Special Students
Table of Contents
Special Students
Special Students are those who have not been admitted to a degree program but are taking degree-credit courses to qualify for admission, to improve professional qualifications, for transfer credit, or for personal interest. Anyone is eligible to apply as a part-time Special Student subject to course availability and course prerequisites
Apply to study as a special student
Anyone is eligible to apply as a Special Student subject to course availability and course prerequisites. To do this, you must complete the online Special Student Application and pay a non-refundable processing fee of $75.00 (effective May 1, 2025). The fee can be paid by Visa, Mastercard or online Debit.
You will also need to provide a copy of a transcript showing the most recent education you have completed. Proof of English Language Proficiency may also be required (refer to section 4 of the General Admissions Requirements section of the Undergraduate Calendar). Your application will not be processed until all of these requirements have been submitted.
The processing time is normally 3-5 working days. An email will be sent once your application is approved with your student identification number and registration information.
You can apply any time throughout the year, but please allow sufficient processing time prior to registration dates.
Registration Tools
There are a number of tools designed to help special students, like yourself, with their registration.
Your Registration Checklist
We have prepared a checklist to help you get ready for registration at Carleton.
Dates and Deadlines
Always be mindful of the academic dates and deadlines for each academic term.
Registration Steps
All registration for courses is done through Carleton Central. There are 4 steps to registration which must be completed in order to ensure your successful registration.
Waitlisting
While we strive to provide students with access to courses, factors such as room size can limit the number of spaces available in a course. For courses that are currently full, you may be able to join a waitlist.
Registration Override Request
When attempting to add a course, you may encounter a registration error. This happens when you do not meet the registration criteria set out by the department.
Course Delivery Types
Course sections may be offered in-person, online or as a combination of in-person and online activities. The delivery type for each course will appear in the “Section Information” listing in Carleton Central.
Registration Terminology
Registration has its own terminology. We have provided some definitions to help you understand some of the terms you may come across when registering.
FAQs
Find answers to other questions you may have at our FAQ page.
Registration Support
If you still have any questions after looking through the information on this website, we have several services available to help you out.
Important Information for Special Students
Course Availability
Carleton University attempts to make courses available to all students for registration; however, there are some factors which may restrict the course availability.
Credit Limit
Special students may normally enrol in up to 2.0 credits per academic session (e.g. Fall and Winter together) and no more than 1.0 credit per …
Course Withdrawal
Course Withdrawal Course withdrawal must be done via Carleton Central within the published deadlines. Non-attendance or failure to pay fees does not constitute as a withdrawal. …
Fee Payment
Don’t forget that fee payment is due in full once you register. You will be withdrawn from all your courses if you do not settle …
Resources for Special Students
Registrar’s Office – for information on applying, registration, and course availability. Academic Advising Centre – for current special students with a student identification number looking to create …