Course management accommodations
Course management accommodations may be necessary due to the impact of a disability. Someone may have difficulties completing courses within the course contract period as a result of a disability. In certain situations, we may be able to offer accommodations such as a reduced course load while maintaining full-time status, an extension, or medical withdrawal. We may ask for additional professional medical verification of the current impact experienced related to the time.
Students receiving student aid funding do not have as much course flexibility due to regulations of their provincial student aid board. We can provide advice on this matter along with your AU Student Financial Aid advisor.
Course load
Course load refers to the number of course credits a student is enrolled in during a specific time. Traditional institutions and Athabasca University call this period a term, semester, or course contract period.
Whether or not you commit to a full or part-time course load depends on your academic goals. Counselling Services offers preparatory and academic readiness resources to help you establish reasonable goals.
If you receive funding through student loans or other types of sponsorship, remember to adhere to course load requirements of that funding agency or sponsor. Definitions of course load coincide with the definitions by CRA and the various student aid boards across the country.
For more information on requirements for full and part-time students, visit Student Financial Aid.
The number of course credits you are enrolled in during the contract period determines whether you are a full or part-time student. In general, the course load can be calculated as the total number of credits for courses that the student is enrolled in within a contract period. Another way to show a student’s course load is a percentage based on a full program load. To find more information about this, please read the Undergraduate Calendar definition of a full-time student.
A full program course load is 15 credits during one term or contract period. This figure is based on the number of credits in a program (e.g. 120 for a 4-year degree) divided by the number of years in a program (e.g., 120 ÷ 4 = 30) and, divided by the traditional number of terms a student would complete in a year (e.g. 30 ÷ 2 = 15).
The percentages used to indicate the proportion of a student’s course load during a contract period are calculated based on 15 credits per term. So, if a student is enrolled in three, 3-credit courses during a contract period, they are registered in 9/15 or a 60% course load.
A full-time student is required to be enrolled in a 60-100% course load during a contract period. Or arrange the accommodation of full-time status with a 40% reduced course load.
Otherwise, a student is considered part-time if they are enrolled in anything less than a 60% course load during a contract period.
Students with a verified permanent disability may be eligible to receive full-time student status with a reduced course load to 40%. This accommodation is available to students who request it and provide medical verification of the permanent nature of their disability.
This can be a valuable accommodation that helps with managing course load, but it is not automatically provided.
Prior to requesting this accommodation with an accessibility services advisor, you need to discuss the program implications with your faculty’s program advisor and student financial aid advisor (if applicable).
Reduced course load accommodations are not retroactive to previous course contracts.
You can receive enrollment confirmation at a reduced course load from Enrollment Services once the accommodation is placed on your student file by Accessibility Services.
Student aid-funded students must contact your AU student financial aid advisor to confirm enrolment status once you are registered in courses even though you submitted a course plan.
Please note the number of credits required for full-time course load may vary for individual programs. Please check with a program advisor.
Course load adjustments may affect eligibility for student funding in the following ways:
- It determines the types of funding that can be applied for upon enrollment.
- It can cause a student to not meet performance requirements for academic success or force a withdrawal if the course load is too heavy.
- Indebtedness may increase dramatically by increasing the number of course terms needed to complete a program.
- Extending a program term may not be possible.
- The maximum student aid amount that can be borrowed may be reached before the program is completed.
How much time do you have available for study? Consider factors such as family, work, living environment, etc. For more information, see the Am I Ready for AU application and other resources provided through the AU counselling and advising services.
Courses that have been extended do not count towards the calculation of full-time student status after the initial course contract period.
For example, if a course started on June 1, the original contract end date would be September 30. During this period, the course will count toward the course load calculation. If the course is extended to November 30, the course will not be calculated towards full-time status after September 30.
A student must be registered in a minimum of 9 credits to maintain full-time status, unless otherwise specified, for each 4-month term within a funding period. The courses must be completed (passed) by the term or original course contract date.
Full-time funded students may apply for course extensions, but they should check how the extension will affect their eligibility to maintain their funding, next term funding, tax credit, or cancel funding totally converting grants to loans.
Contact your student financial aid advisor for more information.
If a student extends a course in the first term beyond the semester’s funding period, the second term courses will begin on the first day of the month following the original contract end date.
For example, if a course starts on June 1, the original contract end date will be September 30. During this time, the course will count toward the course load calculation for the first term courses. The second term of full-time courses will begin on October 1, regardless of whether the first term courses have been extended or not.
A student may only be registered in a maximum of 6 courses at a time. Please see the Athabasca University policy on maximum course load.
Having status as a full-time student at Athabasca University does not automatically mean your funding source will assign you the same status.
If you are receiving funding, you should not reduce your course load during a term without first checking with your funding provider that the change will not affect your funding eligibility.
In most cases, you must apply each funding term for approval to enrol as a full-time student with a 40% course load. Each provincial student aid program has different regulations about this.
Extended time
One of the many attractive features of Athabasca University is the opportunity for students to choose the pace of their courses and program. Students can choose flexible course contract times and enrol in courses during any month of the year.
At AU, we realize there may be a need for extended course time and any student can purchase up to three 2-month extensions as outlined in the Athabasca University Course Extension Policy.
The extension fee may be waived if students meet specific criteria. An accommodation of extension with a waived fee is intended for students to finish any remaining course work. Students may not apply the accommodation retroactively beyond the end date of a course contract. This accommodation must be identified as necessary because of the impact of a disability. Before approving the requested accommodation, Accessibility Services reserves the right to request:
- Current medical documentation to support the course extension
- a demonstration of course progress (e.g., assignment submissions, contact between student and course tutor, quizzes, or midterm completion)
All students are eligible for up to 3 extensions waived fee or not (ie. any waived fee extension is part of the 3 allowed at the university). Certain situations arise where university policy is amended and announcements of such are on the Hub.
We are unable to provide retroactive refunds for purchased extensions prior to the received accommodation. Each situation for extension is unique.
Many things affect the amount of time a student must complete individual courses, including:
- whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student.
- whether you are enrolled in an individual or grouped study course.
- the guidelines and requirements for course load and academic progress by your provincial student funding agency or sponsor.
- the length of time you have been enrolled in a course.
- whether the course has been revised since you enrolled.
- the financial resources you have.
- the progress you have made in the course.
- any unforeseen circumstances in your life.
We consider all the above factors for requests of extensions. We will provide students with information on any potential negative outcomes if extended time is approved and discuss alternative courses of action. We do not provide the above information or advice for student aid-funded students who need to contact their Athabasca University student financial aid advisor for accurate advice related to their province.
Accessibility Services may require students to submit updated documents (i.e. a doctor's note) to verify the need.
Approval of extended time in 1 term of courses will not delay the start date for a later term of courses. This means a student can end up being registered in 2 semesters of courses at the same time. This type of workload can be overwhelming and harm academic progress. We encourage students who find they are having difficulty keeping up or progressing with their course work to contact the department immediately for assistance.
We strongly advise students who are receiving funding to investigate what options are available through their funding sponsors if they require extended time to complete courses. Many sponsors have strict guidelines and extending courses may seriously affect ongoing eligibility for funding or convert grants to loans. Knowing this before starting courses will help you plan for course selection and course load.
The type of extension a student requests will differ based on whether they are an undergraduate or graduate student and whether they are enrolled in an individual study course or grouped study course. For explanations of the terms see the Academic Partnership Delivery website.
- Graduate students are often registered in grouped-study courses. Extensions must be requested from their faculty
- Undergraduate courses may be offered in either individualized or grouped-study mode. Accessibility Services processes these course extensions for non-funded students.
We encourage undergraduate students to register in courses offered in the format that best suits their individual needs and accommodations.
The eligibility for the extended time accommodation is determined in the Accessibility Services Accommodation Plan process.
If you require additional time to complete your course work due to the impact of a disability, you may request the accommodation of an extension to your course contract end date with waived fee. To do this, submit your request prior to your contract end dates. Requests should be submitted through Accessibility Services’ online Extension Request Form. If you are unable to access the online form, please print and submit the following Undergraduate Course Extension Request Form PDF. The form can be submitted via email to Accessibility Services at asd@athabascau.ca.
Course extensions will not be automatically granted to students with funding, as it can have consequences on current and future funding opportunities. It is your responsibility to contact your student financial aid advisor to discuss how extensions may affect your funding before the first extension may be processed (sfa@athabascau.ca).
After speaking with your student financial aid advisor, you can submit an extension request to your student financial aid advisor directly with a completed Course Extension Request Form. All extension requests must be made prior to your contract end dates.
Withdrawals
All students are permitted to withdraw from individualized study courses at any time within the course contract period. Withdrawal timeframes have an impact on your academic record. If you withdraw:
- prior to and up to 30 days after the course contract start date, the course will not appear on your transcript. Students are eligible for a refund of course fees paid, less the Withdrawal Processing Fee and the Learning Resource Fee (unless the materials are returned as per the Course Material Returns and Refund Policy). Please refer to the Undergraduate Course Withdrawal Policy as well as Refunds: Individualized Study Course Tuition.
- after 30 days and on or before the course contract end date, your transcript will indicate a “W” (Withdrawal) and credit will not be awarded for the course.
- after the course contract end date, you cannot withdraw after the course contract end date. If no course work has been completed, a grade of “F” (Failure) will be assigned and recorded on the transcript.
Withdrawal procedures do not apply to courses being challenged for credit.
Withdrawal requests should be submitted online via the myAU portal.
However, we would advise students to consult with their student financial aid advisor to discuss whether eligibility for funding will be affected and Accessibility Services to cancel any support service arrangements.
Nursing students, please consult the Undergraduate Course Withdrawal and Refund Policy – Individualized Study for academic impact of a withdrawal from a nursing clinical and for the process that must be followed.
Students may withdraw from a grouped-study course at any time within the course contract period. Withdrawal timeframes have an impact on your academic record. If you withdraw:
- prior to and up to 15 days after the course contract start date, the course will not appear on the transcript. Students are eligible for a refund of course fees paid, less the Withdrawal Processing Fee and the Learning Resource Fee (unless the materials are returned as per the Course Material Returns and Refund Policy Please refer to the Undergraduate Course Withdrawal Policy as well as Refunds: Grouped Study Course Tuition.
