Enrolment
At the University of Waterloo the calendar year is divided into three academic terms known as Fall (September-December), Winter (January-April) and Spring (May-August). Graduate students normally enrol for the first time in September at the beginning of the Fall term. In some cases, a department permits new students to enrol in January or May. To enrol, a new student must have been issued a Letter of Acceptance by the Graduate Studies Office which specifies the date for which enrolment is authorized. On successful completion of each four-month period (Fall, Winter, Spring), full-time students will advance at the rate of one term (1.0), and part-time students will advance at the rate of one-half term (0.5). Inactive enrolment has a term value of 0.0.
Students will not be allowed to enrol after the government reporting date in a term (for relevant dates refer to the Fees section of this calendar). If they are not enrolled, students will not receive credit for course work completed up to that date and will have to apply for readmission to their program.
Failure of students to arrange fees as required will cause their enrolment in Graduate Studies to lapse. It may be re-established only if an application for readmission is approved.
Students who are readmitted to a program must enrol for a minimum of one academic term.
A graduate student proceeding to a degree must maintain continuous enrolment, either active or inactive, in each successive term from the time of initial admission until the end of the term during which the requirements for the degree are completed. Students are responsible for ensuring that they enrol and arrange fees at the appropriate time each term. (Formal dates are announced in the Fee Arrangements and Payments listed in this calendar.)
Co-operative Work Terms
Students on a work term must change enrolment status to part-time/work term. Students requesting a status change, must complete a Graduate Studies Change of Enrolment Status/Degree Completion/Voluntary Withdrawal form.
Enrolment in a course is allowed with permission from the student's home department. Failure to maintain continuous enrolment will cause their registration in Graduate Studies to lapse (see Admission Requirements - Co-operative Option )
Inactive Status
All graduate students should maintain continuous enrolment until the completion of their program. In certain circumstances such as illness, maternity leave, and extreme financial difficulties for which the University cannot provide hardship funds -- and for no more than two terms in a program -- students may apply to the Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) of their Faculty for inactive status (leave of absence). Students who have been granted inactive status for a term are not entitled to use the services of the university, including graduate supervision, for the duration of that term. Normally, inactive status is limited to one term. Students who wish two or more consecutive terms of leave because they have other commitments such as a full-time job or travel plans, should voluntarily withdraw from their program until they are prepared to resume their studies. They must discuss in advance what conditions, if any, need to be met upon their return. Students who have incomplete courses on their record are not eligible for inactive status.
Students requesting inactive status, must complete a Graduate Studies Change of Enrolment Status/Degree Completion/Voluntary Withdrawal form.
Enrolment - International Students on Study Permits
Students without valid Study Permits will not be allowed to enrol at the University of Waterloo. All international students admitted to graduate studies degree programs at the University of Waterloo must have a valid Study Permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). A copy of the Study Permit must be submitted to the Graduate studies Office (GSO) upon arrival at the University.
If a Study Permit expires prior to program completion, students must apply to CIC for renewal and submit a copy of the renewed Study Permit to the GSO (check the 'valid until' date on the Study Permit). Make sure you apply at least 30 days before your current permit expires. If your Study Permit expires and you have made an application to renew it, but have not had a decision yet, you can continue studying until you receive a decision. Proof of application for renewal must be submitted to the GSO to permit continuing enrolment.
Maternity and/or Parental Leave
Students wishing to take maternity and/or parental leave during their program of study may apply to change status to inactive or part-time, depending on the time they intend to devote to their studies during such a leave. Interested students should consult with their academic supervisor(s) and Department Graduate Officer prior to making such an application; where an external agency is involved as in the case of visa students or those holding external scholarships, such agencies should also be consulted. Information on enrolment status, timing of leaves, financial support, benefits, resumption of studies and bursary information is available from the Parental Leave Advisor in the Graduate Studies Office.
Withdrawal
Students who are unable to participate in their program of study for more than two consecutive terms should voluntarily withdraw from the program. Students who reapply to a program and are approved for readmission, will be required to enrol for a minimum of one full term, without tuition refund, to complete their program.
Graduate Studies Change of Enrolment Status/Degree Completion/Voluntary Withdrawal forms are available in department Graduate Offices and in the Graduate Studies Office.
The University reserves the right to require a student to withdraw from a program for academic reasons.
Course Drop/Add Date
During the first six weeks of term, students must drop or add graduate courses using Quest, the University of Waterloo's on-line student information system. For courses with enrolment restrictions, students must obtain permission through their Department Graduate Assistant.
Graduate students who wish to enrol in an undergraduate may petition using a Drop/Add form, obtainable through their Department or the Graduate Studies Office. Signature of the instructor, supervisor and Department Graduate Officer.
After the first six weeks of term, students may not drop or add a course except by petition using the Drop/Add Form, and only under exceptional circumstances with the signature of the instructor, supervisor, Department Graduate Officer and the Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) of their home Faculty.
These are Graduate Studies Office deadlines. Individual Faculties may have earlier deadlines. ( Please check with your Associate Dean's Office. )
Courses may not be dropped or added, nor course status changed, after the examination period begins.
Enrolment vis-a-vis Completion of Degree Requirements
Graduate students must enrol active, and pay appropriate fees plus incidentals, in each term in which they are engaged in course work, research, or thesis preparation including the term in which the completion of degree requirements is anticipated.
The University Senate has set the following time limits:
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Master's (full-time)
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6 terms (2 years)
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Master's (extra-mural programs and programs in which the students are proceeding to a degree totally on a part-time basis)
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15 terms (5 years) |
| PhD (full-time) from an Honours Bachelor's |
18 terms (6 years) |
| PhD (full-time) from a Master's |
12 terms (4 years) |
| PhD (full-time) from an MA (Clinical Psychology) |
15 terms (5 years) |
| PhD (programs in which the students are proceeding to a degree totally on a part-time basis) from an Honours Bachelor's |
21 terms (7 years) |
| PhD (programs in which the students are proceeding to a degree totally on a part-time basis) from a Master's |
18 terms (6 years) |
The number of terms * specified in these time limits applies regardless of whether the student is enrolled full-time or part time.
Up to three terms' extension of these time limits may be obtained by petitioning the Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) of the Faculty, through the Graduate Officer. Further extensions must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. Petition for Extension of Program Time Limit forms may be obtained from department graduate offices or through the GSO website. If the Petition is not approved, or students fail to submit a Petition, they will be withdrawn from their program and must reapply.
* For the purposes of these time limits a term is one enrolment session, i.e., one term = one enrolment session regardless of full-time or part-time status.