Eligibility and Application

An ILOP is required by Faculty of Arts and Science academic regulations 14 - 14.8 for any undergraduate Arts and Science student studying abroad at another institution. Please ensure you read these regulations. You do not require an International Letter of Permission if you are studying at Bader College, on exchange, or on a departmental program where you are taking Queen’s courses.

Eligibility

Any student who is in good academic standing (i.e., a cumulative GPA of 1.6 (unless specified elsewhere)) may participate in study abroad. Please see the criteria below for further details.

  • Students in first year may apply for an ILOP if the average of their mid-year grades is at least 60 per cent and if they have passed a majority of courses. A conditional ILOP would be issued pending receipt of final grades.  
  • In any Fall-Winter period, full-time students may be registered in no more than 18.0 units in either of the Fall or Winter Terms, including any courses being taken elsewhere on an International Letter of Permission.
  • Note: Students Entering 3rd or 4th year of an Honours program: If you wish to take more than 6.0 units of your 3rd or 4th year of an Honours program on an ILOP during the Fall and/or Winter semester, you must appeal to the Associate Dean (Academic). You will need to provide a statement outlining your reasons to study elsewhere, list the courses you plan to take and explain why you cannot take these courses at Queen’s. You must also include an academic plan to explain how the courses you plan to take will fit in with the courses required for your degree (i.e., are they electives, are they core courses, will you be taking Queen’s courses at the same time, etc?). It’s important that you understand your degree requirements and that the courses you plan to take during your study abroad fit in with your remaining degree/plan requirementsIf you are planning to take courses for your PLAN, you must also obtain approval from the Undergraduate Chair of your department and submit with your appeal. View the appeals process here.
  • Students who are currently students in the School of English may not apply for an ILOP until they are enrolled in a degree program with the Faculty of Arts and Science.

Do you have questions about pursuing your own independent study abroad? Read our guide!

Application

We strongly recommend you apply for an ILOP and receive a response prior to applying to the host institution. Every effort is made to process ILOPs before courses begin and to allow time for you to apply. However, meeting external deadlines is not the IPO's responsibility and we may not be able to process your ILOP before your host institution's application date. If you do not receive approval to transfer study abroad credit before enrolling in/paying for a course, this is done at your own risk. At the discretion of the IPO, retroactive ILOP submissions may be rejected.

Go to SOLUS to apply for an ILOP

The ILOP application has changed. Please use this guide to apply for an ILOP (updated October 16, 2023).

 

 

Decide where and when you would like to study. Search the website of the university/program you wish to attend and gather specific information about the availability of suitable courses and programs offered. See programs that other Queen's students have participated in.

Study abroad programs facilitated by the International Programs Office requiring an ILOP are:

  • Semester in Shanghai
  • KGU Cross-Cultural College
  • OUI Summer Programs

Some institutions are not eligible for transfer credit. Check this list to make sure you do not apply to an ineligible program or course.

Once you have found a university of interest, determine the application deadlines and procedures for applying as a visiting student and whether an International Letter of Permission (ILOP) is required.

To ensure that you are selecting courses that will be offered, please wait until the host university has released its final course schedule. Summer school course schedules are typically finalized by late March/early April each year.

  • A non-refundable application fee of $60 must be submitted for each ILOP. If a student requests replacement or additional courses, a new ILOP application and application fee of $60 must be submitted.
  • The maximum number of courses you may list on your application are:
    • Summer Term – 4 courses
    • Fall Term – equivalent of 18.0 Queen’s units
    • Winter Term – equivalent of 18.0 Queen’s units
  • Any amendments or requests for substitute courses must be submitted as a new ILOP by the deadline stated.
  • An International Letter of Permission (ILOP) may take 4 weeks or longer to process.

Documents you will need for your application 

  • Course syllabus: you must provide a detailed course syllabus for each course you are applying to take which includes: 
    • course description
    • textbook information (author, title, edition, year of publication)
    • method of evaluation (e.g. two exams, 50% each)
    • breakdown of lectures per class with book chapters included
    • name of instructor and contact details
    • host university pre-requisites

To apply for an ILOP, go to SOLUS on the Student Centre page. Full details and instructions on how to apply can be found below.

Applying to a Letter of Permission Guide

  • It is the student’s responsibility to apply for admission to the host university.
  • Students participating in an independent study abroad activity must register at the host university as a visiting student rather than as a student on a degree program. Students who register on a degree program will jeopardize their registration status at Queen’s University.
  • The student must complete and submit all documentation required by the host university, directly to the host university, by its stated deadlines.
  • Tuition and ancillary fees are to be paid by the student to the host university, in accordance with the host university’s requirements.
  • Students may be required to pay additional fees, such as mandatory health insurance, activity fees, etc., to the host university.
  • Application to the host university may in some cases come before applying for an ILOP. Students must determine application deadlines and requirements prior to applying. It is not the responsibility of the International Programs Office to determine this.