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Special students

You can take classes at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) without pursuing an undergraduate degree. Apply to be a special student (also known as a visiting student). 

Why become a special student?

  • To qualify for a degree program (usually graduate studies or other professional areas of study)
  • To complete courses on a letter of permission from another university
  • To meet professional association course requirements

You do not need special student status to enrol in the Chang School of Continuing Education (opens in new window) .

Not all programs accept special students. Check which programs are accepting applications.

Ontario secondary school students are eligible to apply as special students. You must get a recommendation from your secondary school.

Requirements for special students

Start the application process as soon as possible. Applications will close when the enrolment capacity has been reached.

  1. Obtain approval from the teaching department: 
    1. Faculty of Science: Special student permission form (Faculty of Science website).
    2. The School of Nutrition: Outlines their requirements on the School of Nutrition website. The school will notify Undergraduate Admissions if you have their permission to enrol.
    3. Architectural Science courses: please see the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science website for instructions.
    4. Engineering courses: please see the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science website for instructions.
    5. Arts courses: please see the Faculty of Arts website for instructions.
  2. Submit the TMU application.
  3. Activate your online identity: After you submit your application, TMU will send you an acknowledgment email. This email will contain a link allowing you to activate your TMU online identity and access your ChooseTMU Applicant Portal. ChooseTMU is where you can review your application status and find letters from us, including your Offer of Admission. 
  4. Upload your special student letter/form (permission from the academic department). You are not required to submit a supplementary form. Some program departments may require academic transcripts. The School of Nutrition will notify Undergraduate Admissions if you have their permission to enrol (no upload required).
    1. The School of Nutrition will notify Undergraduate Admissions if you have their permission to enrol (no upload required).
  5. Check your application status: Review your ChooseTMU Applicant Portal for important updates and communications from us. Add noreply@torontomu.ca to your email contact list and check your spam folder to ensure you do not miss critical communications from us.
  6. Once approved, read your Offer of Admission letter in full. Your Offer of Admission will be accepted on your behalf. You can proceed with getting set up as a student. 
    1. Changed your mind? If you wish to cancel your offer, please submit the TMU change form as soon as possible.

How to enrol

Approval as a special student doesn’t guarantee enrolment in courses. Access to courses is subject to teaching department approval and space availability. Individual faculty members may not grant access to courses.

Special students don’t have access to enrolment through MyServiceHub (opens in new window) Only a program department can enrol you into courses.

Get in touch with your program department before the enrolment deadlines outlined on the Significant Dates page in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Are you a previously approved special student?

Were you admitted previously as a special student? If you haven’t enrolled in courses for six consecutive semesters, you’ll need to apply again. 

Enrolled less than six semesters ago? Contact your program department for enrolment support.

You will receive a grade for every course you complete as a special student. 

If you enrol in a degree program at TMU after taking courses as a special student, the courses may apply toward your degree requirements. These credits will not be used in the calculation of your grade point average (GPA) and will not be recorded as graded courses.

While enrolled as a special student, you’re not eligible for transfer credit from another institution. You’re also not eligible for a letter of permission to study elsewhere.

You’re subject to the same academic standing requirements as students in degree programs. Further details are available from the program department.

Next steps for approved special students

A month before the term starts, you will gain access to both your student account and TMU email. 

You will be granted full access to your my.torontomu.ca (opens in new window)  student account, allowing you to access all current student academic and financial features on MyServiceHub, as well as the full suite of Google Apps.

You will also be automatically prompted to create a TMU username and set-up your student email address (name@torontomu.ca) when you log into my.torontomu.ca (opens in new window) . Once your email has been set up, all official university communications will be sent there. Remember to check it often!

The OneCard is the official identification card for members of the TMU community. Your OneCard also grants you access to buildings, campus services and discounts. Visit the OneCard website for details and instructions on how to get your OneCard.

Tuition and fees will be posted on your MyServiceHub student account once you have enrolled into your courses.

Check the Special Students tables on the undergraduate tuition and fees page to confirm the tuition and fees. You can also confirm your fees by completing an account inquiry on MyServiceHub after you have enrolled into your courses. 

Make sure to pay your tuition and fees before the tuition and fee payment deadline to avoid incurring late fees. For information on payment methods and timelines, visit How to pay your tuition and fees.

Class schedule

Your class schedule is found in the Academics section of your Student Center on MyServiceHub. This Week’s Schedule table displays courses that you are enrolled in for the current term, and a weekly view is available by clicking on the “Weekly Schedule” link. Note if the time and location are listed as TBA, this indicates an online course with no specific meeting times or locations.

  • On-campus class? Review the campus map to identify the building where your class is located.
  • Virtual class? Access your virtual classroom and course site via D2L Brightspace.

Class resources: D2L Brightspace

Each class has a D2L Brightspace site, where your instructors will share course materials such as course outlines, assignments, grades and more.

Access D2L Brightspace by logging into my.torontomu.ca (opens in new window)  and clicking the Online Courses & Organizations tab in the top navigation. For tutorials in navigating D2L, visit the Checklist: getting started with D2L brightspace page.

Note: that you may not receive access to your class site until the first class date, or within a couple of days of enrolling into the course.

There are a number of services available to help you succeed at TMU! You can learn more about what’s available to you on the Student Affairs website. Here are a few examples: