Fall 2020 - Winter 2021

Preparing to arrive in Canada
Declaring Your Absence on ACORN
Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Network
Fall term
Winter term
Incidental fees

Preparing to arrive in Canada

I will be taking courses in-person, and am preparing to travel to Canada. What do I do? Updated August 20, 2020
As you prepare to come to Canada to pursue in-person studies for the upcoming year, the University of Toronto will issue eligible students a letter which may be used as confirmation of their studies at the border. Letters will be issued free of charge to eligible students. To determine your eligibility, please read Question 1 here. If you are eligible, and in need of a letter, please contact the International Education Centre at UTM by emailing international.utm@utoronto.ca. This letter is addressed to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) but does not guarantee entry to Canada.

Am I required to quarantine when I arrive in Canada? Updated August 20, 2020
Yes. Registered students who are entering Canada can expect to receive support from U of T as part of the new Mandatory Quarantine Accommodation Program. We will arrange transportation from the airport to a quarantine location where students will reside in a private room with a washroom. Their meals will be delivered to their door, and they will have access to daily support throughout their 14-day quarantine. Please visit the Mandatory Quarantine Accommodation Program website for more information.

Absence Declaration

When should I use the Absence Declaration Tool? Updated November 24, 2020
If are you experiencing acute circumstances, whether medical or non-medical, whether connected to your disability or not, you can use the Absence Declaration tool on ACORN to indicate the days when you were unable to engage in your academic work.

If you are registered with Accessibility Services, you should work proactively with your instructors or Accessibility Services Advisor if you have accommodation needs due to your disability. Make sure to send your Letters of Accommodation to your instructors through AIMS early on so you can plan for the support you will need for all your courses. You can also speak with your Accessibility Advisor to facilitate this request. That way, if the situation becomes more complex, requiring a more coordinated effort from your Advisor to help you obtain accommodation across multiple courses or multiple items of course work, this will be easier. Please email access.utm@utoronto.ca to make an appointment to speak with your Advisor.

Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Network

I'm an international student from China and I'm concerned connecting and accessing U of T's online resources. What can I do? Updated July 13, 2020 at 1pm
Starting July 9, 2020, U of T students located in mainland China can use the Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Network. This service will offer a fast, reliable, and consistent connection to U of T's network and resources, such as Quercus. Please note that this service should only used to connect to U of T resources from China, and some websites outside of U of T will not be available when using this service, such as YouTube and Yahoo. Learn more about the Alibaba CEN Service and visit the Information Commons website for instructions on how to instal the service on your device.

Fall term

Will service charges be suspended for the Fall 2020 term? Updated November 26, 2020 at 9:30 p.m.
Yes, the standard monthly service charge fees (1.5% compounded or 19.56% per annum) that are typically applied on outstanding balances are suspended until the end of January 2020. It will resume on February 16, 2021 and will be billed for outstanding Fall-Winter fees (and any outstanding/unpaid fees from a previous session). Service charges have been suspended since April 2020. Updates will be available at fees.utoronto.ca.

I live in a different time zone, and am concerned about writing my final exam. What can I do? Updated November 26, 2020 at 11:05pm
We recognize that students are experiencing unique challenges that are out of their control. If you are living in a different time zone, and have significant challenges that make it difficult to complete your final exam in your local time (for example, no access to internet due to an unreliable connection overnight or no access to an internet cafe at the scheduled time), please submit the Exam Conflict form by December 4, 2020 at 11:59pm (ET). The Office of the Registrar will review all requests, and if approved, will work with the course instructor to facilitate the next steps. Please note that the decision to arrange an accommodation is at the discretion of your course instructor, and is not guaranteed.

My request for a time zone conflict was not approved. What can I do? Updated November 26, 2020 at 6:31pm
If your request for a time zone conflict is not approved, the expectation is that you will need to make the necessary arrangements in advance, and write your final exam at the scheduled time. If you have questions or concerns, please book an appointment with an Academic Advisor through AskRegistrar.

Will the deadlines for Credit/No Credit and LWD change for Fall 2020 – Winter 2021? Updated October 30 at 6:00 pm
UTM’s academic deadlines for CR/NCR and LWD will remain as published on our website. However, following the October 28, 2020 message to Faculty of Arts & Science students, some clarification of UTM 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 UTM and UTSC may declare or cancel CR/NCR in a course at any point up to the end of the 12th week of classes. They may choose this up 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 up to a maximum of 2.0 credits. CR-graded courses cannot be used 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 F courses and May 7, 2021 for Y and S courses for the Fall 2020 – Winter 2021 academic year. 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.

