NEW FACULTY POLICY:
The Faculty has introduced a new Deferred Exam policy. This policy sets deferred exams as the standard remedy for final exam petitions. Please read the Deferred Exam Policy for further details.
Deferred Final Exams
If you missed a final exam due to extenuating circumstances, please visit the Final Exam Petitions page for further information on how to submit a petition.
If a final exam petition is granted accommodation by the Undergraduate Assessment Committee (UAC), the standard remedy is a deferred exam scheduled during one of the deferred exam periods. Once a student is granted a deferred exam, they will receive a temporary academic standing, which will be re-assessed after the deferred exam results are available.
The Faculty continues to grant assessed marks under specific circumstances; however, a deferred exam is now the standard remedy. For other potential outcomes to a missed exam, review the Final Exam Petitions page.
Received a Deferred Exam
If you are granted a deferred exam, the decision will be posted in the Engineering Portal. Review the steps below if you have been granted a deferred exam.
Temporary Academic Standing:
Students who are granted a deferred exam will have a temporary academic standing applied. The temporary standing is based on your academic performance in all courses, including the course(s) with the missed final exam. The standing will be reassessed once the assigned deferred exam is graded.
The four temporary standings you may receive are listed below. Further details on each temporary standing are published in the Faculty’s Academic Standing for Students with Deferred Exams report.
Temporary Standings (May Continue)
- Conditional – Clear – Pending Deferred Exam (SDF): Students who are in good standing (calculated term average of at least a 60%) and who are not expected to receive probationary standing after the deferred exam.
- Conditional – On Probation Continue – Pending Deferred Exam (DPR): Based on overall term performance, including term work in courses with deferred exams, the student is expected to be on probationary standing. May continue into the upcoming term.
Temporary Standings (Must Withdraw)
- Conditional – On Repeat Probation; Must Withdraw for 8 Months – Pending Deferred Exam (DPR2): Based on the overall term performance, including term work in courses with deferred exams, the student is expected to be on Repeat Probation. The student will be required to withdraw for eight months but may write their deferred exam(s) during their mandatory absence.
- Conditional – Failed – Refused Further Registration – Pending Deferred Exam (DRFR): Based on the overall academic performance, including term work in courses with deferred exams, the student is expected to be Refused Further Registration (RFRG). The student may not register in subsequent terms but may write their deferred exam(s).
Prepare for the Deferred Exam:
- Check your deferred exam period: Check which deferred exam period you are scheduled to write in your petition decision. View the deferred exam periods below.
- Review your temporary academic standing: Standings will be published after grades are finalized, which is a few weeks after the exam period ends.
- Study for the deferred exam: Study the same way that you would a regularly scheduled final exam. Some recommendations include:
- Save all course material from Quercus for studying. Check that you have access to Quercus and, if you do not, contact your academic advisor.
- Audit the course, if necessary, by shadowing the course content during the term. Recommended for students writing a deferred exam scheduled during the next offer of the course. Speak to your academic advisor for access to shadow the course.
- Reach out to learning support: Learning Strategist; peer mentors; Centre for Learning Strategy Support; Accessibility Services, U of T tutoring (cost associated); SkuleTM tutors (cost associated).
- Attend the deferred exam: The Faculty's final exam regulations apply during deferred exams. It is important to attend your scheduled deferred exam, as the result may impact your ability to proceed to the next term. Your temporary academic standing will be updated after the deferred exam results are released.
Academic Advisors
Your Academic Advisor is here to support you in navigating the deferred exam process and how a temporary academic standing affects your registration. Students are encouraged to stay in touch with their academic advisor regarding questions about eligibility to register for upcoming sessions, their academic plans and any concerns.
Prerequisite Courses
If you are granted a deferred exam for a prerequisite course, you must immediately (within three working days) seek permission from your department to continue in the course while your standing is pending. The department may allow or refuse this and will notify you of their decision.
Students who miss or fail the deferred exam will be removed from any courses for which the pertaining course was a prerequisite.
Deferred Exam Periods
Deferred exams are scheduled during five periods of the year. Your petition decision will specify which period you are assigned.
Types of Deferred Exam Periods
- Special Period: Scheduled during the Faculty's official deferred exam periods in September and February as per the Academic Calendar.
- Next Offer: Written with the next class during the final exam periods in December and April. Auditing the course (shadowing the class during the term) is strongly recommended.
| Exam Period | When It's Offered | Exam Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| September Deferred Exam Period | Special Deferred Exam Period Scheduled during the first two weeks of September. Usually offered to students who missed a Winter Term final exam. | Schedule is published on the Engineering Exam Schedule page during the Summer. |
| December Deferred Exam Period | Next Offer Exam Scheduled during the December final exam period, when the course is 'next offered.' The exam is written with the class taking the course during the Fall Term. Please note that course content may change from term to term. As such, students are strongly recommended to audit the course (shadow the current course by attending lectures and staying up to date with the current course material). | Refer to the December exam schedule. Schedule is published on the Engineering Exam Schedule page. Schedule will be updated by the end of October. |
| February Deferred Exam Period | Special Deferred Exam Period Scheduled during the Winter Term Study Break Week. Usually offered to students who missed a Fall Term final exam. | Schedule is published on the Engineering Exam Schedule page. |
| April Deferred Exam Period | Next Offer Exam Scheduled during the April final exam period, when the course is 'next offered.' The exam is written with the class taking the course during the Winter Term. Please note that course content may change from term to term. As such, students are strongly recommended to audit the course (shadow the current course by attending lectures and staying up to date with the current course material). | Refer to the December exam schedule. Schedule is published on the Engineering Exam Schedule page. Schedule will be updated by the end of February. |
| May Deferred Exam Period (GRADUATING STUDENTS ONLY) | Consideration will be given to graduating students. They may be offered a deferred exam in May prior to June Convocation. Arts & Science deferred exams are scheduled in early May and Engineering deferred exams are scheduled mid-May. The Faculty will aim to prioritize deferred exams for graduating students, but please note that scheduling is not guaranteed due to graduation deadlines. If it's not possible to schedule a deferred exam in May, a deferred exam may be offered during the September Deferred Exam Period. | Exam schedule will be provided to you by the Engineering Registrar's Office and/or the Faculty of Arts & Science. |
After Completing a Deferred Exam
After deferred exams are graded, your earned grade will be applied and replace your final course grade. The Faculty will reassess your temporary standing based on the earned grade, and your standing will be updated in ACORN.
Based on your academic standing, please contact your academic advisor for guidance on your academic plan. Students whose updated standing allows them to register for the next term should contact their academic advisor immediately to ensure their registration is processed on time.
Missed Deferred Exams
Students who miss a deferred exam will receive a “0” in the final exam, and their final course grade will be calculated accordingly. The temporary academic standing will be updated in ACORN to reflect the earned grade.
Missing a deferred exam may cause a student to be on probationary standing. Please review the Faculty’s promotion regulations.
If the reason you missed a deferred exam was due to illness or extenuating circumstances, you may submit a final exam petition. Petitions for missed deferred exams follow the same deadlines and documentation requirements as a regular missed final exam. However, as consideration has already been granted for the original missed exam, requests for consideration related to a missed deferred exam are reviewed under a higher threshold and require compelling documentation demonstrating exceptional circumstances.
For missed deferred exams granted accommodation through a petition result, please be aware that your earned grade and standing will remain unchanged until the second deferred exam is graded. As such, this may impact your ability to proceed into the next term.