Administrative procedures

Prerequisites are courses that you need to have before pursuing a particular course. A prerequisite prevents you from taking courses in which you are unlikely to succeed without the proper prior knowledge. 

The maximum course load permitted by the University is a maximum of 15 credit hours or 4 courses whichever is lower in any particular semester. Please note that for each credit hour, your study workload required per week would be an average of 2 hours. Therefore if you were to register for a 5-credit hour course, you would need to allocate an average of 10 hours per week for study.

To add a course, you can apply using the Application for Adding of Course(s) form (R-AC) by the first  tutorial of the semester (week 1). The last day to add course(s) is:

- one week before the commencement of the semester for new students; and

- one week before the commencement of the semester for continuing students

Students can apply through the Application for Dropping of Course(s) form (R-DC). The last day to drop course(s) is by the 9th week of the semester. After this duration, you cannot drop a course, but you may be able to apply for withdrawal from a course.

Course(s) officially dropped by the 9th week of the semester will not be recorded on the student's permanent academic record. However, a grade "W" (Withdrawn) will be recorded for courses in which you have been granted approval for your course withdrawal application.

You will need to fill up the Application for Course Withdrawal form (R-WC)if you decide to withdraw from a course. A withdrawal process is undertaken should you miss the drop course deadline and are unable to proceed with the final course exam. By applying for course withdrawal, the course enrolled will still appear in your transcript but with a ‘W” grade (withdrawal with permission).

Application for course withdrawal must be submitted no later than 16th week of the semester. If you do not undertake the final examination for courses you fail to withdraw, you will receive a grade "F" (Fail) for that particular course.

If you have completed certain semesters/courses and wish to defer your studies, please apply for deferment using the Application for Deferment of Studies form. This will ensure the eligibility of enrolling for new courses in future semesters. Your approved deferment period will lapse upon the next offering of the same course(s).

If you have completed some assignments/requirements before deferment of studies is granted, the School offering the course has the discretion to decide whether you will be required to complete these assignments/requirements again upon resuming your studies later.

If you are applying for deferment of studies, you should continue your studies until formal approval is obtained from the University.

The University recognises the following grounds as a basis for deferral of studies:

1. illness or medical emergency
2. family crisis or similar special circumstances
3. a need, owing to previous failure in University courses, to re-sit two or more examinations in any one semester.

Documentary evidence must be provided with the completed form for processing.

Students who intend to discontinue their programme of study at the University for physical, emotional, financial, family, health or other non-academic reasons may apply for withdrawal from the University using the Application for Withdrawal from the University form. They are required to settle all financial obligations with the University and return all University property.

Student card will be issued upon full acceptanc and also settling all relevant fees. All students are strongly advised to carry along their student card in order to access the facilities available at the Regional Centres/Main Campus.

New students who do not receive their student card within the first two weeks after the commencement of the semester, must inform the staff at their Regional Centre immediately for requisition of the card.

A student card will be issued only once at the point of admission. If you have lost or damaged your student card, you are to report to your Regional Centre immediately for a replacement. Replacements can be done through filling in the Application for Replacement of Student Identity Card form. An administrative fee will be levied.

Should there be any update to your personal particulars, you may inform the University to make the amendment by completing the Amendment of Personal Particulars form.

You can view your current particulars via your student portal.

If you intend to change your Regional Centre , you will need to fill up the Application for Change of Regional Centre form.

In WOU, you are permitted to change your intended programme of study. To do so, you will need to complete the Application for Change Programme of Studies form.