Students who need guidance in making decisions about academic progress can consult with an Academic Advisor via AskRegistrar.

Can I opt-out of UHIP fees for the Fall 2020 term? Updated October 29, 2020
Yes, international students who are studying remotely outside of Ontario for the Fall term can disenrol from UHIP by November 1, 2020. Once approved, the UHIP coverage will be cancelled and the fees removed from your ACORN account. A refund will be provided if it has been previously paid in full. Additional information about disenrolling for the Winter term may be available at a later time. Questions can be directed to the UHIP Office at uhip.information@utoronto.ca. A helpful video by the IEC is also available online.

What will classes be like in September? Updated June 17, 2020
We will be offering courses online and in-person. The newly designed online and in-person and course delivery options will give you the flexibility to choose – as you always have – how and when you learn. We encourage you to select the options that meet your needs to stay engaged, while balancing your academic and personal responsibilities. You can expect four delivery options:

In-person: regular weekly classes with scheduled attendance in smaller class sizes
In-person & online: scheduled attendance will rotate between these delivery formats
Online Synchronous: regular weekly classes with scheduled attendance
Online Asynchronous: “on-demand” lectures that you can view at your own pace without scheduled attendance

In the Fall, almost every course will allow you to study online if that is what you prefer, or must do for travel or medical reasons. However, there will also be safe opportunities and learning activities that you may chose for in-person engagement, as applicable. To learn more about what these options, please refer to the Fall-Winter Registration Guide.

Winter term

I live in a different time zone, and am concerned about writing my final exam. What can I do? Updated February 23, 2021
We recognize that students are experiencing unique challenges that are out of their control. If you are living in a different time zone, and have significant challenges that make it difficult to complete your final exam in your local time (for example, no access to internet due to an unreliable connection overnight or no access to an internet cafe at the scheduled time), please submit the Exam Conflict form by March 30, 2021 at 11:59pm (ET). The Office of the Registrar will review all requests, and if approved, will work with the course instructor to facilitate the next steps. Please note that the decision to arrange an accommodation is at the discretion of your course instructor, and is not guaranteed.

Can I opt-out of UHIP fees for the Winter 2021 term? Updated January 20, 2021
Yes, international students who are studying remotely outside of Ontario for the Winter term can disenrol from UHIP online between January 18 - February 28, 2021. Once approved, the UHIP coverage will be cancelled and the fees removed from your ACORN account. A refund will be provided if it has been previously paid in full. If you arrive in Canada before the end of the term, or during the summer months, please contact the UHIP team via email. Questions can be directed to the UHIP Office at uhip.information@utoronto.ca.

Summary of Confirmed Changes to the Winter Term (Dates) Updated November 20, 2020
The chart below will offer a summary of changes only. For a full list of academic and financial deadlines, visit the Important Dates page.

Summary of New Changes for 2021
January
January 11	Classes begin in S courses and resume in Y courses
January 24	Last day to add or modify S courses on ACORN
January 24	Waitlist ends for S courses
January 24	For students paying course fees: Last day to drop an S course and receive a 100% course fee refund as long as you are registered in other courses for the Winter term.
January 24	For students paying deregulated program fees: Last day to drop from full-time to part-time and receive a 50% program fee refund.
January 25	First day to request Credit/No Credit for S courses
January 25	First day to request SAC for S courses
January 31	Last day to confirm or withdraw June 2021 graduation
January 31	For students paying course fees: Last day to drop an S course and receive a 75% course fee refund.
February
February 15	For students paying course fees: Last day to drop an S course and receive a 50% course fee refund
February 22	Last day to drop a Y course and have it removed from the academic record and GPA
March
March 15	Last day to drop an S course and have it removed from the academic record and GPA
April
April 9	Last day of classes for S & Y courses
April 9	Last day to request LWD
April 9	Last day to request SAC for S or Y courses
April 10-11	Study break
April 12	Make up day
April 12	Deadline to request or cancel CR/NCR for Y and S courses taken at UTSC
April 13-23	Final exam period (compressed) includes Sunday, April 18.
April 24	Exam contingency day
April 26-30	Deferred exam period

When will the University re-open in January? Updated November 20, 2020
The University and its services will re-open on January 4, 2021 for students who wish to book appointments, ask questions, or reconnect with us before classes begin on January 11, 2021.

