Information for non-degree special students

The School of Graduate Studies establishes the minimum academic requirements for admission, as well as the English language proficiency requirements. We require minimum scores for all tests and Academic Division Social Sciences for TOEFL. 

As a non-degree special student applicant, you are required to:
 

• submit an application for each academic year;
• apply via online admissions application;
• pay the application fee ($225);
• provide supporting documents; and
• complete the Special Student Course Selection Form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar and Student Services at admissions.oise@utoronto.ca. If instructor permission is required, a written confirmation (typically, the instructor’s signature) must accompany the form.

April 1, 2021 (for 2021 Summer Session, First Term – May)
May 1, 2021 (for 2021 Summer Session, Second Term – July)
June 25, 2021 (for 2021 Fall Session – September)
October 1, 2021 (for 2022 Winter Session – January)
 

Non-degree special students must apply using the School of Graduate Studies online admissions application.

Descriptions about the information you must enter in the application are available via the system’s help feature. We offer supplemental guidelines on the following select fields:
 

Graduate Unit 
Select “Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)” from the pick list.

Program
Select “Non-Degree/Special Student” from the pick list.

Degree Program
Special students are based in one department; select the most suitable from the pick list.

Referees
Part-time special students are not required to submit letters of reference (enter “n/a”); full-time special students must designate two referees.

Your complete application must include:
 

• official transcript of admitting degree (appropriate bachelor's degree);
• statement of intent (briefly provide reasons for wanting to study as a special student);
• Special Student Course Selection Form; and
• two letters of reference (if applying to full-time study).

For the 2021-22 year, OISE is suspending the requirement for official transcripts at the time of application. An electronic or scanned transcript is required. An official transcript will be required if you are offered admission.

For more information about these supporting documents, see Step 3: Prepare supporting documents. 

When a decision on your application has been made you’ll be provided with notification of results, such as an Offer of Admission, via the online admissions application. Admission is valid only for the beginning date specified on the offer of admission in the section "Program Begins". Results are typically provided within three weeks from when you submit a complete application.

Fall and Winter Sessions

Full-time special students pay annually the one year full-time academic fee plus Incidental Fees. Part-time special students pay the academic fee for each half-course plus Incidental Fees. The current total tuition fee (domestic students) for one half-course is $2,405.63.


Summer Session (first term and second term) 

Special students registered in the Summer Session pay tuition on a per course basis. If you register full-time you can undertake a maximum of the equivalent of two half-courses in each term. If you register part-time you can undertake a maximum of one half-course in the Summer Session (one in May/June or one in July/August).

• If you have received an offer of admission to an OISE degree program you’re not permitted to enroll as a special student.
   
• If you’re a current student you may not need to be a special student; students registered in a degree program at another Ontario university who want to undertake OISE courses for credit to their home university program can do so via the Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Agreement (OVGS) program.
   
• Special students must be enrolled in at least one graduate course.
   
• Courses undertaken as a special student are not appropriate for upgrading purposes regarding future admission to an OISE degree program.
   
• Special students are expected to complete all course requirements for grading purposes otherwise the earned grade of a failure will be recorded.
   
• Special students are not permitted to use the web-based student record system (ACORN).
   
• Special students are not eligible for OISE graduate assistantships or the OISE Graduate Funding Package.
   
• Once registered special students may obtain a University of Toronto student card (TCard).

What is the difference between a special student and a regular student?

Can courses I complete as a special student be credited to a degree program? And fees I pay?

Is online learning or distance education available at OISE?

Admission inquiries

admissions.oise@utoronto.ca
416-978-4300

Registration and course enrolment inquiries

Danielle Meade
Registration Specialist, Office of the Registrar and Student Services
oise.masters@utoronto.ca