- after 15 days and on or before the course contract end date, your transcript will indicate a “W” (Withdrawal) and credit will not be awarded for the course.
- after the course contract end date, you cannot withdraw after the course contract end date. If no course work has been completed, a grade of “F” (Failure) will be assigned and recorded on the transcript.
All requests to withdraw from a grouped-study course must be made by completing and submitting Grouped Study Course Withdrawal Request Form in writing to the Office of the Registrar.
However, we would advise students to consult with their student financial aid advisor to discuss whether eligibility for funding will be affected and Accessibility Services to cancel any support service arrangements.
Nursing students: Please consult the Undergraduate Course Withdrawal and Refund Policy – Grouped Study for academic impact of a withdrawal from a nursing clinical and for the process that must be followed.
Withdrawals are not permitted by students in the following circumstances:
- After the course contract end date.
- After the final exam is attempted and deemed to have been written.
- After all course work is deemed to have been submitted for marking, for courses that do not have a final exam requirement.
- During disciplinary proceedings. If, at the conclusion of the proceedings, it has been decided not to proceed with a charge of student academic misconduct or non-academic misconduct, and the student wishes to withdraw from a course or program, the withdrawal may be backdated to the date the proceedings were initiated, at the request of the student.
- Medical documentation does not support the request or timeframe of the course.
Accessibility Services does not approve grade changes due to incompletes or withdrawals. Consult the Student Appeals Policy for information on how to appeal a component of a grade.
Under exceptional circumstances that necessitate a short-term leave of absence from studies due to the severe impact of a student’s own disability, Accessibility Services will consider a request for a medical withdrawal with the opportunity to re-register in the course again within 1 year, with the tuition portion of the course registration fee waived.
- This re-registration accommodation must be arranged at the time of the medical withdrawal, not afterwards.
- Re-registration in courses is within 1 year of the withdrawal.
- Consult the fee calculator to see other fees that apply, especially if the course revision has changed.
- Previously marked work may be carried forward to the new course registration with course coordinator approval.
- Re-registration will be in the current course revision. No replacement course may be available if the course is closed.
Factors considered
In addition to the factors considered for a medical withdrawal, Accessibility Services will be concerned with:
- Expected date of return to your studies
- Overall academic progress and course history to date
- The actions and/or steps the student will take to successfully resume their studies within the allotted time (maximum of 1 year).
- Medical professional documentation that supports the need for the absence, indicates the severity and duration of symptoms, and indication of the student’s ability to return to their studies within a specific time frame.
If approved
Upon approval, the recommendation along with a completed and signed Course Withdrawal Form will be forwarded to the appropriate department for processing. The student will be notified when the recommendation has been forwarded as well as given a date that the accommodation expires (minimum 2 months to a maximum of 12 months).
Students must contact Accessibility Services prior to the accommodation end date.
This accommodation is offered once per course and will not be granted a second time.
To activate the re-registration accommodation and be registered in the current version of the course, contact Accessibility Services prior to the 10th day of the month prior to your desired restart date. This must be before the accommodation end date arranged at the time of your medical withdrawal. Students can register in the course after the accommodation expires but must pay the full course registration fees.
Students are responsible for requesting the re-registration for the course prior to the accommodation end date. Accessibility Services will not contact students to alert them when the accommodation expires.
Terms of re-registration opportunity
If the course is revised and/or you require replacement learning resources, you will be assessed the appropriate fees as outlined in the fee calculator.
- To check if the course version has changed since your previous enrollment find the course syllabus or call the Information Centre (1-800-788-9041).
- Payment method for your portion of the re-registration is indicated on the Course Registration Form.
- If the course is permanently closed, a replacement course will not be available.
- To carry forward any completed coursework, you must provide Accessibility Services with written approval from the course coordinator. This approval is at the discretion of the course coordinator.
- Contact information for course coordinators can be found on the Course coordinator/assistant listing.
- Your new course contract dates will reflect one term.
- You will not be eligible to receive a tax receipt for the re-registration.
- A second course withdrawal will not be available for the course.
- You will remain withdrawn from the course if you have not submitted a re-registration form or otherwise contacted our office by the specified deadline for the re-registration accommodation. You may re-register in the course later but will be assessed full course registration fees.
You may become an inactive student if you do not register for an Athabasca University course within 12 months of your withdrawal from studies.
Apply for a withdrawal using the myAU portal to access the online withdrawal form or submit a signed Individualized Study Course Withdrawal Request Form.
Complete withdrawal form and be sure to indicate:
- the type of withdrawal you are requesting.
- what courses you wish to withdraw from.
- why you need to withdraw.
Remember to submit supporting documentation, including medical professional verification documents.
The print form and supporting documentation can be submitted via email to Accessibility Services at asd@athabascau.ca.
Accessibility Services will contact you to discuss the request as necessary.
Updated July 28, 2022 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)