Registration and Enrolment
Correction posted September 2, 2010
Completion of Course Work and Grade Submission: correct date is Jan 14, 2011. See correction in context.
Registration is the process by which a person has established, for an academic period, an active association with a program of study.
Enrolment is the approved engagement by a student in a course or other unit or component of a program of study.
The complete policy on Association, Registration and Admission is available on the University of Toronto Web site at www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies/assoc.htm
Registration Policies and Procedures
Policy on Graduate Courses and Other Academic Activities
Enrolment Policies and Procedures
Registration Policies and Procedures
Registration Procedures
Graduate students are required to register at the beginning of each session they wish to attend. New graduate students will receive registration instructions prior to the registration dates listed in the Sessional Dates. Students may access Registration Instructions on the Web at www.sgs.utoronto.ca/informationfor/students/start/reg_enrol.htm.
Students registering in programs offered by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE) should consult OISE for information.
For the Fall and Winter Sessions, registration material is sent to the student’s mailing address. Students are asked to check their ROSI account to view their invoice online. Every effort is made to ensure that only students who are eligible to register receive registration material. However, receiving it does not override any other notification students receive about academic status and eligibility. New students who have received a conditional offer of admission should make arrangements with their graduate unit to clear conditions as soon as possible. The first step to registration is the payment of fees or arrangements to pay such fees. New students will receive a copy of the School of Graduate Studies Calendar. Continuing students should refer to the SGS Calendar on the SGS Web site.
A student is considered to be registered as soon as academic and incidental fees are paid or a fees arrangement has been made.
Full-time Studies
Students registered as full-time students in the School of Graduate Studies must be engaged in their studies on a full-time basis, as required by government regulations for full-time graduate studies.
A full-time student may be absent from the University for an extended period or may participate in a program offered by another university if and only if the student has received written permission from the graduate unit in which he or she is registered. A graduate student who, in a given session, is absent from the University without receiving prior approval may lose good academic standing. In exceptional cases, a graduate unit may recommend to the School the termination of the student’s registration and eligibility.
Note: Full-time graduate students are defined according to government regulations as follows:
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They must be pursuing their studies as a full-time occupation and identify themselves as full-time graduate students.
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They must be designated by the University as full-time students.
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They must be geographically available and visit the campus regularly.
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They must be considered to be full-time students by their supervisors.
- If an academic program requires an absence from the University, students must apply through their graduate unit for permission to be off-campus.
Part-time Studies
From first registration, part-time studies are permitted in those master’s degree programs offering a part-time program.
Students wishing to take 0.5 or 1.0 full-course equivalents (FCE) not for degree credit are admitted as part-time Special Students, in any session. A switch from full-time to part-time status is not permitted once the minimum period of registration for a program has been completed.
Flexible-time PhD Programs
Some PhD programs offer a flexible-time PhD program option in addition to the full-time PhD program. See Degree Regulations, Doctor of Philosophy, Flexible-time PhD Programs section for further information.
Summer Session Courses
All students, whether attending formal courses or engaging in research or project work, must register for the Summer Session. Students may view summer session registration instructions on the SGS Web site. Doctoral, MSc, and MASc students register for the September-August or January-August period when they first register in September or January and, therefore, are already registered for the Summer Session.
In addition to a large program of research supervision and independent study, the School of Graduate Studies offers a limited number of graduate courses for credit towards higher degrees during the summer. Summer courses are equivalent to those offered during the Fall and Winter Sessions but vary in duration and thus in frequency of meeting. Some courses will last 12 to 14 weeks while others will meet for only 7 weeks.
For persons attending the May-August session, the maximum possible load is 2.0 full-course equivalents. The maximum load in the May-June or July-August period is 1.0 full-course equivalent.
First Registration
Students beginning their degree programs normally register for the first time in September. In some cases graduate units may give permission for new students to start their programs either in January, May, or July.
Continuity of Registration
Master's Students
Failure to register as required will cause a master's student’s registration to lapse. See Lapsed Status and Reinstatement below.
Full-Time Master’s Students
Once they have first registered, full-time master’s students, in other than course-work only programs, must register annually in September until all degree requirements have been completed.
Full-time master’s students in course-work only programs must register initially for the minimum registration period and thereafter for each session in which they are completing requirements for the degree. All full-time master’s students who have completed the minimum period of registration may not register as part-time students.
Prior to completing all courses in a course-work only program, and with the permission of their graduate unit, master’s students admitted to a full-time program may ‘stop out’ between sessions. However, no change is made to the time limit for completing the degree.
