Petition for Exception to Academic Regulations - Graduate Students (Form 70A)

Use this form to submit a petition for exception to academic regulations in accordance with Policy 70 (Student Petitions and Grievances) – Section 3 and Appendix A; Policy 70 provides information and explains the difference between petitions and grievances.

For information on how to use this form and submit a petition, review the Petitions process for graduate students web page on the Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Before completing the petition form

• Consult with your graduate officer to understand any academic implications and discuss possible next steps.  Consult with your supervisor if you are a research based graduate student who is petitioning a decision/outcome which does not involve them.
• Gather all relevant documentation electronically as it must be uploaded during submission (allowable file formats: JPG, JPEG, PNG, PDF).
  • Once documents are uploaded to the form, they cannot be changed or removed (due to system limitations).
• Be aware of the following about the form:
  • Different fields appear based on selections made.
  • You can save the form and return later.
  • For fields where there is a maximum word count, we recommend composing your response in Word (or similar software), confirm your word count, and then copy/paste into form; the form will check the word count only once submitted.

Notes

• You should not make assumptions regarding the outcome of the petition. Each case is unique and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
• Petition decisions are private and confidential.
• Petition decisions are final and cannot be appealed (per Policy 72 - Student Appeals, section 2); however, if further documentation relevant to the petition becomes available, you may request to have the petition re-opened for further consideration.
• Authentication of documentation is part of this process.
  • If evidence of misrepresentation or fraudulent or falsified documentation is found, it will be reported per Policy 71 (Student Discipline) to the associate dean of your faculty or designate.
  • In addition, petition committees validate statements and assess the academic impact of petition outcomes by gathering input from on-campus partners.
• Were you in receipt of financial aid during the term(s) affected by this petition? The outcome of your petition could result in a change to your eligibility for financial aid, thus you are advised to contact Student Awards and Financial Aid (SAFA) or the Awards and funding team in Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.
• Are you in Canada on a study permit? The University of Waterloo is required to report international students’ registration status to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). A reported status of no longer registered/enrolled can have a negative impact on your status in Canada or future immigration applications. You are advised to speak with an immigration consultant on campus.
• Privacy: Documentation submitted to this site is kept strictly confidential. In accordance with Section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, 1990 ("FIPPA"), the information within the form is collected under the authority of the University of Waterloo Act (1972) for the purpose of determining eligibility for the exception to academic regulations. All personal information will be processed in accordance with applicable legislation, as well as Policy 46 (Information Management).

Questions and support

Email graduate.petitions@uwaterloo.ca if you have questions about this form, if you are unable to complete this form, or if you do not wish to submit in this format.