BCCAT

Simultaneous enrolment – when a student is enrolled in more than one post-secondary institution at the same time – represents between one and two percent of annual enrolment in BC’s public post-secondary system. Most BC post-secondary institutions manage their students’ simultaneous enrolment by issuing Letters of Permission (LOPs), which verify that the institution is aware of the student’s enrolment elsewhere and will grant transfer credit for the course(s) the student takes.

The objectives of this research are:
– to assess the extent of simultaneous enrolment in the BC Transfer System;
– to examine institutional processes and procedures around LOPs and simultaneous enrolment; and,
– to make recommendations to maximize the effectiveness of simultaneous enrolment and LOPS, for students and for institutions.

Data were collected through a review of institutional websites and a survey of registrars at BC Transfer System member institutions. Approximately half of these institutions have policies and/or a standardized procedure around issuing LOPs. Generally, to be eligible to receive an LOP, students must have achieved a minimum GPA and have completed a minimum number of courses or credits. Some institutions also have restrictions on the type or number of courses that students can take elsewhere.