Part-Time Master’s Students
Master’s students proceeding to their degree on a part-time basis register in those sessions in which they are completing course requirements for the degree. When all course requirements have been completed, they must register annually until all other requirements have been completed. A switch from full-time to part-time status is not permitted once the minimum period of registration for a program has been completed.
Master’s students are advised to consult their graduate units for further information on continuity of registration requirements, particularly with regard to the Summer Session; many graduate units expect their students to be registered for all three sessions.
Students are reminded that there are time limits for all degree programs.
Professional Doctoral Students and Flexible-time PhD Program Students
All doctoral students must register annually until all degree requirements have been fulfilled. Students registered in professional doctoral programs or flexible-time PhD programs who do not register as required will cause their registration to lapse. See Lapsed Status and Reinstatement below.
PhD Students (excluding flexible-time PhD students)
PhD students are required to maintain continuous registration, unless on approved leave, until all the degree requirements are completed. PhD students are not eligible for Lapsed Status. PhD students who do not register in any year prior to the time limit for the PhD degree and who request registration later, with graduate unit and SGS approvals, may be eligible to register if request is made before the time limit; if approved for registration, these students will be subject to fee payment for years since last registration in which they did not register.
Students who have not completed the program requirements by the time limit for the PhD degree may apply for a PhD program extension (see Extensions section below for further details; see also PhD Degree Regulations for time limits and other information). PhD students must be registered in the year prior to the year in which the extension would occur. Registration beyond the four-year extension period is not permitted.
Late Registration Fee
Since it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that proper registration is completed on time, late registration will be subject to an additional fee as specified in the Fees and Financial Support section of this Calendar.
Failure to Register
Students will not receive credit for work completed during a session in which they have not registered.
Extension of Time for Completion of Degree Requirements
Master's, Professional Doctoral Students, and Flexible-time PhD Students
In exceptional circumstances, a master's or professional doctoral degree or flexible-PhD student who did not complete all the requirements for the degree within the period specified in the degree regulations may be considered for a maximum of two one-year extensions provided that the graduate unit concerned so approves. To apply for an extension, the student must present to the graduate unit concerned the causes for the delay and evidence that the remaining degree requirements may be completed within the period of the extension request.
PhD Students (excluding flexible-time PhD students)
In exceptional circumstances, a PhD student who has not completed all the requirements for the degree within the time limit for PhD, is eligible to apply for four one-year extensions. The first two extension requests require graduate unit approvals; the second two require graduate unit and School of Graduate Studies approvals. To qualify for an extension, the student must present to the graduate unit concerned the causes for the delay and evidence that the remaining degree requirements may be completed within the period of the extension request.
PhD students on extension are registered full-time – see information on tuition fees for PhD students on Extension in Fees and Financial Support section below. PhD students who do not register after the time limit and who request an extension later, but within the four-year extension period, may be approved for extension. Students receiving approved extensions under these circumstances are subject to fee payment for extension years in which they did not register in addition to fees for the approved extension year. No registration beyond the four-year extension period will be permitted.
Lapsed Status and Reinstatement
(Master's, Professional Doctoral, and Flexible-time PhD students only. Lapsed Status is not available to full-time PhD students. See Continuity of Registration section above).If a master's or professional doctoral or flexible-time PhD student does not register, or is not permitted to register because the time limit for the degree sought has elapsed, registration in the School of Graduate Studies lapses. Normally, such students whose registration has lapsed may not make demands upon the resources of the University, attend courses, or expect advice from their supervisor. There are two states of lapsed status, as noted below.
Before the Time Limit for the Degree has Expired
Failure to register as required within the time limit specified for the degree sought will result in lapsed status for master's, professional doctoral, and flexible-time PhD students. An application for reinstatement is required and must be approved both by the graduate unit and the School of Graduate Studies, and payment is made of the prescribed fees for the year(s) in which the student did not register.
After the Time Limit for the Degree has Expired
After the time limit for the degree has elapsed and further extensions cannot be recommended, a master's, professional doctoral, or flexible-time PhD student may not register further. Registration in the program is considered to have lapsed. In special circumstances, a student may be reinstated once only, for a maximum of 12 months.
Concurrent Registration Option
(available at the master’s degree level only)
The Concurrent Registration Option is available only in degree programs with approved partner degree programs at the University of Toronto. Students who are accepted into each partner degree program separately may enrol in the Concurrent Program Option in each degree program, subject to the approval of both programs. Graduate master’s programs may partner with other graduate programs or with undergraduate degree programs (e.g. JD).