How will the delayed start to the term impact other sessional dates? Updated November 20, 2020
Details are currently being finalized. However, we are working to ensure that that we do not lose any instructional days. In order to do so, the final exam period will be compressed, and will end on April 23, 2021. Changes to other sessional dates, such as the refund period, and deadline to drop courses will shift accordingly by one week. We will update this FAQ page with a summary of changes.

What should I do to guarantee my spot in the S courses that I chose? Updated October 14, 2020

If you are enrolled in a Winter S course by October 16 at 11:59pm (ET), we will consider your spot in the course guaranteed, even if the delivery mode changes.
If your in-person lecture moves to an online delivery mode, we will automatically add you to the online lecture section. In order to do this, we will need to freeze course enrolment on ACORN so no further changes can be made to UTM courses between October 17 – November 8, inclusive, for Winter courses. You will regain access to modify your UTM Winter courses on ACORN on November 9 at 9 am (ET) when we complete the updates.
In the event that a course offers a new online meeting section, in addition to the scheduled in-person meeting section, we will consult with you before making any changes to ensure that you remain in control over how you prefer to learn. As always, once the changes to the timetable are complete, you will be able to adjust your S courses until the last day to add/drop according to your home division sessional dates.

When will I know if my Winter course has moved online? Updated October 3, 2020
In the Fall term, after the University of Toronto finalizes its review, we will notify impacted students after Reading Week (October 13 - 16) . We anticipate that the majority of Winter classes will be offered online or have an online delivery option. If you secure a spot in the course, you will stay in the course unless you decide otherwise—even if the delivery method changes!

Why is the University reviewing Winter classes in the Fall? I have already chosen my courses, and am worried about how these changes will impact me. Updated August 6, 2020
Ontario’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic will evolve in the coming weeks and months. The Fall term will provide a crucial model as we plan our next steps to ensure the health and well-being of our community. We understand how important it is for you to know what classes you’ll be taking and how you will learn. We are in this together! Should the delivery mode change for a course in which you are enrolled, your enrolment in that course will remain guaranteed. The Office of the Registrar will send updates and instructions as soon as the information becomes available. This information will also be available on the Timetable website.

Should I be concerned that my online synchronous or asynchronous course will be changed to in-person or in-person rotation? Updated August 6, 2020
No. Courses scheduled to be online will remain online for the academic year.

As the COVID-19 pandemic develops, what can we expect this Winter term? Updated June 22, 2020
We will be offering a wide and comprehensive range of courses in the Winter term, and will follow provincial guidelines and recommendations from public health. Faculty, staff, and students can best plan for and prepare for an academic year based on the information we know right now, while continuing to stay informed. At this time, we encourage you to enrol in courses for the Winter term with the same considerations you are making for the Fall term. If you prefer to take courses through one of the online delivery options due to travel, medical, or other reasons, we encourage you to enrol in courses with delivery modes that best meet your academic and personal needs. In the event that we are required to modify course delivery options for the Winter term in the coming weeks or months, the Office of the Registrar will connect with you by email to ensure that you are informed. This COVID-19 FAQ page will also continue to be an updated resource for all members of our community.

Incidental fees

If students are permitted to enrol as full-time students and studying from outside of the country for some or all of 2020-21, would they be permitted to receive the funding they would ordinarily receive if they were enrolled full-time in-person (i.e., bursaries, grants, scholarships)? Updated July 25, 2020
Yes - if a student meets the eligibility criteria for a scholarship (i.e., merit based funding), then the scholarship will be awarded to the student. With respect to need based funding, domestic students (i.e., Canadian citizens/Permanent Residents/Protected Citizens) living outside of Canada during full-time studies are eligible to receive funding as if they were enrolled in full time, in-person studies. International students living outside of Canada during full-time studies will continue to be considered for COVID-19 related grant funding on a case-by-case basis. Costs related to tuition will not be considered.

