What is a backlog?

Subjects or exams that you fail to pass in the first attempt are known as Backlogs.

Every university or college considers these before issuing a letter of acceptance to any student. Less Number of reappears creates an impressive academic profile and is counted in favor of applicants who wish to study abroad. Generally, there are two types:

· Exams that you attempt but fail to make it through, popularly known as arrears

· Exams that you could not take, marked as absent.

Note: If you were absent and could not take the exam, it is essential to confirm from the academic institute whether they have marked an absent or a Zero in the score column against the exam subject. It is very important to confirm this because ‘a zero in the score column’ would be considered as a backlog and not absent. 

How are these counted?

Every country has different criteria for counting backlogs. In some countries, the number of subjects failed is counted as the number of backlogs, while some consider the number of attempts taken to clear such re-appears. Let us understand the same with two examples: 

The number of failed subjects is equivalent to the number of backlogs.

Many countries like Canada, the UK and the USA consider the number of failed subjects to count backlogs. For instance, if you fail in one subject and appear three times to clear it, it would be counted as one backlog. However, if you fail in three subjects and clear all in the next attempt, you would have three reappear. Simply, it can be understood as: Number of failed subjects is equal to the number of backlogs.

The number of attempts is considered the number of backlogs.

Some countries like Australia and Germany consider the number of attempts as the number of backlogs. Countries do this to judge the students’ seriousness towards the examination. For example, if you clear one subject in three attempts, the number of backlogs will be counted as three.

Whether you have a backlog or not, foreign universities are in authority to ask you to submit a certificate to certify your academic records as well as academic transcripts. A backlog certificate is different from a regular academic transcript in a way that a backlog certificate has scores of only the subjects you had backlogs in.

Can a student study abroad with backlogs?

Every college and university first gives preference to the best student. However, there are many academic institutions around the world, which accept students with backlogs if they find them suitable for the kind of courses they have to offer. One important thing to note here is that acceptance of backlogs varies from region to region, so it is ideal to say that every country accepts reappears to a certain limit.

Important Note: You cannot apply to study abroad with an active backlog!

How many backlogs are allowed in Canada?

In Canadian academic institutes, Backlogs play a huge role in profile evaluation. Most of the top Canadian colleges and universities accept up to five backlogs; however, there are certain universities and colleges that do consider seven-eight backlogs as well, by stressing more on the overall scores obtained in higher secondary and graduation.

What to do in case of no or zero backlogs?

Another common question students ask is, What should they do in case of no/zero backlogs? In such a situation, they need to see which country they are aiming to apply for study. For instance, countries like Australia and New Zealand asked for a ‘zero backlog’ certificate as clearance proof of their academic records.

Take the first step and find a good program in Canada. For more information on what and where to study in Canada with all details about programs and courses.

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