Dual Registration
A student in a master’s program at this University who has been offered admission to a PhD program conditional on completion of the master’s program, may be a dual registrant for only one session in both programs under the following conditions.
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A minimal amount of work remains to complete the requirements for the master’s degree. A student may enrol in a maximum of 0.5 full-course equivalent (one half-couse) for the master’s program in the one session of dual registration with the approval of the graduate unit.
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Permission has been granted by the graduate unit.
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The student will be engaged in full-time PhD studies and will be registered full-time in the PhD and part-time in the master’s program. Only the appropriate PhD fees will be charged.
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The period of dual registration will be either September 1 to January 31 or January 1 to April 30.
In order to receive credit for the PhD for the period as a dual registrant, the student must be recommended for the award of the master’s degree by January 31 for September dual registrants, or by April 25 for January dual registrants. Otherwise, the PhD registration will be cancelled, no credit for the PhD will be allowed, and the student will continue to be registered as a master’s student only. An appropriate fees adjustment will be made so that the student will be charged fees only as a master’s student. PhD course credit will be retained for courses completed in the period of dual registration provided the graduate unit has informed the School.
Students who are not recommended for the master’s degree by the deadline and whose enrolment in the PhD is thereby cancelled may not apply for dual registration a second time. They must successfully complete the requirements for the master’s degree before registering in the PhD program.
Simultaneous Registration
Simultaneous registration in two full-time programs is not permitted. With the consent of both graduate units concerned, or of the graduate unit and another faculty or school, and written notification to the School of Graduate Studies, simultaneous registration in a full-time program and a part-time program may be permitted. Two part-time registrations in different programs may also be permitted. Students are responsible for the fees charged for both programs.
Leave Policy
Graduate students whose programs require continuous registration may apply to their Graduate Coordinator for a one-session to three-session leave during their program of study for
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serious health or personal problems which temporarily make it impossible to continue in the program, or
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parental leave by either parent at the time of pregnancy, birth or adoption, and/or to provide full-time care during the child’s first year. Parental leave must be completed within 12 months of the date of birth or custody. Where both parents are graduate students taking leave, the combined total number of sessions may not exceed four.
Once on leave, students will neither be registered nor will they be required to pay fees for this period. In general, students on leave may not make demands upon the resources of the University, attend courses, or expect advice from their supervisor. As an exception, students on leave for parental or serious health reasons who wish to consult with their supervisor or other faculty are advised to make special arrangements through their department. Students on leave will not be eligible to receive University of Toronto fellowships support. In the case of other graduate student awards, the regulations of the particular granting agency apply.
Students may make application for a leave by completing the Leave Request Form and submitting it to their Graduate Coordinator for approval. The form is then sent to the School of Graduate Studies for processing. The termination date of the degree program will be extended by the duration of the leave taken, i.e., one, two, or three sessions as appropriate. Except for parental leave or in exceptional circumstances, it is not expected that a student will be granted more than one leave under the terms of this policy. Normally the start and finish of the leave would coincide with the start and end of a session. When students require a leave to begin in mid-session, they are advised to contact the Director of Student Services at the School of Graduate Studies to make special arrangements.
Leave requests that do not fall under the terms of this policy will require final approval from the School of Graduate Studies.
Withdrawal from a Graduate Program
In order to withdraw from a program, students must submit a Program Withdrawal Form to the School of Graduate Studies and return student cards to the School. Withdrawal from a graduate program should be reported immediately to the School. A rebate of fees, if any, will be determined by the date on which written notification of withdrawal is received by the School. Any application for re-admission by a student who has withdrawn must be made in competition with all other applicants.
Students enrolled in course-work only degree programs who withdraw from all courses in which they are currently enrolled must withdraw from their programs. The School will approve recommendations from the graduate units that such students be eligible to re-register at any time within 12 months following withdrawal.
Policy on Graduate Courses and Other Academic Activities
(See SGS Guidelines on Graduate Courses and Other Academic Activities on SGS Web site)
Graduate Courses
All graduate programs are composed of a number of academic requirements that include graduate courses and other academic activities. A graduate course is a discrete, time-delimited unit of instructional/learning activity identified by a course code, in which students enrol. Graduate courses must be approved according to the relevant SGS policies and procedures. All graduate courses must have an instructor in charge who has a graduate faculty appointment in the graduate unit(s) responsible for the course. A full graduate course (course weight of one full course equivalent or 1.0 FCE) should involve a minimum of 48-72 hours of organized activity (e.g. 2 lectures or 3 hours of laboratory work a week over two sessions); a half course (0.5 FCE) should require approximately half this time commitment. Normally the beginning and end dates for courses should coincide with the beginning and end dates of University sessions.