Why do I pay incidental fee when I might not use the service? Updated February 17, 2021
Fees charged for services provided by the University and its student societies are established on the understanding that all students will contribute to the cost of these services. This is the only way to calculate fair and equitable fees to support the services and programs that all universities should offer for any students who might find themselves in need. These fees are assessed as part of a student’s academic registration. Certain fees assessed by student governments are refundable through a process publicized to all UTM students by the UTM Students Union each term. Other fees, including campus-specific and university services like health & counselling departments, career centres, and recreation & athletics, are not refundable. Note that some fee charges to UTM students were reduced this academic year to reflect service reductions/suspensions during the pandemic; for example, the Shuttle Service and its fee were totally suspended this year, and others such as Recreation & Athletics and the MiWay U-Pass were reduced or are being partially rebated.

Where can I find information regarding the fees I pay? Updated July 13, 2020 at 1pm
The University of Toronto charges separate compulsory non-tuition fees in order to be transparent about the fees students pay. This enables students to become aware of services and organizations to which they pay fees. The individual fees charges are listed in the student account invoice on ACORN. The reduction in fees will be applied and reflected on your invoice.

Why does my invoice show different fees for the Fall and Winter terms? Updated July 13, 2020 at 1pm
The University expects that all services and programs will resume in January 2021 and that full costs will be charged. If the situation changes, the University will review fees.

What fees have been reduced for Fall 2020? Updated July 13, 2020 at 1pm
Student service fees (including Hart House and athletic fees) have been reduced. The services offered at each campus and the incidental fees charged vary by campus. This is reflective of the local needs of the various campuses and any special programs within them. Therefore, the reductions vary by campus. Most programming continues online, through video calls or phone calls.

The fee reductions apply to all students registered at the campus. UTM Athletics & Recreation fee is reduced by 25%. KPE Sports & Rec fee is reduced by 30%; Hart House fee is reduced by 20%; Student Services fee is reduced by 35% (reduction includes the fee for the shuttle service’s suspension).

Some student societies have also reduced their fees. Please check your invoice and with the society directly for additional information.

What are the details of the fee reductions? Updated July 13, 2020 at 1pm
Given these uncertain times, the student services have closely considered their programs and services for the fall term and have made reductions as follows:

Athletics: KPE Sport & Recreation, UTM Athletics and UTSC Athletics: Intramurals and varsity sports will not be available for the fall term. It is anticipated that some of the related facilities will be opening in the fall term. Online options for physical activity, recreation and wellness will continue throughout the term.
Hart House: It is anticipated that Hart House will be open for limited use during the fall term. The online programming and athletic options will remain available.
Student Services: All three campus Student Services have waived (St. George) or reduced (UTM and UTSC) the cost of space provide for student services and organizations. The space is anticipated to be available for students with appropriate physical distancing in place.
UTM student services has also waived the fee for the shuttle service while it is suspended.
UTSC has also reduced some of their fees related to space costs.

Will I be charged for the U-Pass or Shuttle Bus? Updated July 13, 2020 at 1pm
The U-Pass service, offering unlimited fare-free rides on MiWay (Mississauga Transit), is being maintained for UTM students (excluding the MMPA and MFAcc programs) in the fall term by the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union and the University of Toronto Mississauga Association for Graduate Students.

MiWay, Brampton Transit, Oakville Transit, GO Transit and the Toronto Transit Commission municipal services are expected to continue operations throughout the fall term. The Brampton Transit express service between the Brampton Gateway Terminal and UTM will be suspended.

The UTM shuttle services to/from the St. George campus and Sheridan College will be suspended and the related fee for Fall 2020 waived.

Course Enrolment

When will the Timetable and Academic Calendar be available? Updated June 17, 2020
They will be posted online the week of June 22.

When will course enrolment begin? Updated May 21, 2020
All students will begin enrolling in July, at their start time. Please review the Fall-Winter Registration Guide to view the new dates, including when you can view your start time, and when enrolment will begin on ACORN.

Why are the course enrolment dates postponed? Updated May 4, 2020.
We are currently revising our original course offerings and room scheduling timetable in order to plan for a safe return to campus in the Fall-Winter session. The original course enrolment dates that were posted in early March, and was scheduled to begin as early as June 2 have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will be rescheduled for a later date. At this time, we estimate that it may be delayed by at least one month and begin in July. We will confirm the new dates as soon as we can in the Fall-Winter Registration Guide, our Important Dates page, and an email will be sent to all students.

Although course enrolment start dates will begin on ACORN at a later date, please begin planning your courses as soon as the Fall-Winter Timetable is available. Our Academic Advisors will be available for appointments online or over the phone to assist you.

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