other applicable organization, for their course selections prior to applying to courses. The QECO approval process takes approximately 2 months to complete.

QECO, or other applicable organizations, may not accept a copy of the letter issued by Continuous Learning as proof of successful completion of approved courses. It is the learner’s responsibility to confirm the appropriate form of documentation with QECO, or other applicable organization. If documentation other than the letter issued by Continuous Learning is required, please contact us.

Receipts

Continuous Learning does not provide receipts for AQ/ABQ courses. Proof of payment and/or unofficial receipts for AQ/ABQ courses can be obtained from a learner’s MyCampus student account.

If you require an official receipt prior to tax time, contact the Accounting office to make arrangements. 

If you have any questions about payment or receipts, please contact the Accounting office at 905.721.3020.

More information on how to print proof of payment can be found on the How to page. 

Tax forms

T2202A forms, an official statement for income taxes of the tuition and fees paid for courses that are eligible for income tax return claims, can be accessed obtained from a learner’s MyCampus student account. Typically these forms are available in the third week of February for the tuition and eligible fees paid in the previous year.

More information on how to print T2202A forms can be found on the How to page.

Voluntary withdrawal/refunds

The Important dates page of the Continuous Learning website will outline predetermined dates for each semester. These important dates will include:

• Application deadline;
• Last day to apply for AQ/ABQ courses with a $75 late application fee;
• Last day to drop AQ/ABQ courses and receive a 100 per cent refund of tuition fees, less a $75 fee;
• Last day to drop AQ/ABQ courses and receive a 50 per cent refund of tuition fees, less a $75 fee;
  • Dropping courses on or prior to this date can be done without academic consequences.
  • Dropping courses after this date, and up to the last day to drop courses, will result in a W being placed on the student's record indicating withdrawal.
• Last day to drop AQ/ABQ courses (no refund).
  • Active courses after this date will be graded by instructors

Learners are reminded that non-attendance in a course is not equivalent to withdrawal. Learners who cease to attend a course but do not formally withdraw will be academically and financially responsible for that course.

Learners who wish to withdraw from a course after the start of a course must complete and submit an Add/Drop form to continuouslearning@ontariotechu.ca.

Approved refunds will be processed back to the original credit card used for the purchase. Please allow 5-10 business days for the refund to reflect in your account.

Grading and final grades

All graded courses follow the regulations listed under Grading in the Academic regulations section of the Undergraduate Academic Calendar.

Approximately two weeks after your course is completed, you may access your final grades through MyCampus.

Learners require a minimum of a ‘B’ grade to be considered successful in a course and have the course recommended to the Ontario College of Teachers.

Grade reappraisal

All graded courses follow the regulations listed under Grade reappraisals, Requesting a formal grade reappraisal, and Request for consideration of grade review (non-academic grounds) in the Academic regulations section of the Undergraduate Academic Calendar.

Course hours

Per Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) regulations, all AQ/ABQ courses consist of 125 hours of work.  The 125 hours of work is a culmination of in-class and/or online sessions, readings, and assignments/coursework.

Course participation, attendance and absences

Learners who do not meet attendance and participation requirements will not be recommended for additional qualification to OCT.

Where a learner must miss a course due to extenuating circumstances, it is the learner’s responsibility to inform the course instructor and Continuous Learning as soon as possible. Alternate arrangements including but not limited to make-up work may be required for absences.

See Course/Program participation, attendance and absences in General regulations for more important information about participation, attendance and absences.

OCT records and certification issuance

All AQ/ABQ grades will be recorded on an official Ontario Tech University transcript. The Office of the Registrar will provide OCT with all final AQ/ABQ grades 6-8 weeks following the completion of courses for the semester. OCT will make appropriate updates to OCT records to reflect completion. A minimum of a 'B' grade is required for certification issuance. To review OCT credentials, see the Public Register on the OCT website.