Undergraduate requests for academic concession

If you're a student in the Faculty of Law, contact the Academic and Student relations office to learn more about academic concessions.

Can I request an academic concession?

You can request an academic concession if your course requirements are affected by unexpected and unavoidable circumstances, or conflicting responsibilities.

Unexpected and unavoidable circumstances include, but are not limited to:

• illness, trauma or bereavement
• personal or family affliction, including responsibility to care for a family member
• Indigenous cultural or community obligations.

Conflicting responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• service in the armed forces or emergency services
• representing the university, the province or the country by participating in an academic event, an athletic competition or an artistic performance.

What are my options?

If you think you can complete the course requirements

• If your course requirements (including midterm exams) will be completed before the final grades are submitted, request an in-course extension.
• If your course requirements (including final exams) won't be completed until after the final grades are submitted, request a Deferral.

If you won't be able to complete the course requirements

• If the academic drop deadline has not yet passed, drop the course.
• If the academic drop deadline has passed, request a Withdrawal or Aegrotat.

We're here to help

You should speak with UVic advisers and staff if you're thinking about dropping courses or requesting Deferrals, Withdrawals or Aegrotat notations.

• Seek advice from your academic adviser about the potential impact on your degree program and graduation.
• Consult with Student Awards and Financial Aid if you have scholarships, financial aid or other funding.
• Consult with an International Student Adviser if you're an international student, or the Gustavson School of Business if you're an international student in the Commerce program.
• Consult with an Indigenous Student Support Coordinator if you're a funded Indigenous student.

Request an in-course extension

Request an in-course extension if you need more time to complete course requirements, or need to reschedule a test or midterm exam. The course requirements must be completed before the final grades are submitted.

How to submit a request

Send an email to your instructor that includes the following information.

• Your full name and UVic student number
• Course and lecture/lab/tutorial sections (e.g., "ATWP 135, Sections A01, L02, T01")
• Justification
  • Explain your circumstances in as much detail as you feel is necessary, but only within your comfort level. You don't need to share any information that is sensitive, confidential or that may make you feel uncomfortable.
• Extension request
  • Explain what course requirements you need to extend, with proposed dates to complete assignments/tests/exams.
• Supporting documentation
  • If your request is due to conflicting responsibilities, attach supporting documentation to your email as PDF, DOCX or JPG files.
  • If your request is due to unexpected and unavoidable circumstances, supporting documentation is not required.

Download the request form

If you prefer, download and use the Request for In-course Extension form to ensure that you provide all of the required information. Your request must still be sent to your instructor by email.

Request a Deferral

Request a Deferral (DEF) if you'll be able to complete the course requirements after the final grades are submitted. This includes final exams that take place after the last day of classes.

How to submit a request

Complete the "Undergraduate request for Deferral" form and email it to studentsupport@uvic.ca.

• If your request is due to conflicting responsibilities, attach supporting documentation to your email as PDF, DOCX or JPG files.
• If your request is due to unexpected and unavoidable circumstances, supporting documentation is not required.
• In exceptional circumstances, the dean of your faculty (or designate) may request supplemental documentation.

Next steps

If your request is approved

Your grade will be temporarily updated to "DEF" on your administrative transcript. You and your instructor will agree on a deadline for you to complete the outstanding course requirements (including exams), which can be no later than the end of the following term.

• Courses from September-December must be completed by April 30.
• Courses from January-April must be completed by August 31.
• Courses from May-August must be completed by December 31.

It's your responsibility to contact your instructor to set a deadline, and to monitor your administrative transcript to ensure your grade is updated. If you don't complete the course by the deadline, you'll be assigned the grade you achieved without the completed work.

If your request is denied

You'll receive an email from the Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Management outlining the rationale provided by your instructor. Follow-up questions should be directed to your instructor.

Extending an approved Deferral

If you've been approved for a Deferral but are unable to complete your course requirements by the end of the following term, you can request an Extended Deferral.

• Your request should be submitted before your original Deferral deadline.
• The dean of your faculty (or a designate) will review your request, and their decision will be communicated to you by email.
• If you don't complete the course requirements by the extended deadline, you'll be assigned the grade you achieved without the completed work.

Drop a course

If you can't complete the course requirements and it's before the academic drop deadline, you can drop the course. You don't need to submit a request for academic concession, but you may want to seek a fee reduction/refund.

Request a Withdrawal or Aegrotat

If the academic drop deadline has passed and you won't be able to complete the course requirements, you can request a Withdrawal under Extenuating Circumstances (WE) or an Aegrotat (AEG).

Withdrawal under Extenuating Circumstances: you've completed a substantial portion of a course, but are not able to complete it in full. A course with a WE notation remains on your record but does not factor into your grade point average.

• If you've completed all of the course requirements, a WE notation can only be approved due to exceptional circumstances.
• In some exceptional circumstances (e.g., you were not able to complete any of the course requirements), a WE request may instead result in a Backdated Drop. This removes the course from your academic record.

Aegrotat: circumstances affected your performance or prevented you from completing of all of your course requirements. A course with an AEG notation will have a final grade reported on your transcript, and the grade will count toward your grade point average.

How to submit a request

• Complete the "Undergraduate request for Withdrawal or Aegrotat" form and email it to studentsupport@uvic.ca.
• Supporting documentation (PDF, DOCX or JPG files) is required when requesting WE or AEG.

Next steps

The dean of your faculty (or a designate) will review your request, and their decision will be communicated to you by email. In some circumstances, you may be offered an alternative solution (e.g., if you requested a Withdrawal under Extenuating Circumstances then you may be offered an Aegrotat).