Grading & transcripts

Effective Sept. 2005

The minimum passing grade for a course is 55% unless otherwise stated on the course outline or College calendar. Conestoga College Academic policies are available here.       

Pass/fail

Some courses and programs may also record achievement as:
Pass(P) The course outcomes are satisfactorily met in a course which uses the pass/fail grading system.
Fail(F) Failure to meet course outcomes in an acceptable manner

Ungraded courses

Some courses are ungraded and these will record that a student/ participant either:
AT attended an ungraded course
DNA registered but did not attend

At the end of each course, the final grade earned or other notation is recorded on the student record and made available through the Student Portal at the end of each session/semester or upon completion of a program of study. The session Grade Point Average and/or the Program Grade Point Average will be automatically calculated and recorded on the transcript.             

Grade Point (GP)              

• Assigned to each course, the Grade Point is a numeric representation aligned to an alpha grade and/or a percentage range.

Session Grade Point Average (GPA)              

• Represents the courses taken within a program session. The session GPA is printed on transcripts and achievement records for cohort based programs. It is calculated by averaging the grades achieved and credit weighting by the credits assigned to each course.

Program Grade Point Average (GPA)              

• Represents all courses taken for the specified program code/version. These courses may have been taken either via the cohort or through part time studies (non-cohort). The program GPA is not related to a given session. It is based on the program code/version and all the courses the student took that are part of the program, including electives

Grade Point Average - calculation

The Session Grade Point Average and/or the Program Grade Point Average will be displayed on the transcript/achievement record and calculated as follows:             

• The enrolled course must have a credit value.
• The grade scale associated to the course must be included in the GPA calculation.

(Pass/Fail courses are not included.)             

• Alpha grades not assigned a grade point value (AU and DNA) do not have a grade point value)
• Transfer Credits are not included in the calculation of GPA.
• The grades of I/P (In Process) and I (Incomplete) are not included in the GPA calculations.
  
• If a course is repeated (including equivalencies) the most recent grade will always be used to compute the program GPA. If the first course taken is a failure and the same course is repeated (including equivalencies) and it is a failure, only one failure will be used in the calculation of the GPA.
• Course failures associated to an enrolment status of PLA will not be included in any GPA calculation.

Use of Grade Point Average

The Program/Cohort GPA may be used to determine the academic standing and academic awards.             

Academic decisions are based on a student’s academic achievement with respect to the promotion standards of the program of study. Academic decisions are entered on the student's permanent academic record and will appear on the transcript. Progress from one level to the next is dependent upon successful completion of courses and/or meeting program promotion standards.           

Students are informed in advance of the standards which will determine successful progression through the Program of Study to program completion. Students who require longer than the designed program duration to complete their studies are accountable for completing any new and/or additional courses or program requirements that may result due to changes in the Program of Study. In such cases, the chair of the program may grant exemptions where it is deemed appropriate.       

Based on a student's academic achievement and following the promotion guidelines of the program, an academic standing decision is assigned to the student record indicating progress/promotion/graduation.       

Graduate

Allowed to graduate.

Met Requirements

Met requirements of program.

Eligible to Continue

Promoted to the next academic level of the program.

Special Timetable - Same Level

Not promoted, or allowed to graduate due to missing/failed course(s). However, student is allowed to return to the program to repeat/complete missing/failed course(s).

Academic Probation

Promoted to next level with a special timetable and academic conditions.

Decision Pending

A temporary decision, pending receipt of final marks.

Discontinued (formerly College Withdrawal)

Initiated by the College due to the student’s failure to meet program objectives.

Required to Withdraw

College initiated termination of studies due to non-academic performance.

Conestoga has established procedures to deal with academic appeals in an effective, timely, fair, and impartial manner. Before submitting an appeal, please review the Academic Dispute Resolution and Appeal Procedure (pdf) to familiarize yourself with the necessary appeal steps and criteria.

How to submit an appeal

*Effective April 15, 2024

Full-time students

• For appeals at step 1, complete this step by email to the appropriate faculty member.
• For appeals at step 2 or higher, complete these steps using the Academic Appeal Request found on the Student Portal under “My Services" > "My Forms". Once you select your appeal type, the request form will automatically guide you through the steps.

Part-time students

• For appeals at step 1, 2 or 3, complete these steps by email to the appropriate faculty member, chair, or dean. When submitting an appeal by email, please refer to the appeal criteria and attach all relevant documentation.
• For appeals at step 4, complete this step by email to appeals@conestogac.on.ca.

Support

If you require assistance with the academic appeal request process, you can request support from a CSI student advocate. Visit Academic Appeals on the CSI website.           

The Student Achievement Report includes an Academic Standing Decision and all courses with or without a formal assessment component. These reports are available at the end of each session via the Student Portal or those with decisions other than "Eligible to Continue" will be issued/mailed by the Registrar's Office. Marks are considered confidential information and, therefore, are not given out over the telephone under any circumstances. When inquiring about achievement, the Student Identification Number must be provided.                    