Graduate courses may take many forms and their timing may not always coincide with the normal beginning and end of classes in each session.
Course Codes
All graduate courses have course codes consisting of:
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a prefix associated with the academic unit or program (three letters);
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a four-digit course number; and
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a suffix associated with the course weight (alpha character).
Normally, course weight is measured in full-course equivalencies (FCE) and is indicated via a Y or H suffix:
Y Full course: 1.0 FCE normally taken over two sessions
H Half Course: 0.5 FCE normally taken over one session
Course weight variations occur in some graduate programs. These variations often take the form of modular courses. A modular course is a course that has a non-standard weight, may have non-standard start and end dates within a session, and is usually combined with other course components so that the total equals 0.5 or 1.0 FCE. The minimum contact hour requirement applies to modular courses, equivalent to course weight.
Other Academic Activities
Graduate programs may have a variety of requirements that are not courses but constitute other academic activities which have been approved according to SGS policies and procedures. Some common non-course academic activities are major research papers, comprehensive examinations, practica, internships, etc.
Enrolment Policies and Procedures
Enrolment
After registration, students enrol with their graduate units and arrange programs of study (courses, research topics, supervisors, and so on). Students should contact the graduate unit for enrolment procedures. Enrolment should be completed by the deadline noted in the Academic Calendar.
Most of the formal classes and seminars in the Fall Session begin in the week of September following Labour Day. However, starting dates are determined by the graduate units, and students are urged to contact the relevant graduate units for information.
Not every course will be given in any one year. Consult the graduate unit concerning course availability.
Deadlines for Enrolment Changes
Graduate units may establish earlier deadlines for course changes. Courses must be dropped by completing an Add/Drop Course(s) Form or by using the Student Web Service (if the department permits access). In order to avoid academic penalties, courses must be dropped by the following deadlines.
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Oct. 6, 2010 |
Deadline to add full courses (Y) and half-courses (H). |
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Nov. 3, 2010 |
Deadline to drop a Fall Session full course or half-course without academic penalty. |
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Jan. 4, 2011 |
Deadline to add Winter Session full courses (Y) and half-courses (H). |
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Feb. 25, 2011 |
Deadline to drop a full course (Y) or Winter Session half-course (H), or withdraw from a program without academic penalty. |
Students enrolled in course-work only programs who drop all courses by the deadlines, must withdraw from the program. See Withdrawal from a Graduate Program, above.
Completion of Course Work and Grade Submission
Course work must be completed and grades submitted by the following dates:|
Jan. 14, 2011 |
Fall Session (Y, H) courses |
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May 13, 2011* |
Fall/Winter Session (Y) and Winter Session (Y, H) courses |
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Sep. 16, 2011 |
Summer Session courses and extended courses |
Graduate units may establish earlier deadlines for completion of course work and may prescribe penalties for late completion of work and for failure to complete work, provided that these penalties are announced at the time the instructor makes available to the class the methods by which student performance shall be evaluated.
Course Work Extensions
Students are expected to meet the course deadlines both of the School of Graduate Studies and of the graduate units in which they are registered and are advised to plan their research projects accordingly. Students who find themselves unable to meet SGS deadlines for completing course work can, under certain conditions, receive extensions for completing the work after the date set by SGS.
Petitions for course work extensions
The authority to grant an extension for the completion of work in a course beyond the original SGS deadline for that course rests with the graduate unit in which the course was offered, not the instructor of the course. Students will petition the graduate unit for extensions, using a standard form provided by SGS.
The deadline for requesting an initial extension is the deadline for completion of course work and grade submission for courses offered in the relevant session, as specified in this Calendar.
A student on extension who is unable to complete the required course work in the extension period specified by the graduate unit may apply to the graduate unit for a continuation of the extension (subject to the time-limits and deadlines for extensions, set out below); however, the student must make such a request before the expiry date of the extension period in place.
Grounds for course work extensions
Legitimate reasons for an extension can be academic in nature - e.g., unexpected problems of research in a course - or non-academic - e.g., illness. In order to ensure as much uniformity and fairness as possible in the granting of extensions (or continuations of extensions), the relevant graduate unit must be reasonably certain that:
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the reasons for the delay are both serious and substantiated: the student is to provide a statement detailing the reasons, together with a physician’s letter in the case of illness;
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the student would not be granted an unfair academic advantage over fellow students in the course;
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the student would not be placing in jeopardy the normal and satisfactory completion of new course work; and
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the student does have a reasonable chance of completing outstanding requirements within the time to be allotted.
