What is WRIT?
WRIT is a 14-week foundational literacy course that develops students’ critical thinking, argumentation and persuasion, and writing skills, and is required by most programs at the college.* Students enrolled in a program that requires a WRIT credit are enrolled into the WRIT course by default, and the course typically appears on student timetables in the first semester.
*Please see below for a complete list of the programs at Fanshawe that require a WRIT credit.
What is the WRIT Assessment?
An optional* one-hour assessment taken in advance of the 14-week WRIT course provides students an opportunity to place out of the course by demonstrating they can already meet or exceed the expectations of this post-secondary curriculum through the skillful implementation of the competencies taught in the course. Those who do not demonstrate in their assessment these competencies will remain in the WRIT course.
The WRIT assessment is not mandatory or a requirement*, and foregoing or missing the assessment comes with no academic or financial penalty: if you do not complete the WRIT assessment or do not score high enough to place out, you will simply take the WRIT course to gain your WRIT credit, and your program standing and tuition fees remain the same.
If you do choose to write the assessment, please pay careful attention to the WRIT assessment testing window dates for the term: once the assessment has officially closed, writing the assessment is no longer possible. Students who are enrolled at the college after the testing window has closed can gain access to the assessment by contacting the WRIT team at writ@fanshawec.ca.
NOTE: Students who have already taken the WRIT course without gaining the credit or have already written the assessment are ineligible: the assessment is only offered to incoming students who have not yet taken the WRIT course or the assessment in the past.
The WRIT assessment is not* a requirement; it is an opportunity. If you do not write the WRIT assessment during the testing window, you will be required to complete the course. If you choose not to write the WRIT assessment, there is no impact on your program standing or your tuition fees.
*Some programs do ask students to write the assessment as part of their post-admission requirements—please see your program’s post-admission requirements for further details
Writing the WRIT Assessment
Before you begin the assessment, please note that:
- You only have ONE attempt at the assessment
- You have 60 minutes to complete the assessment
To ensure that your assessment is evaluated well in advance of the start of term, we recommend you complete the assessment as early as possible. Please also consider carefully choosing a time and place to write the assessment so that you can focus on the assessment without any distractions.
If you are ready to complete the assessment, click on the button below for instructions:
Assessment information by semester
Select your start date below for WRIT information specific to your semester:
September 2026
January 2027
For students starting in January 2027, the WRIT assessment is available online from Monday, November 2nd through Friday, November 27th.
Programs requiring WRIT
Below is a list of programs that require WRIT:
2027 Winter Term
| Biotechnology |
| Building Renovation Technology |
| Business |
| Business - Accounting |
| Business - Accounting (Co-op) |
| Business - Marketing |
| Business - Marketing (Co-op) |
| Business - Supply Chain and Operations |
| Business - Supply Chain and Operations (Co-op) |
| Business (Co-op) |
| Business Fundamentals |
| Carpentry and Renovation Technician (Co-op) |
| Carpentry and Renovation Techniques |
| Child and Youth Care |
| Civil Engineering Technician |
| Civil Engineering Technology |
| Commercial Flight and Aviation Leadership |
| Community Pharmacy Assistant |
| Computer Programming and Analysis (Co-op) |
| Computer Systems Technician |
| Cyber Security (Co-op) |
| Developmental Services Worker |
| Early Childhood Education |
| Electromechanical Engineering Technician (Co-op) |
| Electromechanical Engineering Technology (Co-op) |
| Fitness and Health Promotion |
| Flight Services |
| General Arts and Science-One Year |
| Interactive Media Design |
| Landscape Design Technician (Co-op) |
| Law Clerk (Co-op) |
| Medical Radiation Technology |
| Motive Power Technician (Automotive) |
| Motive Power Technician (Diesel) |
| Office Administration - Executive |
| Office Administration - General |
| Office Administration - Health Services |
| Pharmacy Technician |
| Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Certificates and Diplomas |
| Social Service Worker |
| Trades Fundamentals |
| Veterinary Assistant |
| Welding and Fabrication Technician |
Frequently Asked Questions
For more WRIT information about the assessment and a list of answers to frequently asked questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Contact Us
For any other WRIT inquiries, please email writ@fanshawec.ca. Please note that our team is working remotely and in-person at this time.