Declaring absences

There are many methods that can be used to declare an expected absence so knowing the best pathway to use in order to move forward is crucial in ensuring that you will be accommodated.

Why do you need to declare an absence?

Short-term absence declaration

Short-term absences are to be no more than 2 days in length (i.e., Tuesday, February 8 and Wednesday, February 9) and can only be self-declared once per academic term. Note: Short-term absences cannot be used to miss clinics, labs, or final examinations.

To self-declare an absence, you must log into Quest and follow these steps to complete the process.

See the registrar's office short-term absences page for more in depth information.

COVID-19 absence declaration

Quest has a feature to declare an absence due to COVID-19. This declaration allows you up to 10 days of absence if you believe you have a COVID-19 related illness and would like to isolate.

To declare an absence due to COVID-19 follow these steps to complete the process.

Serious illness or injury

If you are in a situation where you have an illness or injury that would require more time off than the previously stated methods would provide follow these steps to have a verification of illness form filled out. Please submit your verification of illness form (VIF) to the absence database within 48 hours of the missed course element, if you are well enough to do so. The following information should be included on your VIF:

  • date of practitioner assessment,
  • date range of illness,
  • degree of incapacitation,
  • whether the diagnosis was made by practitioner or based on a description by student,
  • practitioner information (including registration number) and/or official or verified clinic/specialist information.

Once the healthcare practitioner has filled out all necessary information on the form you will need to submit a PDF or high quality image of supporting documents to the absence database as well as contact your instructor(s) notifying them of the situation Please ensure your verification of illness form includes your full name and student ID number.

If you believe you may be ill or injured for more than a week you should consider contacting your academic advisor and if you believe you may be ill or injured for more than two weeks consider contacting AccessAbility services as well, to determine your next steps.

Note: If your form has missing or incorrect information, you will be contacted to provide further evidence. As part of this process, we will authenticate all documentation provided. If evidence of misrepresentation, fraudulent or falsified documentation is found then it will be reported as per Policy 71 - Student Discipline to the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies.

Extenuating circumstances

If you are experiencing a circumstance that has been detrimental to your ability to complete academic requirements but is not related to illness or injury, then an extenuating circumstance can be declared on the absence database. Please submit documentation related to your absence within 48 hours of the missed course element, if you are well enough to do so. Context and documentation are needed to provide academic considerations with examples being:

  • plane/train/bus tickets for emergency travel,
  • court documents,
  • police reports,
  • death certificates/obituaries/letters from funeral directors,
  • counsellor letters,
  • news articles.

Please provide as much context and documentation on the issue you are facing to increase your chances of an academic consideration. Submit a PDF or high-quality image of supporting documents to the absence database and you will need to contact your instructor(s) notifying them of the situation.

If you believe your circumstance may affect you for more than a week you should consider contacting your academic advisor. You can also see campus wellness counselling services for support.

Note: If your form has missing or incorrect information, you will be contacted to provide further evidence. As part of this process, we authenticate the documentation provided. If evidence of misrepresentation, fraudulent or falsified documentation is found then it will be reported as per Policy 71 - Student Discipline to the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies.

Religious observances

You can complete the Religious Observance Self-Declaration Form in Quest, which will inform your instructors of the potential conflict for certain dates. You must consult with your instructor(s) within two weeks of the announcement of the due date or examination date for which you are requesting an accommodation. You can also consider using the self-declaration form for short-term absences if you require an absence of two days or less during the Formal Lecture Period.

Please refer to the Academic Considerations and Accommodations section of the Undergraduate Calendar for more specific information.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What should I do if I will miss or have difficulty completing course deliverables such as exams, quizzes, assignments etc.?

If you are mildly or moderately ill then you may not be provided academic accommodation. The decision to provide accommodation rests with the instructor. If you are seriously ill or experiencing extenuating circumstances, submit a verification of illness form or other documentation, and you may be granted a deferral of exams, assignments, or other assessments. If you are ill and cannot attend an exam or assessment, notify your instructor or proctor as soon as possible before the expected start time of the deliverable. If you are ill during an exam notify your instructor or proctor immediately during the exam. Accommodations made will depend on the severity of your circumstances as well as the decisions made by individual instructors.

If you choose to complete a deliverable while ill, your grades will normally not be changed.

What if I already wrote the assignment, exam, quiz or etc.?

Students who submit their Verification of Illness form after completing an exam, quiz, assignment or etc. are not considered eligible to re-do the deliverable. Contact your academic advisor to discuss further.

What are Incomplete (INC) grades?

Incomplete Course (INC) is a grade that means course requirements are not complete. INC should only be assigned when an instructor approves the completion of outstanding course element(s) after final grades have been submitted.

The Incomplete (INC) grade process begins when students contact their course instructors to discuss an INC grade as a possibility. This discussion with the instructor addresses the student’s circumstances, supporting documentation, missed or unfinished course elements, and the student’s engagement in the course up to that point in the term. Note that incomplete grades are not provided automatically, and instructors will usually need an opportunity to consult with advisors.

Failure to write scheduled make-up tests or submit outstanding course work by the end of the instructor-specified lapse period will result in a final course grade being posted to Quest that is the earned grade, based on all completed course element(s). If the course outline specifies that the missing coursework is required to pass the course, the lesser of the earned grade or 4% less than the passing grade will be posted to Quest.

What support resources are available to students?