Background & Expectations
Students are expected to attempt to meet deadlines but there may be exceptional circumstances where additional time for coursework is required due to disability-related impacts.
All disability-related extension requests require approval from the instructor. The request should be made before the original due date unless there are disability-related impacts that prevent a student from doing so.
Extensions are not automatically approved, including the number of days approved (e.g., up to one week).
There are situations when a professor or instructor might not be able to approve an extension or the assignment can be extended a limited number of days including, but not limited to:
- When the extension request concerns a group assignment
- When the answers for the assignment will be posted or were posted or taken up in the lecture for the rest of the class to study from for a quiz/test
- When a discussion on the assignment will be taken up in class (e.g., reflection on readings)
- When a laboratory experiment cannot be recreated
- When the extension request does not allow sufficient time for the professor to submit their marks at the end of the term
In these circumstances, the disability consultant can engage in a dialogue with the professor or instructor if there are alternate means to demonstrate knowledge and skill.
Process to request a disability-related extension
Students can request an accommodation one of two ways:
Option 1: Engage directly with the professor
Request the extension directly to the professor, instructor, or TA, if students are comfortable doing so. Professors can access student letters of accommodation online through the myAIMS professor portal to confirm extensions are part of the accommodation plan.
We recommend students request an extension a week before the original due date. Where students are unable to do so we ask that they contact their instructor to discuss prior to the deadline or shortly after if this is not possible (e.g., hospitalized and unable to connect with professor). If the date of submission is well beyond the class due date students can speak to their instructor and copy their Disability Consultant. If required, you may need to meet with your Disability Consultant.
*NOTICE: Students may use the disability-related extension request email template when requesting extensions directly to their professor.
Students are not required to seek accommodation directly from the instructor. If a student is not comfortable requesting accommodations directly from the instructor see option 2.
Option 2: Request AccessAbility Services to submit the extension request
If students want AccessAbility Services to communicate with the professor, instructor or TA on their behalf, they need to complete the Disability-Related Extension Request Form (MS Word) located on our Online Forms Page. Please submit the completed form using the myAIMS Document Upload Portal.
Log in to myAIMS and select "Upload Documents" from the main menu. Please review our Document Upload Portal Guide [PDF] for detailed step-by-step instructions
Note: Completing this form ensures that our office requests extensions for the correct assignment with an appropriate time for completion. It helps expedite the request by eliminating back and forth between the student and their Disability Consultant.
The form also provides information to expedite the request rather than emailing details back and forth between the student and the disability consultant.
While waiting for a response to an extension request, students should continue to work on their coursework, if possible, to the best of their ability.
It is important that students continue to work on the assignments to the best of their ability while an extension request is being decided. If you have not heard back from AccessAbility Services in time to submit, please submit your work and let your professor know the service is reviewing your request.
During the term: What to do for extensions beyond the timeline in the accommodation letter (e.g., one week)?
Students are expected to work towards the deadline.
If a student needs a disability-related extension beyond the accommodation notes on their accommodation letter (e.g., one [1] week), they must complete the online Extension Request Form and upload it on myAIMS. Further information or a meeting with a Disability Consultant may be required. Students may need to provide further documentation if there is a significant delay in submitting the term work
NOTE: Depending on the course, accommodation in the form of an extension may no longer be possible if an extension is granted for up to one week. For example, if the professor has already released the answers to the assignment you have requested an extension on a further extension would no longer be possible.
End of Term: What to do if your extension request is to submit work beyond the end of the term?
Undergraduate Students (UG): Where UG students need to extend work beyond the end of the term, a petition will be required. Students can meet with their Disability Consultant to discuss the petition if the extension is based on disability-related needs, including if additional documentation is required.
If the petition is for non-disability-related reasons, students will need to follow the process for providing supporting documents with their petition.
Resource: Office of the Registrar - Types of Petitions - Term Work
Graduate Students:
The School of Graduate Studies sets deadlines for the completion of coursework and grade submission for all courses taught under its aegis. Students are expected to meet these deadlines and are advised to plan their research projects accordingly. Students who find themselves unable to meet the relevant deadlines can, under certain conditions, receive extensions for completing coursework after the dates set by SGS.
Note: Graduate units may establish deadlines earlier than those set by SGS for the completion of coursework and may prescribe penalties for late completion of work and failure to complete work, provided that these penalties are announced at the time the instructor makes available to the class the methods by which the student performance shall be evaluated. The policy below concerning extensions pertain only to extensions of the deadlines for the completion of coursework set by SGS.
Go to the SGS extension request page for the process and extension form students must complete to submit work beyond the end of the term.