Academic concessions & accommodations

If your academic courses are affected by illness, accident or family affliction, you may wish to request an academic concession.

Are you a student with a learning disability, ADHD, mental health issue or long-term recurring physical or sensory disability? Do you have chronic health issues? If you do, UVic provides academic accommodations to address barriers to your education.

Academic concessions & deferrals

In cases of illness, accident or a family emergency, you can apply for an academic concession.

You must submit your request for academic concession within 10 working days of the end of the examination period of the term you took the course in. If you submit your request after this date, you may need to provide additional documentation to support the delay in submitting your request.

The ombudsperson explains UVic academic concessions through real student examples.

Leaves of absence (graduate studies)

COVID-19 leaves of absence

If you require a leave from your program due to COVID-19-related impacts, please first consult with your supervisor. Following your discussion, you may submit a Graduate Academic Concession form requesting a Leave of Absence with Permission (Compassionate Leave). In section B of the form provide a brief statement regarding your COVID-19-related circumstances.

Tuition will not be assessed for the Leave of Absence period.

International students should consult with International Centre for Students before requesting a Leave of Absence.

If you need to take a leave of absence from your graduate program for personal, medical, parental or compassionate reasons, we recommend consulting with your supervisor. Complete the Graduate Academic Concession Form and submit it to your graduate secretary.

Before applying for a leave, check with the Faculty of Graduate Studies to see if your award (e.g. UVic fellowship, graduate awards, NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR) can be deferred.

Contact the GSS Extended Health and Dental Plan Coordinator to ensure your insurance coverage is not interrupted if you decide to take a leave of absence.

Medical documentation for absences

If you need to take time away from class because of injury, family or personal affliction, or illness, let your instructor know right away. If your academic performance is affected, you can ask your instructor for a deferral or substitution of a mid-term test or exam, or of other work due during the term.

Normally requests for deferrals and substitutions must be accompanied by a medical note. For the Fall 2021 session, you do not need to provide a note to your instructor as proof of illness, regardless of the length of the illness. This will help to contain and prevent the spread of diseases like COVID-19.

Academic accommodations

The Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) arranges for academic accommodations to help reduce barriers. They provide different ways of meeting essential course or program requirements. Fulfilling these requirements remains your responsibility.

Accommodation examples:

note takers
sign language interpreters
extensions of exam writing times
distraction-reduced exam environments
classes in accessible locations
adaptive technology

We need extra time to put some services in place. The services that need extra time include:

course materials in an alternative format
sign language interpreting or transcribing
adaptations to a physical learning environment

Program extensions (graduate studies)

COVID-19 program extensions

Program extensions related to COVID-19 will be approved upon receipt of the Request for Program Extension form.

If your extension is approved for COVID-19 reasons, you’ll be assessed re-registration fees rather than full programs fees for the period of the extension.

If you need to more time to complete your graduate program, submit a Request for Program Extension form to your graduate secretary.

Appeals

Undergraduate students

If you believe an administrative error occurred or have extenuating circumstances, you can request a retroactive course drop and fee reduction.
If you were denied admission or reregistration to the University and feel that you have extenuating circumstances or can provide additional information, you can appeal the decision.

Graduate students

Academic appeals at the graduate level should be launched within your academic unit. Contact your graduate secretary for assistance.
If your appeal within your academic unit is unsuccessful, you can appeal to the Faculty of Graduate Studies on any matter within its jurisdiction.

Contact the ombudsperson

The Ombudsperson office is an independent, impartial, and confidential resource to help undergraduate and graduate students resolve problems or disputes fairly. You can contact the ombudsperson at any time to:

understand your options, rights and responsibilities
receive coaching on how to raise an issue or complaint
facilitate communication or problem solve
get assistance in the use of appeal procedures
investigate and make recommendations