Time-limits for course work extensions
If a graduate unit grants a petition for an extension, it must specify an extension period, which is not to run beyond the SGS deadline for completion of course work and grade submission following the original SGS deadline for the course. Thus, the deadlines for course extensions are as follows:
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May 13, 2011 |
Fall Session (Y, H) courses |
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Sep. 16, 2011 |
Fall/Winter Session (Y) and Winter Session (Y, H) courses |
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Jan. 13, 2012 |
Summer Session courses and extended courses |
A graduate unit may grant a continuation of an extension that is already in place provided that it does not extend the total period of the extension beyond the foregoing deadlines.
Extensions beyond these deadlines will require the approval of both the graduate unit and the SGS Admissions and Programs Committee.
Grade-reporting procedures
The graduate unit will assign the temporary course report of ‘SDF’ (‘Standing Deferred’) to a student on extension, pending receipt from the instructor of a final course report. The final course report will take the form either of a regular grade or of the non-grade report ‘INC’ (‘Incomplete’), as appropriate. It is due no later than the SGS deadline for completion of course work and grade submission following the original one for the course. If, by that date, a final grade is not available and the student has not submitted the outstanding course work, then the report of ‘SDF’ will be replaced by one of ‘INC’. This will be a permanent transcript entry. Amendments will require the approval of the SGS Admissions and Programs Committee.
SGS and home graduate unit notification
Graduate units are to notify SGS of extensions no later than the original deadlines for submitting grades for the relevant courses or, in case of continuations, no later than the expiry dates of the original periods of extension, providing in each case the new deadline for completion of course work.
A graduate unit should, in addition, notify the graduate unit in which the student is registered when it is not the same as the one granting the extension.
Extra Courses Not Required for the Degree
Graduate units may permit students to enrol in additional courses not required for the degree. Such courses must be so designated on the student’s enrolment form. These courses are subject to the same regulations regarding withdrawal, failure, and failure to complete work as are courses required for the degree, except that repetition or replacement of failed or incomplete courses may be waived by the graduate unit.
Prerequisite Courses
At least B- is required in all prerequisite courses but some graduate units may require a higher average; students should consult the graduate unit in advance.
Auditing of Graduate Courses
Graduate units determine if they wish to allow auditing of their courses and which groups of students and non-students specified in the University's Policy on Auditing of Courses they wish to allow. When auditing is allowed, the final decision to permit an individual to audit rests with the instructor of the course. In all cases, students registered in the University who wish to audit courses have priority over others. An auditor may attend lectures and other class meetings, take part in class discussions, and, when the appropriate fee is paid, receive written confirmation of attendance. An auditor will not receive evaluations of participation and will not be allowed to submit assignments or write examinations and tests except by special and express permission. Audited courses are not recorded on the student’s official transcript. The University’s Code of Student Conduct applies to auditors. Further information about access, Certificates of Attendance, and fees for auditing may be obtained from the Office of the Director of Student Services at the School of Graduate Studies.
Transfer Credit and Exemptions
Transfer credit for graduate work completed in another program is limited to 1.0 full-course equivalent, or 25 percent of the course requirements for any degree, whichever is greater, provided that the courses have not been credited?towards another degree, diploma, certificate, or any other qualifications. Such credit may be given on the recommendation of the student’s graduate unit and with the School’s approval, normally upon admission. Exceptions to the limit are allowed when approved for specific degrees.
Students participating in an approved exchange program on the recommendation of their graduate unit may receive transfer credit for up to 50 percent of the course requirements for their degree. They may also complete language requirements while on the exchange. When recommended by the unit and approved by the SGS Dean, that percentage may be exceeded by doctoral students. In all cases, transfer credit arrangements for exchange program participants must be approved in advance by the SGS Dean or designate.
Transfer of credit and course exemptions include the following categories:
1. Transfer Credit - Course Equivalent
Credit received for course completed in a prior program is considered to be equivalent to course offered by the graduate unit thus reducing the overall course credit requirements for degree.
2. Transfer Credit - General Equivalent
Unassigned credit for course not identifiable with course offerings but which is evaluated as being appropriate for academic credit on transfer thus reducing overall course credit requirements for degree.
3. Course Exemption
The graduate unit may exempt a student from a specific course requirement permitting the substitution of another course to meet degree requirements. Overall course credit requirements for degree are not reduced.
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