Academic considerations and accommodations
Academic consideration request (ACR)
You may request academic consideration if you've missed an exam, assignment, or any other graded work due to illness or extenuating personal circumstances. Academic considerations should be submitted within three (3) business days of the missed academic component and should be submitted online through the academic considerations portal, available through the button above. ACRs should only be submitted for graded work. Please note that instructors are not obligated to grant academic consideration requests.
ACRs must be submitted with appropriate documentation unless you use your one-time no-documentation option for the semester. Please see the ACR documentation portion below.
Policy 167, which governs academic considerations, can also be found on the Senate website. 
What is an extenuating circumstance?
In accordance with Policy 167, an Extenuating Circumstance is an occurrence that:
-
Are outside of a student’s immediate control;
-
Could not have been reasonably foreseen or avoided, and
-
Significantly impact students' ability to fulfill their academic requirements.
How to submit an ACR
To submit an Academic Consideration:
-
Inform your instructors by email before you miss your academic obligations (Policy 168: Grade and Standing Appeals).
-
Login to the Academic Considerations Portal using your TMU credentials.
-
You will be presented with the guidelines for academic considerations. Scroll down and check the box. Click Proceed to Submit Request.
-
Select the applicable extenuating circumstance from the list provided.
-
Select the appropriate Academic Career (undergraduate) and Term.
-
Select the date of onset of the current condition and whether the expected return date is Known, Anticipated or Unknown. If known, please select the date from the calendar.
-
Check the course(s) you want this ACR applicable for.
-
Document Upload. Upload the applicable documents for your ACR. If you wish to use your One Time No Documentation option for the semester, you may select Yes here.
-
Click Submit Form. You should be redirected to a confirmation page, and a confirmation email should be sent to your TMU email.
After you submit your ACR, the PASS office will process it. You and your instructor will be notified if your ACR was verified or if any additional documentation is still needed.
ACR documentation
For requests that fall under extenuating circumstances, Students are allowed a once-per-term academic consideration request without supporting documentation if the absence is less than 3 days and is not for a final exam or final assessment. Documentation is required for absences of more than 3 days and those involving a final assessment or final exam.
All other ACRs outside of this option must be submitted with appropriate documentation to be considered for verification.
ACRs must be submitted with appropriate documentation to be considered for verification. Don't know what documents to submit? Below is a chart of the appropriate documentation(s) required for different extenuating circumstances.
Travel documents alone are insufficient to verify a request and must be accompanied by another form of documentation. Travel documents lack the context needed to explain why the travel is necessary. Leisure/work travel is not an extenuating circumstance and is not eligible for academic consideration.
Extenuating Circumstance |
Description |
Documentation |
| Health | Physical and mental health issues that are either sudden or acute (unexpected illness or injury, hospitalization, or treatment, significant aggravation of a pre-existing condition, etc.). | Completed TMU Health Certificate Signed letter by a medical professional on letterhead (accompanied with part A of TMU health certificate) |
| Compassionate | Events, circumstances or emergencies that cause undue hardship, personal distress and/or trauma. (Ex. Death or injury to a relative, victim or witness to a severe accident/crime, sudden loss of income, caregiver responsibilities, disruption to domestic arrangements, etc.) | Death Certificates Obituaries Travel Documents Official Letters (therapists, counsellors, funeral homes) |
| Religious | A student requests an accommodation due to a religious, aboriginal and/or spiritual observance. | Accommodation of religious, Aboriginal, and Spiritual Observances Form |
Other
|
Include, but are not limited to, participation in a University-sanctioned event where the student is representing the university (i.e. varsity sports), participation in conferences or case competitions related to the student’s field of study, legal commitments (court), assigned/mandatory military service. | Proof of participation (ticket or invitation) Signed letter by commanding officer Travel Documents Court or Jury Letters |
Academic accommodations support (AAS)
A part of Student Wellbeing, Academic Accommodation Support (AAS) supports students with disabilities AAS works with students to create and implement individualized academic accommodation plans so students can more fully participate in their studies.
AAS works with any student enrolled at Toronto Metropolitan University who requires academic accommodation, regardless of program or course load.
ACR or AAS - Which one do I need?
What is the difference between an academic consideration and academic accommodation? These are defined by separate university policies. Please review the flow chart below to learn which suits your circumstance (s).
For any questions, you can always email trsmadvising@torontomu.ca
