Students should review the Graduate Academic Accommodations and Considerations Policy for detailed information about academic accommodations, extensions and exam deferrals (students can login to MyUofTLaw to view).
Students who are unable to submit their written work by the deadline date must request an extension in advance of the deadline by submitting a Graduate Programs Accommodations and Considerations Request Form (login to view), at least one business day before the date on which the assignment is due.
All requests for an extension will be submitted to, and decided by, the Graduate Accommodations and Consideration Committee. Requests for modest extensions of time are normally granted without penalty in cases of serious illness or other extraordinary personal circumstances supported by contemporaneous documentation (e.g. a doctor's note). Please note that requests for extensions should not be directed to instructors.
Students should continue to work on their assignment while waiting to hear about their extension request, and submit the assignment as soon as possible. Should an extension request not be granted, late penalties will accrue.
Examples of reasons for which paper or assignment extensions will normally be granted:
- Illness or injury having a considerable impact on academic performance, with supporting documentation.
- Death or serious illness of a person in the immediate family or a person with whom the student has a similarly close relationship, which requires the student to attend a funeral or similar event. Supporting documentation in the form of a medical note, an obituary, funeral program or death certificate is required.
- Accident, victim of crime, sudden loss of housing, or similar traumatic experience that interferes with exam preparation. A police report, or similar documentation, is required.
- Delivery of a child (both parents).
- Due date falls on or after a religious holiday in circumstances in which limited notice of the deadline was given and a student’s ability to meet the deadline is thereby unreasonably compromised.
- Such other extraordinary circumstances as deemed appropriate by the Assistant Dean.
Examples of reasons for which paper/assignment extensions will not normally be granted:
- Employment reasons.
- Travel/vacation/social plans, including weddings.
- Airline flights and schedules.
- Other assignments due on or around the same due date.
- Common printer or computer problems, including computer crashes, coffee spilled on laptops, lost files, etc. (Among other things, students are expected to continuously back up their work.)
- Common commuting issues including parking, traffic and transit problems.
- Due date falls on or after a religious holiday where reasonable notice of the deadline was given and the student’s ability to meet the deadline is not unreasonably compromised.
In the event of a chronic or recurring issue that requires repeated extensions (or for which extensions are not an appropriate remedy), students are advised to consult with the Assistant Dean of the Graduate Program. In many cases, students in this situation will be advised to contact Accessibility Services, which can provide students with various supports and will work with the Faculty of Law to provide more extensive accommodations, where appropriate.
In Need of Support?
If you have any questions about the academic accommodations or considerations policy, or if you in need or support, please email us at graduate.law@utoronto.ca.