Deferred Exams

On this Page: 

• What is a Deferred Exam?
• I have missed my exam for the first time. What are my next steps?
• I have missed my deferred exam. What are my next steps?
• Deferred Exam Scheduling (NEW)
• UTSC Deferred Exam Fees
• Students registered with AccessAbility Services 
• Your grades 
• Reducing your course load 

What is a Deferred Exam?

A deferred exam is a request to write your final exam at a later date if you are unable to write (in person or online) at the originally scheduled date and time. This request is submitted as a deferred exam petition on eService. Petitions to defer exams will only be considered due to illness or extreme emergency. All missed exams receive a grade of zero initially, if a petition is approved the grade will be changed to Standing Deferred (SDF) until a new grade is available after writing a deferred exam. 

I have missed my exam for the first time. What are my next steps?  

• Log into eService and submit a petition within 5 business days from the date of the missed examination, submit one petition per exam. Check your eService account regularly for petition updates.
• Only request a deferred exam if you did not attempt or complete the final exam. NOTE: downloading an exam and reviewing it is considered an attempt. 
• Provide supporting documents to indicate why the examination was missed.  Exam dates are posted on our website well in advance. Personal plans, vacations or employment are not valid cases for an exam deferral.
• If your petition is approved, you will have to pay a fee for your deferred exam if applicable. Once payment is received,  your deferred exam schedule will be posted to your eService inbox. 
• Prepare to write your deferred exam within one month of missing your exam. See the First Deferred Exam Scheduling section of this page for more info. 

First Deferred Exam Schedule  (NEW)

To support students, we’re scheduling earlier deferred exam dates. The new schedule will allow eligible students to write their first deferred exams within approximately one month of their missed exam.  

Some deferred exam petitions will require additional time to process and may not be eligible for the earlier deferred exam period. These exams will be written in the next deferred exam period. 

 If approved, you can find your petition decision, along with your deferred exam schedule on eService. 

  I have missed my deferred exam. What are my next steps?  

If you had a deferred exam scheduled but you were unable to write due to documented reasons, follow these steps:

• Request to defer your exam again only due to exceptional circumstances (e.g. hospitalization or a severe personal emergency.) This request is made on eService.
• Log into eService and submit a petition within 5 business days from the date of the missed examination.
• Provide supporting documents to indicate why the examination was missed.  Exam dates are posted on our website well in advance. Personal plans, vacations or employment are not valid cases for an exam deferral. 
• A missed deferred exam will receive a grade of zero for the exam.

Missed Deferred Exam Scheduling 

All previously deferred exam petitions require additional time to process and are not eligible for the earlier deferred exam period. These exams will be written in the next deferred exam period. Approved petition decisions and the deferred exam schedule will be available on eService. 

UTSC Deferred Exam Fees

• $72 for one exam, or $144 for two or more exams.  Payments are made on eService.
• Your payment deadline will be provided in your petition response on eService.  
• Missing your payment deadline will result in a cancellation of your deferred exam, and your original grade in the course will be reinstated. This will lead to a reassessment of your GPA and may result in a change to your academic standing.  
• If you are writing a deferred exam for a course on another campus, a separate fee is required. Payment instructions and deadline will be available in your eService message.   

Students registered with AccessAbility Services   

• If you are approved to write a deferred final exam and would like to request accommodation, please submit a Deferred Exam Request form to the Accommodated Tests & Exams office. https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/ability/online-forms 
• It is not necessary for you to provide your deferred exam date prior to submitting the form. You may submit a deferred exam accommodation request as soon as you have been approved for deferral on eService.   
• Deferred exam fee will be waived for students registered with AccessAbility Services and the reason for deferral request is disability related.  

 Your grades   

• A notation of SDF (standing deferred) will be placed on your transcript for the course, after the petition is granted. The course will not be included in GPA calculations (cumulative or sessional) until the exam is written. 
• Until your final grade is calculated, your academic standing for the session will not reflect this course. If you are placed on academic suspension you will not be permitted to take courses in the next session even with a SDF notation.   
• You will not be granted a late withdrawal without academic penalty from the course once your deferred exam is approved.
• Quercus courses enter a read-only state after the end-of-term. To access past courses, from the main  Quercus menu visit "Courses" and select "All Course" to open. Scroll down to the "Past Enrollments" section to find direct links into previous courses. (PATH: Quercus -> "Courses" -> "All Course" -> "Past Enrollments").   

Reducing your course load   

We encourage you to create a balanced and manageable course schedule. Deferring an exam can have implications on your overall academic progress and we recommend a reduced course load to help you manage your performance. You can speak with an Academic & Learning Strategist at the Academic Advising and Career Centre to make an informed decision about your course load. 

*Updated December 14, 2023