Request for academic concession

Law students: check with the Office of the Associate Dean, Academic and Student Relations before proceeding.

Learn more about your options when your academic performance is affected by injury, affliction or illness.

Important note: For Fall (Sept-Dec) 2021, students who request academic concessions are not required to provide medical documentation from health care professionals. This requirement has been waived to prevent the spread of COVID-19. On your Request for Academic Concession form, you may leave the "Professional's Statement in Support of Academic Concession" field blank.

If you suffer an illness, accident, or family affliction that affects your ability to complete your coursework, you can apply for academic concession.

The steps taken to request academic concession depend on:

Whether or not you are able to complete the coursework
Point in the term at which you realize you require an academic concession
Circumstances for the request

Requests for academic concession must normally be submitted within 10 working days of the end of the examination period of the term in which the course is taken. If you submit your request after this date, you may be required to provide additional documentation to support the delay in submitting your request.

The ombudsperson has created a great explanation of the UVic policies and procedures through real student examples.

Able to complete the coursework ...

Before the instructor submits the course grades

If your academics are affected but you will complete the coursework before the instructor submits the course grades at the end of the term:

Submit supporting documentation directly to the instructor

Make arrangements with the instructor to complete the course requirements before they submit your course grade at the end of the term.

After the end of term

If your academics are affected but you will be able to complete the coursework after the end of the term, a request for academic concession is required.

Request Deferred status (DEF) using the Request for Academic Concession (RAC) form

Not able to complete the coursework ...

Before academic drop deadline

If you cannot complete the coursework and it is before the academic drop deadline (the last day for dropping courses without penalty of failure - see academic calendar important dates):

Drop the course online in Online tools - a request for academic concession is not required
If seeking a fee reduction/refund see fee reduction appeal (FRAC) information

After academic drop deadline

If you are unable to complete the coursework after the academic drop deadline (the last day for dropping courses without penalty of failure see academic calendar important dates), a request for academic concession is required.

Submit a completed Request for Academic Concession (RAC) form to the Office of the Registrar requesting one of the following:

Aegrotat (AEG)
Withdrawal Extenuating Circumstances (WE)
Drop

If your request for academic concession is approved, it will automatically be forwarded to the Fee Reduction Appeal Committee for consideration.

Additional information

If you are on student loans, receiving scholarships or bursaries

Please conact Student Awards and Financial Aid before:

Dropping a course(s) Changes in course load could negatively impact your eligibility for funding

Deferring a course Some government aid programs have strict timelines regarding the completion of deferred coursework. Not meeting these deadlines could negatively impact your eligibility for funding.

Withdrawing from studies If you are withdrawing due to extenuating circumstances there are opportunities for appeal related to your student loans, scholarships and bursaries.

Deadline for completing deferred coursework or exams

If your request for a deferral is approved, any required course work (including exams) must be completed by the date specified by the instructor. If no date is specified, any required course work (including exams) must be completed no later than the end of the following term.

Courses ending in December must be completed by April 30
Courses ending in April must be completed by August 31
Summer Studies courses must be completed by December 31

Please note: you are responsible for checking for deferred approval on My Page and making arrangements with your instructor for course completion.

Approved deferred status may be extended beyond the above deadlines only in exceptional circumstances and only with the written permission of the Dean (or designate) of the student’s faculty.

To apply for an extended deferral, a student must submit a new Request for Academic Concession form with updated documentation to Student Support Services.

For Summer Session (May-August) 2021, students who request academic concessions are not required to provide medical documentation from health care professionals. This requirement has been waived to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

If you are making a request for academic concession for non-medical/compassionate reasons, acceptable forms of supporting documentation include an obituary, death certificate or other official documentation of the situation.

What is Deferred Status	Additional time to complete course requirements by a deadline that was agreed to by you and the instructor.
Timeframe for submission	Requests for academic concession must normally be submitted within 10 working days of the end of the examination period of the term in which the course is taken. If you submit your request after this date, you may be required to provide additional documentation to support the delay in submitting your request.
Grade on transcipt	DEF on both official and administrative transcript. This will be replaced with a grade once you have completed your deferred course work. If you do not complete the course by the deferral deadline, you will receive an incomplete grade.
Decision maker	Instructor & chair of the department offering the course.
Refund available	No

What is an Extended Deferral	If you have been approved for a Deferral but are unable to complete your course work by the Deferral completion deadline, you can apply for an Extended Deferral.
Timeframe for submission	Submit your request for academic concession before your Deferral completion deadline.
Grade on transcipt	DEF on both official and administrative transcript. This will be replaced with a grade once you have completed your deferred course work. If you do not complete the course by the deferral deadline, you will receive an incomplete grade.
Decision maker	Associate Dean of your Faculty
Refund available?	No

What is an Aegrotat	Transcript notation accompanying a letter grade, assigned where documented illness or similar affliction affected performance or prevented completion of all course work.
Timeframe for submission	Requests for academic concession must normally be submitted within 10 working days of the end of the examination period of the term in which the course is taken. If you submit your request after this date, you may be required to provide additional documentation to support the delay in submitting your request.
Grade on transcipt	AEG on both official and administrative transcript.
Decision maker	Instructor and Chair of the department offering the course for current session. Associate Dean of the faculty for your program for past sessions.
Refund available?	No

What is a Withdrawal Under Extenuating Circumstances	Withdrawal under extenuating circumstances (WE) registration status will replace a course registration or grade when approved by the Dean following a request for academic concession from a student. WE registration status will appear on your official transcript, but is excluded from the calculation of all grade point averages.
Timeframe for submission	Requests for academic concession must normally be submitted within 10 working days of the end of the examination period of the term in which the course is taken. If you submit your request after this date, you may be required to provide additional documentation to support the delay in submitting your request.
Grade on transcipt	WE on both official and administrative transcript. This is defined on the official transcript legend as "Withdrawal under extenuating circumstances".
Decision maker	Associate Dean of your faculty.
Refund available?	If your request for academic concession is approved, it will automatically be forwarded to the Fee Reduction Appeal Committee for consideration.

In conjunction with a Request for Academic Concession (RAC), as opposed to an online drop before the academic drop deadline.

What is a Drop	Your course(s) and grades will be removed from your official transcript but may appear on your administrative transcript.
Timeframe for submission	Requests for academic concession must normally be submitted within 10 working days of the end of the examination period of the term in which the course is taken. If you submit your request after this date, you may be required to provide additional documentation to support the delay in submitting your request.
Grade on transcipt	In some cases, will display on the administrative transcript (depending on drop date). No record of this course drop will appear on the official transcript.
Decision maker	Associate Dean of your faculty.
Refund available?	If your request for academic concession is approved, it will automatically be forwarded to the Fee Reduction Appeal Committee for consideration.