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COVID-19 Information and Updates

Last updated May 11, 2021 - 5:00pm EST

As Canada continues to deal with the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of the Registrar is working to protect your health and support your academic success during this time. Please see the information below on service and process changes related to COVID-19, this page will be updated regularly as information becomes available. For the latest COVID-19 information as it relates to UTSC and campus operations, click here.

 

 

UTSC Office of the Registrar COVID-19 FAQ and Information

What are the deadlines to enrol in summer sessions? 

The deadline for registered students to enrol in F and Y courses is May 13.  

The deadline for registered students to enrol in S courses is July 6.   

The summer academic dates can be found here. 

The summer financial/payment deadlines can be found here.  

What is the duration of classes and when are final exams?

There are three sections in the summer term; Y, F and S. Courses take place over the following periods:  

Y-section courses: May - August  

F-section courses: May - June 

S-section courses: end of June - August

A majority of offerings at UTSC are Y-section courses. A full list of course offerings can be found on the Course Timetable and a full list of academic and financial dates for the summer can be found on our Important Dates Overview.  

Will courses be online or in-person?

Almost all summer classes will be delivered entirely online, synchronously or asynchronously. Check the Timetable to find your course delivery method. Students who cannot attend courses in-person should not choose courses with in-person elements. We encourage you to contact the Academic Advising & Career Centre and/or your program advisor for help choosing your courses.  

A small number of labs and tutorials deemed “essential” will be delivered in-person. Section sizes will be capped according to University and Public Health guidelines. Details on in-person elements will be posted on the UTogether page in the coming weeks.  

What will final exams look like?

There will be no in-person final exams. All exams will be conducted remotely; instructors will notify students of the software used to submit exams. Check the AA&CC’s tips for writing an online exam, including Quercus-specific tutorials and resources. Familiarize yourself with the steps to take if you have technical difficulties.  

Time zone accommodations will still be in place for online final exams. If you are physically in a different time zone and your final exam is scheduled outside 7:00 a.m. to midnight in your local time, you may request a new time on eService. Click here for more. 

Checking student ID for online exams is at the discretion of the instructor and academic department. Please confirm with your instructor the appropriate ID you should have for your remote exam. 

Where can I study?

Due to COVID-19, we ask that students work from home when possible. If students do not have access to WiFi and/or other technology, they should contact the UTSC Library for information on study space and accessing campus. 

Students will be able to access the Library, study spaces and computer labs over the summer. Details on opening hours, locations and access rules will be announced on the UTSC Library website. 

What if I require financial assistance to enrol in a course?

Students may apply for OSAP for financial assistance. For immediate short-term financial relief because of unexpected expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students may apply online for an emergency assistance grant. For additional info please contact our Financial Aid team: askro.utsc@utoronto.ca

What will June convocation look like?

June convocation will be online, Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 12 p.m. Eastern Time. See more information on the Office of Graduation and Convocation website. 

As of October 13, 2020, all in-person offerings have been moved online. Please refer to the course timetable and Quercus for additional details. 

1. Will the campus be closed during the holidays?

The University will be officially closed as of December 23, 2020 and will reopen on January 4, 2021 as originally planned. As of January 4, 2021, the campus will be open, with some restrictions and reduction in services during this week. See below for more details.
 
Library access – the Library will be closed Monday, January 4 and Tuesday, January 5, 2021 and will reopen with reduced hours (10am – 5pm) Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. As of January 15, the Library will be open from Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
 
Residence Office – the Residence Office will remain fully open during the week of January 4, 2021.

2. When will Winter term classes start?

Winter term classes will begin Monday January 11, 2021.

3. Will Reading Week be affected by the January 11, 2021 start date?

Reading Week will remain in place as planned, during the week of February 15, 2021.

4. Will the overall term be extended to accommodate the later start for 2021?

The overall term will not be lengthened. Classes will now end April 12, 2021 with the examination period still to conclude on April 23, 2021.  

5. Will course enrolment, drop dates and financial deadlines be adjusted due to the later start of Winter term?

Course enrolment, drop dates and financial deadline dates will be adjusted to accommodate the late start of classes. The amended dates will be posted to the Registrar website, the week of November 23, 2020. 

6. What will the Winter term look like?

At the moment, we are planning for courses in the Winter term to be offered online, with some elements offered in-person, however, this is dependent on public health and safety regulations. Updates will be announced and reflected in the timetable. 
 
Please note, regardless of changes made to online and in-person course offerings for the Winter term, we will always have a remote plan in place, so students can complete any course online and remain on their path towards graduation.

7. For courses with mandatory in-person elements (i.e., with no corresponding remote component), will there be a guarantee that they will be repeated in subsequent terms?

Yes. To accommodate the needs of UTSC students who are accessing courses entirely remotely this year, we guarantee to offer such mandatory in-person courses in subsequent terms.

8. I am graduating in June 2021, but I cannot attend some in-person required courses – will this delay my graduation?

No, your graduation will not be delayed. For students who are otherwise on track to graduate, departments will adjust program requirements to allow a path to graduation for those who cannot attend in-person required courses this year.

9. I am graduating in June 2021, what can I do to prepare for my transition into my career?

There are several resources available for students preparing for graduation. We recommend attending the Employer Information Sessions and Networking Events available. We also recommend attending our annual Get Hired conference at the end of April 2021. For access to our online career workshops please click here.

10. Will other in-person elements be provided as restrictions/space permits and for faculty and students who are willing?

We have taken a very cautious approach towards offering in-person course elements for the entire 2020-21 academic year. We will offer in-person classes to the extent that health requirements and faculty and student interest will allow. We will update the timetable with any new in-person course offerings as they become available from the academic departments.

