Inactive Status
Inactive Status (also known as leave of absence) is intended as a temporary suspension of a degree program, for a defined period of time (normally a maximum of one or two terms), with the exception of parental leaves, which may be for a maximum of three terms. Students taking a parental leave are not required to petition and must complete the Notice of Parental Leave.
If you accept an offer of admission, you are expected to maintain continuous registration until the degree requirements are met.
Temporary Withdrawal
If you require an absence that extends beyond the allowable maximum, or are uncertain of your return date (leave of absences have a defined start and end date), you are encouraged to temporarily withdraw (under the calendar provisions).
Access During Inactive Status
If you are on Inactive Status, or who have withdrawn from the university, you will not have access to university resources, including those accessible via the OneCard.
A request for inactive status is consequently considered in situations where the requested absence is unexpected and unplanned. Open-ended requests or repeat requests for multiple semester leaves where you are vague regarding plans for degree completion are normally denied, and you will be advised to withdraw from the program until a definite timeline is in place.
It is understood that students with Inactive Status will not be functioning in any way as graduate students (this includes all research/writing activity and completion of any incomplete courses from previous semesters).
Requests for inactive status in a given term will not be considered if said term has commenced (see Deadlines for Submission above); in these situations, you must temporarily withdraw and will be subject to at least partial registration fees.
Requests Due to a Lack of Course Availability
These requests will not be granted. Programs are expected to provide adequate opportunities for you to make regular progress toward degree completion and you are expected to follow course timelines and milestones so as to ensure continuous registration.
Alternatives to regular course offerings would include directed studies courses, courses selected from among the offerings of other degree programs, or under the Ontario Visiting Graduate Student program.
Requests Due to Financial Constraints
These requests will be considered only when you have provided evidence that all opportunities available at the university to ameliorate the temporary and unanticipated financial situation have been exhausted.
Opportunities available to you include:
- bursary funding through the Student Awards office (applications available annually each fall term for full-time graduate students for up to three terms of bursary support)
- departmental support through temporary employment
- advisor suppor through temporary employment funded by a research grant or contract, or a studentship, and the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Requests Resulting from the Sabbatical of a Research Advisor
These requests will not be considered. It is the responsibility of the program and the research advisor to ensure that each admitted student has adequate academic support during absences by the advisor.
It is important that you make mention of any external funding (e.g. NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR, OGS) that you wish to put on hold for the duration of your leave.
If you wish to submit this type of appeal, you must clearly identify your requested outcome in the appeal (in question 4).
For example: “I request to be granted one/two term(s) of inactive status for the S21 and F21 terms.”
This type of appeal will require the following supporting documents (as applicable):
- Fully completed GSAC petition form with all signatures.
- Letter of employment.
- Medical documentation.
- Evidence of COVID-related research disruption.
- Evidence of external funding.
- Other, as applicable and relevant to the circumstances.