Absence Declarations

Absence Declarations

As a student, you may encounter situations such as significant illnesses, ongoing medical conditions, or other circumstances that prevent you from meeting academic obligations.

Instructors maintain the authority to make decisions on all requests for academic considerations due to absence. If you have questions about policy or procedure related to academic considerations, please contact your academic advisor after you have declared your absence. 

Ensure that you have reviewed the course outline to determine any rules specific to your courses around the submission of absences - for example, some instructors may require you to email them, while others may not. 

Note: Students who have been unable to engage with their courses for two weeks or longer, whether by illness or extenuating circumstances, should follow up with their individual instructors and their academic advisor to assess whether maintaining their current course load is still viable. 

Authentication of documentation is part of the 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 their designate. Documents will be sent to the Associate Dean for further investigation.

Types of absence declarations: 

  • Short-term absence (Quest) - two (2) days, no documentation, 1 per lecture period 

  • COVID-19 related absence (Quest) - up to 10 days, no documentation, 1 per term 

  • Religious or creed-related absence (Quest) - no documentation, during lecture period 

  • Verification of Illness (Absence database) - documentation required, will be reviewed prior to approval 

Types of Absences

Short-term absence (Quest)

Covid-19 related absence (Quest)

Religious or creed-related absence (Quest)

Verification of illness (Absence Database)

To request academic consideration for a missed assessment, you must obtain a Verification of Illness Form that has been filled out by a medical professional. Campus Wellness offers these services for students. If a VIF from Campus Wellness is not possible, the form can be completed by an off-campus practitioner.

The following information must be included:

  • date of practitioner assessment
  • dates 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

The University of Waterloo Verification of Illness Form should be used where possible. To speed up the submission authentication process, please have your primary health care provider put their stamp/embossment on the document which includes their address and phone number.

If any information is missing, academic consideration decisions will be delayed because the student will need to have their healthcare provider complete the missing information.

Requirements:

  • Must be submitted within 48 hours of missed assessment
  • Documentation is required
  • All submissions will be reviewed prior to approval 

Your Verification of Illness documentation should be submitted to the Absence database.