> SGS Home Page > Information for Students, Staff & Faculty > Students > Keeping On Track > Leaves of Absence, Withdrawal and Reinstatement
Leaves of Absence, Withdrawal and Reinstatement
Leave of Absence
You may apply to your graduate unit for a leave if you are a full-time or part-time student registered in a research degree requiring continuous registration. A leave may be taken for one to three sessions. The leave period is not included in the time limit for completion of the degree.Reasons for applying for a leave include serious health or personal problems which temporarily make it impossible to continue in the program or 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.
Leaves should coincide with the start and end of a session. A leave will therefore begin on the first day of term, for a period of four, eight or twelve months. Your degree time limit will be extended by the number of sessions that you are on leave.
If you require a leave to begin in mid-session, please contact the Director of Student Services at the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) to make special arrangements. A leave of absence is not permitted in your first session of registration. You must be registered for a minimum of one session prior to requesting a leave of absence.
While on leave, you are temporarily withdrawn from your program and do not pay fees for the leave period. Please consult the Graduate Fees section of the SGS website for more information on fees for students on a leave of absence.
During your leave, you may not make demands on the resources of the University, such as using library facilities, attending courses or expecting advice from your supervisor. Research Reader privileges are available at the library for a fee, and you may make individual arrangements to consult with faculty and supervisors. If you return from leave and are immediately ready to defend, you will be charged fees for the session(s) in which you were on leave unless special consideration is sought in advance.
You are also not eligible for graduate awards. Please note that award granting agencies, such as SSHRC and NSERC, have their own policies on leaves for award holders.
If you require a leave from your graduate program, complete the Request for Leave of Absence form and submit it to your graduate unit for consideration.
Temporary Withdrawal or “Stop-out”
If you are a full-time student in a coursework program, you may temporarily withdraw (“stop-out”) and re-register within 12 months, with the approval of your graduate unit, without re-applying to the program.Unlike a leave of absence, the “stop-out” period is included in the time period for completion of your degree.
If you decide to temporarily withdraw (“stop-out”) from your program, complete the Program Withdrawal form and submit it to your graduate unit for consideration.
Permanent Withdrawal
If you are planning to withdraw, carefully consider your decision and discuss it with your Advisor/Supervisor and Graduate Coordinator. If you do decide to withdraw, complete the Program Withdrawal form and submit it to your graduate unit.If you permanently withdraw from your program, you may re-apply in the future by completing a new application. Your graduate unit may allow for some course work completed prior to withdrawal to be counted as credit toward the new degree program.
Depending upon when you withdraw, you may receive a fees rebate. A refund schedule is available at Student Accounts. You may be required to refund all or a portion of your funding and/or awards to the University. Contact your graduate unit with any funding-related questions and the Graduate Awards Office at SGS with any awards-related questions.
Failure to Register
You must maintain continuous registration throughout your program. If you do not register, or you are not permitted to register because you have reached the time limit for your degree and a program extension was not approved or appropriate, your registration will end.Students who fail to register may not make demands upon the resources of the University, attend courses, or expect advice from their supervisor.
If you fail to register and wish to return to your studies, you must request to reinstate in your program. Reinstatement is permitted if you are still within the maximum allowable time for your degree program.
Reinstated students in programs requiring continuity of registration must pay fees owing for any session(s) in which they did not register before and after time limit including program extension session(s).
-Back to Top-