Note: Allow at least two weeks for processing. Official transcripts will not be issued to students with outstanding tuition, residence or incidental fees.             

Request a transcript for your OCAS or OUAC application

If you are applying online to college (www.ontariocolleges.ca) or university (www.ouac.on.ca) and are currently attending or previously attended an Ontario college or university; to have your transcript transferred, you must complete the online ontariocolleges.ca or OUAC transcript request form.

Request a transcript

The Registrar's Office uses MyCreds^TM to issue digital transcripts. MyCreds is a digital wallet that provides secure access to your academic credentials that you can share with colleges, universities, employers, immigration authorities, and other third parties. Please visit MyCreds.ca for answers to frequently asked questions.            

When your academic status in a program is updated to "Graduate", your digital credential (parchment) and transcript will be automatically uploaded and available through MyCreds within 24-48 hours. A notification will be sent to your Conestoga email address with information on how to set up an account. Be sure to link your personal email address so that you never lose access to your records.            

For a general transcript request where a status of "Graduate" is not applicable, please follow the steps below:             

• Full-time students: Log in to the Student Portal and complete the Request for Transcript form. Select the “Services” tab, then select the “My Forms” button.
  
• Continuing Education students, former students, and alumni: Complete this Request for Transcript form.
  

When your Request for Transcript form has been processed and your digital transcript is available, you will receive an email from MyCreds. Follow the instructions in the email to register and create your MyCreds account.                          

To share your transcripts with a third party, you need to purchase ‘Share Credits’ on the MyCreds Learner Portal using a valid credit card. One share requires one share credit.                          

MyCreds FAQ

1. What information is on the official transcript?                           

   An official transcript contains your academic achievements and bears official signatures and Conestoga College crest.                           

2. How does MyCreds™ secure my official digital transcript?                          

   When shared through the MyCreds platform, the official transcript is authentic, tamper-evident and legally valid. Documents issued through MyCreds contain digital signatures that meet the legal requirements of certified digital documents in countries around the world. When you share your documents with third parties through the MyCreds portal, these digital signatures ensure their authenticity.
   

   MyCreds stores your documents securely with your data remaining under Conestoga College’s control. You control who you share your documents with. The underlying MyCreds systems have been independently tested by security experts.                          

3. How do I log in to the MyCreds learner portal?                          

   If you have the email notification you received from MyCreds when the document was issued: follow the link in the email notification and log in with your username and password. If you have not yet created an account, it will prompt you to do so.
   

   If you no longer have the email notification you received from MyCreds: from the Sign in page, select Sign in with your Education Provider. From the institution drop-down menu, select Conestoga College. Next, log in with your username and password. You must have already created an account to access the system without the email link.
   

4. What email address will MyCreds use to send notifications?
   

   All MyCreds notifications for current students and recent graduates will be sent to your Conestoga College email address.                          

   If you are a former student and/or you no longer have an active Conestoga College email account, the notification will be sent to the email address you include in your request.
   

5. How do I share my digital transcript?                                   

   • Once you receive the confirmation email that your digital transcript is available, simply follow the link provided to log in to your secure account on the MyCreds Learner portal. Don’t forget to check your junk folder if you don’t see the email in your inbox.
     
   • After logging in, purchase the number of required ‘Share Credits’ by clicking on the Add more link. You will need one share credit for each email address you are sharing your transcript with.
     
   • From the Documents page, which will be displayed after login, click on the Share button next to the document you wish to share. You will enter the recipient email address and MyCreds will send an email to the person or organization. You can specify for how long they can access the document, or require them to have a PIN to access the document.
     
   • This Document Sharing screen is where you will enter the recipient email address. Once you have entered the email address, click the Continue button.
     
   • Review the number of share credits you have for this document, and click Share.
   • Review the confirmation message which will include the email address for the recipient you have shared your transcript with. You can advise the recipient to expect an email notification from MyCreds.ca|Mes Certif.ca <noreply@mycreds.ca>.
   
   

   For complete details about sharing your documents, please see the MyCreds Learner FAQ.                                 

6. What are Share Credits?                                   

   Instead of paying a fee per paper transcript, with the digital transcript you will purchase a specific number of ‘Share Credits’ for that document on the MyCreds Learner Portal. Each Share Credit will allow you to share the secure digital transcript with one recipient, such as an employer or an educational institution. A valid credit card is required to purchase Share Credits. For example, if you need to send transcripts to both a regulatory board and your employer, you will need to purchase two Share Credits from the MyCreds portal. In the MyCreds Learner portal, you will be able to see how many Share Credits you purchased, how many you have already used, and how many are remaining.
   

7. What is the cost of a digital transcript?     

   The cost for each digital transcript Share Credit is $12 plus tax. Transcript fees are charged in Canadian dollars and can be paid by using Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Payments are non-refundable.
   

8. How can I download my digital transcript as a PDF?     

   Your digital transcript is not available for download from the Documents Page in your MyCreds Learner portal. This is one of the ways that the Office of the Registrar ensures the integrity of academic records for employers, government authorities and other verifiers. When you share the document with a third-party recipient directly through the MyCreds platform, the recipient can verify that the document is authentic and current and will have access to the transcript in PDF format which they will be able to download and retain for their record-keeping purposes.    

