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Lakehead has three intake periods: Fall (September), Winter (January) and Spring/Summer (May/July). For Fall entry, we will begin accepting applications  mid-September the year prior.. For example, if you are interested in starting your studies with us in September 2026, the application will open mid-September 2025.

Application deadlines may vary depending on which program you apply to and the semester in which you intend to start (fall, winter or spring/summer). . For more information, please review our Application Deadlines.

We welcome applications with various backgrounds from Ontario, Canada and the world! The first step in determining admissibility is to select what type of applicant you are, followed by the program(s) of interest to you. Admissions requirements may vary pending on your current and previous academic history. For more information, please visit: Admission Requirements.

The University’s important dates can be found in the Academic Calendar under “Important Dates”

Registration is done through myServices - under the “Academics tab” you will find the Pre-Registration Planning tool. Visit our Course Registration page to learn how to plan and register for your courses. You can also watch a video that will walk you through the registration process.

You may drop a course through myServices under “Register for Courses” by the deadline to drop a course/withdrawal. You will see all the courses you have registered for. To drop a course, click the “Drop” button under the course(s) you wish to remove from your schedule.  

There is no academic penalty for dropping a course by the deadline; however, there may be other implications such as an impact on your OSAP or an Entrance Scholarship, as well as a delay in your program progression. Before dropping a course, it is always best to meet with Student Central.

Students must be registered in a minimum of 4 full course equivalent credits (FCEs) over the Fall/Winter to be considered full-time.

Please note that this minimum course load differs for OSAP. See FAQ: What is considered full-time OSAP status for Undergraduate Fall/Winter?

It depends. Any course that has not been dropped before the last date to drop/withdraw will show on your transcript along with a grade. If you withdraw before the last date to drop/withdraw, the course will not appear on the transcript.

Before submitting a request to Change your Program, take time to explore the program options available along with their admission requirements. When you are ready to request a change to your program, visit here. You may also want to speak with Student Central about your interests, goals and programs that may be best suited to you.

The Fall course exam timetable is posted in mid October. The Winter term and Full Year course exam timetable is posted mid February. The Exam Period dates can be found under Important Dates in the Academic Calendar.

You should apply to graduate after you have registered in the last of your required courses for your degree and once the Intent to Graduate application opens. Prior to submitting an Intent to Graduate, you may wish to meet with Student Central and/or your Faculty Advisor to verify whether you will meet your requirements on time.

The OSAP application for Fall typically opens in Spring. Please check the OSAP website in May.

Before you receive your first installment of OSAP funds, we will need to verify that you are registered in the correct course load. To receive full-time funding, you must be registered in at least a 60% course load, 40% for a student with a disability in both of your semesters.  If it is different or you are not registered, this can affect the amount or timing of your funding. Once received, your funds will be applied to your Lakehead Statement of Account. Normally this happens at the beginning of September and then again at the beginning of January.

OSAP documents take time to be reviewed. Typically, the wait time is 6-8 weeks, depending on the document type. During peak periods, additional time may be required. Once all documents are approved and your application has been confirmed, you will receive your funding in 5-7 business days.

To maintain full-time status, students must take at least 60% of a full course load (1.5 credits per term) or 40% (1.0 credits per term) if you are student with a permanent disability. Students who are on full-time co-op work term are also considered full-time.

OSAP and all government student aid programs are constantly changing, you are changing too.  Sometimes your situation has changed from the previous year to the current year.  In other instances, the changes that have been implemented by the federal or provincial governments have resulted in an increase or decrease of funding to you.  The governments work hard to maintain a consistency from year-to-year, but changes are inevitable over time.

 If you choose to drop/withdraw from a course for the Winter, you are changing your course load and your OSAP eligibility may be impacted. Learn more about the impacts of course withdrawal(s) on OSAP.

If you have uploaded all your documents and your documents have been approved, the final stage before receiving OSAP is the Confirmation of Enrolment stage. This means that a Financial Aid Officer will confirm your enrolment with OSAP. This cannot happen until at least two weeks before the start of your term. Once a confirmation of enrolment is completed, it typically takes 5-7 business days for the payment from the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) to reflect on your Lakehead student account or in your personal bank account if there is not an amount owing.