Credit/No Credit explained: A guide to exploring courses outside your major

If students earn below 50 per cent, the course will not earn a credit, and their transcripts will show a ‘NCR’ notation. Student’s must score above 50 as the final grade on any course that they wish to apply the CR/NCR policy in order to get the credit. 

UTSC Academics centre also hosts sessions to address questions posed by the student body. Photo Credits: UTSC Academic Advising and Career Centre

A first-year student hears about the five courses under breadth requirements every student must take in order to graduate. Knowing his strengths lie in the sciences, and he is concerned he will not perform well in a history course. This uncertainty leaves him feeling anxious and unsure about what to do next. His friend from the program introduces him to the Credit/No Credit policy, and he feels comfortable exploring and trying out new courses. 

So, what is the Credit/No Credit policy ? 

It is one of the academic policies offered by The Registrar’s Office at the University of Toronto to give students the opportunity to explore elective courses without worrying about its impact on their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). According to the website, it allows students to earn a degree credit for a course without affecting their GPA. Students will receive a ‘CR’ for credit or ‘NCR’ no-credit on their transcript in place of a numerical grade.

It also allows degree students to request a maximum of 2.0 elective credits — four courses throughout a student’s entire stay at the university — to be assessed as credit/no credit. If students earn below 50 per cent, the course will not earn a credit, and their transcripts will show a ‘NCR’ notation. Thus, it is important to note that the student must score above 50 as the final grade on any course that they wish to apply the CR/NCR policy in order to get the credit. 

Sarubia Ruban, a third-year student majoring in human biology and health population with a minor in health humanities, highlighted that her main concern with this policy is its impact on graduate school applications and work applications in the future. 

“Does having a NCR reduce acceptance rate to specific programs after graduation and narrows the options you are eligible for?” she asked. This is a legitimate concern, and students should thoughtfully consider its pros and cons before opting in, as the choice could have long-term effects on their future opportunities.

In an email correspondence with the Registrar’s Office, they addressed this concern by explaining that the policy only poses a risk to a student’s academic future if it is applied to courses that are part of an admissions requirement. The use of this policy only applies to elective courses which are taken outside of students’ program requirements and supervised/independent courses. They then advised that students should seek information and discuss their options with an academic advisor. 

Students are allowed to make requests for this option from the first day of classes to the last day of classes, and this is done on the ‘Courses’ page under the ‘Enrol and Manage’ section of ACORN. 

The deadline to request for this option for a course in this semester is December 2, 2025 and it is April 6 for the coming winter semester. According to The Registrar’s Office’s website, the grades for courses under the CR/NCR notation will remain disclosed. It will not appear on the transcript, nor will it be revealed to the student.

Highland Hall at The University of Toronto Scarborough. Photo Credits: The Registrar’s Office

Speaking about the advantages, Ruban said that “CR/NCR can be beneficial in helping with completing credits on time while not having the course mark impacting your GPA.” 

This was also highlighted by The Registrar’s Office when they said “CR/NCR is a great way to explore new disciplines and courses and try something new without risk of impacting your academic record.” 

The university requirement to graduate includes taking one course from all the breadth requirements which include Arts, Literature, and Language, Natural Sciences, History, Philosophy, and Cultural Studies, Quantitative Reasoning, and Social and Behavioural Sciences. This option lets students fulfill this requirement without affecting their CGPA, giving them the confidence to explore courses outside their usual area of study.

However, one disadvantage about this option highlighted by Ruban is that students do not usually know where they stand in the course before the deadline. “Sometimes, the grades of midterms and assignments are released after the CR/NCR deadline, which makes it hard to know if the student wants to request it on/before the last day of classes.” 

Extending the deadline gives students more flexibility to make use of this option, and it allows them to submit their request within a timeframe that still qualifies for approval.

The CR/NCR policy provides students the opportunity to expand their knowledge and explore courses without fear of failure. If you are not confident of your academic standing in an elective course, this option is for you. 

As we approach examination season, students should keep an eye out for the deadline to apply for this option, as this is one of the resources provided by the university to help them succeed in earning credits for graduation.