From time to time students become ill or have ongoing medical conditions that prevent them from meeting academic obligations. The University is committed to assisting students who are ill and has established the following policy, which is fair and practical.
Students in on-campus courses who are ill and unable to meet assignment due dates or write a term test or final examination should seek medical treatment and provide confirmation of the illness to the instructor(s) within 48 hours by submitting a completed University of Waterloo Verification of Illness Form to support requests for accommodation due to illness. Students in distance education courses must also provide confirmation of the illness but submit it to the Distance Education Office. The University of Waterloo Verification of Illness Form is normally the only acceptable medical documentation and is available on line at http://info.uwaterloo.ca/infoheal/_StudentMedicalClinic/VIF.html.
Students who consult their physician or use the services of an off-campus walk-in clinic must provide this form to the attending physician for completion; doctors’ notes and forms created by the physician or clinic are normally not acceptable. Although not compelled to do so, instructors may accept medical documentation that contains the same information specified on the University of Waterloo Verification of Illness Form. Health Services charges a $10 fee for completing the University of Waterloo Verification of Illness Form, which is not covered by OHIP/UHIP. Fees for this service levied by off-campus practitioners are the student’s responsibility.
Adjustment of due dates or deferrals of term tests or final examinations are not automatic upon the presentation of suitable medical verification. Instructors will use this documentation among all information available to them when determining whether accommodation is warranted.
A student who becomes ill during the writing of an examination and is unable to continue should ensure, before leaving the site of the examination, that the proctor in charge is notified of the situation. In addition, the student must notify the course instructor and supply the medical documentation specified above within 48 hours after the missed or partially completed examination.
If a student completes an examination, even though he/she is ill, the grade obtained in the course will normally stand. Subsequent petitions for an exception to academic regulations on the grounds of illness may be considered if accompanied by the documentation specified above. The student’s department or Faculty may take the illness into consideration, and possibly alter academic standing, but the grade will not normally be altered.
False claims of illness and/or the submission of false supporting medical documentation constitute an academic offence that will result in disciplinary action under Policy 71.
Where instructors grant accommodation, the following university-wide practice normally applies:
Missed due dates: Normally, the weighting of the missed assignment is added to the final examination weighting or spread over the remaining assignments. Assignment due dates are not extended. It might be impractical to apply this in all courses, particularly in project-based or thesis courses where submissions must be made. Instructors may use their discretion in these cases and allow an extension.
Term tests: Normally, the weighting of the missed test is added to the final examination weighting or spread over the remaining tests. Term tests are not deferred.
Final Examinations: A deferred final examination is written the next time that the course is taught. Although not compelled to do so, instructors may use their discretion to schedule make-up examinations at a mutually agreed upon date and time earlier than specified. Students in Faculties/schools that advance students from term to term by cohort may have to schedule make-up examinations earlier than specified when deferred examinations are granted.
Declaration of Absence for Influenza-like Illness is no longer available. The standard rules regarding accommodation for illness apply, including the requirement for verification of illness as explained above.
Office of the Registrar
University of Waterloo
2nd Floor, Needles Hall
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
519 888 4567
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