   As a learner, if you need a copy of your official transcript for your own records, simply share the document with yourself by entering your own email address. This will then allow you to access and download the PDF. This option will use up one Share Credit. If you also need to share the document securely with another third party within the platform, you will need to purchase additional Share Credits. See How do I share my digital transcript? above for step-by-step instructions.     

Need more help? Visit MyCreds Learner FAQ or contact studentrecords@conestogac.on.ca.

Depending on the program, the official documents awarded by the Board of Governors in recognition of successful completion of a program are:

Certificate
Ontario College Certificate
Baccalaureate Degree
Ontario College Advanced Diploma
Ontario College Diploma
Ontario College Graduate Certificate

Additional information on academic policies and procedures may be found at our policies website.

Affirmation

An Affirmation for courses with a formal assessment component may be obtained by completing the General Request Form and submitting to the Registrar's Office with the applicable fee. This document is suitable for framing.

Statement of Participation

A Statement of Participation indicates the student's attendance and participation in a course in which there is no formal assessment (provided the course is eligible) and may be obtained by completing the General Request Form and submitting to the Registrar's Office with the applicable fee. This document is suitable for framing.

Certificate of Achievement

Awarded by the Office of the Registrar to students who have successfully completed outcomes of a prescribed program; typically less than 180 hours in duration. This certificate will include the logo and seal of the Conestoga and will be signed by the Registrar.

Recognition of Learning

This document is awarded by the program team in order to recognize learning that does not qualify for a credential/document as outlined in the definitions above.

Document replacement

If a duplicate copy of a Document is required, the request must be made in writing to the Registrar's Office. A General Request Form is available for this purpose. Documents that can be requested are Certificates, Ontario College Certificates, Ontario College Diplomas, Ontario College Advanced Diplomas, Ontario College Graduate Certificate, Applied Degrees, Affirmations and Statements of Participation. Applicable fees apply.

Notification of disclosure of personal information to Statistics Canada     

Statistics Canada is the national statistical agency. As such, Statistics Canada carries out hundreds of surveys each year on a wide range of matters, including education.     

It is essential to be able to follow students across time and institutions to understand, for example, the factors affecting enrolment demand at postsecondary institutions. The increased emphasis on accountability for public investment means that it is also important to understand ‘outcomes’. In order to conduct such studies, Statistics Canada asks all colleges and universities to provide data on students and graduates. Institutions collect and provide to Statistics Canada, student identification information (student’s name, student ID number, Social Insurance Number), student contact information (address and telephone number), student demographic characteristics, enrolment information, previous education, and labour force activity.     

The federal Statistics Act provides the legal authority for Statistics Canada to obtain access to personal information held by educational institutions. The information may be used for statistical purposes only, and the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act prevent the information from being released in any way that would identify a student.     

Students who do not wish to have their information used can ask Statistics Canada to remove their identifying information from the national database. On request by a student, Statistics Canada will delete an individual’s contact information (name, address, or other personal identifiers) from the PSIS database. To make such a request, please contact us:     

Via telephone:
Monday to Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET
1-800-307-3382 or
1-613-951-7608

Via mail:
Institutional Surveys Section
Centre for Education Statistics
Statistics Canada, Main Building, SC 2100-K
Tunney’s Pasture, Ottawa, ON K1A 0T6

Via e-mail:
PSIS-SIEP_contact@statcan.gc.ca
Statistics Canada maintains a recommended standard disclosure notice for reporting to Statistics Canada’s Postsecondary Student Information System (PSIS) on the PSIS Website

Under current provincial law, a student’s records are considered confidential and will be released to a third party only upon the written authorization of the student or by exception as noted under the Release of Information section of this Guide. Information collected in student records will be used to administer the programs and activities of the College. While student records are the property of the College, students have the right to view their own records upon request. Student records may include personal, academic and non-academic information (for example, identification photographs).     

The term “student record” refers to the collection of data dealing with an individual who is associated with a program or course of study at the College. Most of the data is categorized as academic, personal and/or financial and is maintained by the Registrar’s Office. The Official College Record for each student is a permanent record consisting minimally of the student’s name, student number, personal data, achievement, and academic decisions and should be maintained for a minimum of 55 years.     

Academic Record: consists of academic activity (program/course registration, achievement, transfer credits and academic standing) at the College.     

Personal Record: consists of biographical data and may include previous educational achievements such as secondary school records. Please ensure that the address in the Registrar’s system is the correct one for mailing purposes. Contact the Registrar’s Office to request a Personal Data Information Change Form to change your address or update other personal data on your Student Record.       

Financial Record: consists of financial transactions with the College relating specifically to tuition and incidental fees.     

Accuracy of the Student Record: The student is personally responsible for the completeness and accuracy of their student record, which is maintained by the Registrar’s Office. This includes mailing address, personal data and achievement. It is also the responsibility of the student to ensure that their program requirements are being met.