11. Will there be an extension for payment of service fees?

For the Fall and Winter terms, payment deadline for service charges and ancillary fees is January 31, 2021 to avoid charges that will be applied on February 16, 2021. 

12. For any in-person offering, will there be a remote backup plan in the event of restrictions that will not allow for such in-person elements?

We recognize that Public Health restrictions may not allow for in-person elements in the Winter term. In this event, a backup plan, that is entirely remote will be in place for every offering.

13. Who can I contact regarding questions I have about the Winter 2021 term?

If you have questions pertaining to course registration, enrolment or financial aid please contact: askro.utsc@utoronto.ca
For questions regarding specific course delivery methods please contact the respective academic department.
For academic advising support please contact: aacc@utsc.utoronto.ca
For AccessAbility services please contact: ability@utsc.utoronto.ca

1. Will CR/NCR deadlines be extended for UTSC courses?

CR/NCR and LWD Policies for UTSC Students
Following the October 28, 2020 message to Faculty of Arts and Science students from their Dean, some clarification of UTSC policies may be helpful.

  • Each division at the University of Toronto, including UTSC, UTM and FAS, is an academically distinct faculty. Each offers its own academic programs and sets its own academic policies through university governance processes after extensive consultation.
  • Students registered at UTSC and UTM may declare CR/NCR in a course at any point up to the end of the 12th week of classes. They may choose this to a maximum of 2.0 credits and cannot use a CR-graded course to satisfy a program requirement.
  • Students registered in all three faculties have the ability to choose LWD for a course up to the end of the 12th week of classes. They can do so up to a maximum of 3.0 credits during the course of a degree.
  • Prior to October 28, 2020 students registered in the Faculty of Arts and Science could only declare CR/NCR in a course up to the end of the 8th week of classes. Like in UTSC and UTM, they could do so to a maximum of 2.0 credits and could not use a CR-graded course to satisfy a program requirement.
  • The Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences announced on October 28, 2020 that the deadline for students to declare CR/NCR or choose LWD in a course would be extended to January 15, 2021 for Fall 2020 F courses and to May 7, 2021 for Fall-Winter 2020-21 Y and Winter 2021 S courses. This will provide FAS students with the ability to see final grades before making this decision. However, the maximum limits for each and the prohibition on use of CR-graded courses for program requirements remain unchanged.
  • UTSC’s policies regarding CR/NCR and LWD, including the deadlines for each, remain as published in the UTSC Academic Calendar.

2. How will undergraduate and graduate courses be delivered for the 2020-21 academic year?

For the Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 academic year, all first-year offerings will be conducted online (remotely). This is also guaranteed for all other offerings during the Fall 2020 term.

With the recent changes to health and safety regulations due to COVID-19, we had to evaluate our in-person offerings. As all course elements offered at UTSC this Fall are replicates of online course elements, we will be removing all in-person elements, making us 100% online effective Tuesday, October 13, 2020, as part of our remote access guarantee.

At present, recording of lectures for WebOption delivery may continue, but students will not attend in-person. Additionally, the limited number of planned in-person exams will transition to online.

The principles guiding our decision to offer on-campus instruction during the Winter 2021 term are:

1. What online teaching platforms will be available for the Fall?

Our primary teaching platform is Quercus, used in addition to our  Educational Technology tools and services supported at the University of Toronto (such as Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Zoom and Peer Scholar). You can also view our recommended technology requirements for Remote/Online Learning here.

2. For the specific courses and/or programs that may have in-person components, will students be able to complete it virtually?

For the Fall term, both the MEnvSci and MAccFin graduate programs will have in-person class offerings. However, due to size allocation and safety measures set in place by public health authorities, all in campus offerings for the Fall term will be in parallel with online offerings, so that students can complete any course remotely.

3. Will all courses be redeclared ‘online synchronous’, or will we have separated the lecture section numbering from the course delivery?

All course elements, including lectures, tutorials and practicals offered in the Fall term of the 2020-21 academic year have shifted to be 100% online, effective October 13, 2020. As public health and safety regulations change, any updates will be further communicated and reflected in the timetable. 

Online synchronous
A course is considered Online Synchronous if it requires online attendance at a specific time for some or all course activities, and does not require attendance at a specific location for any activities or exams.

Online asynchronous
A course is considered Online Asynchronous if it has no requirement for attendance at a specific time or location for any activities or exams.
For additional information, please refer to the Course Timetable.

4. Can students view the occupancy of designated study spaces prior to showing up to campus?

The 4th-floor Bladen Wing study space is available for students to access WIFI and computer services. This is a walk-in space and no booking is required, and physical distancing will be applied. Additionally, there is a UTSC Library booking system available so students can reserve a seat for their academic studies. Please note there are a limited number of study spaces available in the UTSC Library. These study spaces will also adhere to health and safety guidelines set by the provincial and municipal government.

1. Will I still get monthly service charges on my outstanding balance?

For Fall 2021, ​the monthly service charges on ACORN accounts with outstanding tuition and non-tuition fees will begin October 15, 2021. Fall fees should be paid by September 30, 2021 to avoid service fees.

2. How long will it take to process my emergency grant application? When can I expect to receive funding?

Due to the large volume of applications, it is taking 5-10 business days for the UTSC Grant Committee to review an application. Once a decision is made, the recommendation is sent immediately to Enrolment Services. They require at least two days to respond directly to each student. Please do not submit multiple applications.

3. I am unable to work due to COVID-19, what can I do?

The Emergency Undergraduate Grant is intended to assist current U of T undergraduate domestic and international students impacted by COVID-19 and who need immediate short-term financial relief because of unexpected expenses. This grant is open to both part-time and full-time students. Click here for more information and to access the application.