Personal Time Off Policy – School of Graduate Studies

The Personal Time Off Policy applies to all full-time graduate students (i.e., research-stream and professional-stream) registered in a degree program in the School of Graduate Studies. The policy applies only to those programs that are over 12 months in duration.

Graduate students will have 15 business days predetermined by their academic program (professional-stream students) or determined in consultation with their supervisors (research-stream students) per academic year in personal time off, in addition to statutory holidays and days designated as University closures or holidays. Personal time off is intended to provide graduate students with scheduled days off from program obligations (e.g., classes, research) throughout the academic year.

Personal time off does not result in any changes to registered student status or funding status; students remain registered and continue to receive any funding to which they are entitled as well as pay all fees during the academic session.

All graduate units are responsible for communicating the Personal Time Off Policy to their students and academic supervisors via orientations, handbooks, and other communications channels as appropriate.

Sick leaves or absences for health reasons do not fall under the category of personal time off. Students who need extended time off personal or medical reasons should consider the option of requesting a Leave of Absence.

For more information about Personal Time Off, please visit the Understanding Personal Time Off page.