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Open enrolment

Open enrolment programs/courses: non-degree, non-credit programs/courses that are not restricted to a specific professional group or designation.

Regulations listed in this section apply to all open enrolment programs/courses:

All general regulations also apply to all open enrolment courses. 

Certificate programs

Certificate programs are programs consisting of a set number of non-degree, non-credit courses. The number of courses required for completion of a certificate program varies.  Program requirements are specified in the program description. Upon completion of a certificate program, learners will receive a university certificate from Ontario Tech University.

Learners are responsible for ensuring they meet program requirements and should become familiar with the program requirements and plan their programs accordingly. Learners should also note that not all courses are offered every semester or academic year.

Time limits and course substitutions

Learners must complete programs within the allotted time limit. Time limits for programs vary and are specified in the program description. Where a learner must miss a course required for a program due to extenuating circumstances, and the course is not offered again within the program completion time limit, a course substitution may be allowed.  All course substitutions for Continuous Learning programs are at the discretion of the Director, Continuous Learning in consultation with applicable academic staff.

Course hours

Total hours of work required for open enrolment courses varies by course and are specified in the course description and/or course outline.

Prerequisite and admission requirements

All listed prerequisites and admission requirements must be completed prior to the program/course start date admission to a program/course. 

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

Application requirements and deadlines

Application requirements are specified in the program/course descriptions and any application deadlines are listed in the Important dates section of the Continuous Learning website and/or program/course descriptions.

Program/course participation, attendance and absences

Students who miss a full-day course due to extenuating circumstances will be given an opportunity to attend the missed course during the next session.  For courses that do not have a next session available, students will be given an opportunity to: 

  • to transfer into a different course that is equal or lower in cost to the original, as long as the learner meets any required prerequisites. Where the course transferred into is a lower price than the original course, the difference in price will be refunded to the learner; or
  • full tuition refund.

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

Voluntary withdrawal/transfers

Learners may voluntarily withdraw from courses up until 7 days before the start date of the course. Learners who would like to voluntarily withdraw from a course before the deadline may request any of the following options:

  • transfer to an alternate open section of the same course, where available;
  • transfer into a different course that is equal or lower in cost to the original course, as long as the learner meets any required application, admission, and/or prerequisite requirements. Where the course transferred into is a lower price than the original course, the difference in price will be refunded to the learner.

Students who wish to transfer their registration to a different course or the same course with a later start date may do so at no cost up until seven (7) days before the start of the course (provided the courses are the same price). Students who wish to change course or start dates within one (1) to  six (6) days before the start date of the course may do so upon payment of a $50.00 administrative fee(and any applicable price differences)

Certificate/certification issuance

An Ontario Tech University certificate will be awarded to all learners who complete a certificate program.