Students who were unable to write one or more final examinations due to circumstances beyond a student’s control (such as serious illness, family affliction, fire, or severe emotional stress) may receive permission to defer their final exam.
Students who are ill prior to an examination should make arrangements to see an advisor in the McGill Engineering Student Centre (FDA 22) for proper evaluation of the situation to avoid a final grade based on an incomplete examination.
It is assumed that upon entering the exam room, it is the intent of the student to complete the examination. Students are warned that it is their personal responsibility to judge their own state of health before entering the exam room to assess whether they are able to undertake the examination.
Incomplete examinations will still be graded.
Application Procedures
All requests to defer a final exam must be submitted online through MINERVA, no later than one week after the missed exam.
Students must sign-in on MINERVA:
- Select Student Records Menu
- Select Deferred Exam Application
- Under Reason(s) for deferral: students must include a detailed letter in this section of the application indicating why they were unable to write their final examination
Note: Students who have already written an examination may NOT subsequently request that the exam be deferred.
Required Document(s)
You must submit complete supporting documentation to the McGill Engineering Student Centre, Frank Dawson Adams Bldg., room 22 within two weeks of the missed exam. No exceptions to this policy will be made.
Requests due to medical reasons: You must present a valid medical note that covers the date of the missed exam and the nature of the illness must be clearly indicated on medical certificate. Medical certificates stating “medical reasons,” or certificates that state that “patient claims” symptoms will not be accepted. Illegible documents will be refused. Deferrals for medical reasons are only granted if, in the Faculty’s judgment, the nature of the illness is serious enough to render you incapable of attending your exam. It is your responsibility to provide complete and valid documentation that substantiates your request.
Application Status
You are required to check Minerva regularly for the status of your deferred exam application and to determine whether any additional information is required by the McGill Engineering Student Centre (Student Affairs Office). No Faculty decisions regarding requests for deferrals will be issued before May 1, 2013.
Application Decision
Students will receive an email notification once a deferred exam application decision has been made.
Decisions will only be made once a Minerva deferral application is submitted and all supporting documentation has been received.
Rules and regulations concerning deferred exams for the Faculty of Engineering is as follows
- For each deferred exam that is approved, an “L” (deferred) will appear on the student’s record beside the course, but will not appear on official transcripts after the final grade has been determined. In calculating the mark in the course, the mark the student receives in the deferred exam will take the place of the mark the student would have received in the original final exam.
- The format of the deferred exam will not necessarily be identical to the final exam of the same course. Students are responsible for contacting the professor of the course should they require information about the deferred exam format.
- Students are not permitted to redo any portion of the coursework such as assignments, projects, labs, midterms, quizzes, etc (i.e. all grades previously obtained will calculate with the final grade of the deferred exam received in order to determine the final course grade).
- Once a deferred exam has been granted, the maximum number of courses that a student may register for will be limited to no more than 18 credits or 6 examinations per term, whichever is greater. This will provide a student with sufficient time during the semester and the exam period to properly prepare for deferred examinations.
Important Notice regarding Academic Standing Decisions
Standing Decisions for previous terms in which a deferral was granted may change once a final grade is obtained (the deferral has been cleared). Your final standing decision may not be known until L grades are resolved; it is important that you understand the possible standing decisions that may result (Satisfactory, Probationary, Unsatisfactory). Students are responsible for verifying their unofficial transcript for all final grades and academic standing decisions.
Engineering Courses
Deferred exams for courses administered by the Faculty of Engineering are offered during the final examination period (excluding the summer term) the next time the course is given. If taking the deferred examination at this time will result in an unreasonable delay for graduation, students should indicate this in their deferral application on Minerva. The Student Affairs Office may grant an earlier deferral exam in such cases. The decision of an earlier deferred exam will be communicated to the student via their McGill email.
Deferred exams for courses administered by the following faculties are offered during the supplemental/deferred examination period:
- Faculty of Arts (Engineering: Humanities and Social Science courses)
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
- Faculty of Education
- Desautels Faculty of Management
- Faculty of Religious Studies (Engineering: Humanities and Social Science courses)
- Faculty of Science (Engineering: Year 0 and faculty specific science courses)
- School of Physical and Occupational Therapy
- School of Social Work
Continuing Education Courses
Deferred exams for courses administered by Continuing Education are to be written at the first available opportunity.
Continuing Education Examination Schedule
Summer Courses
Application Procedure: Requests to defer a final examination for a summer course must be made in writing (with supporting documentation) to the McGill Engineering Student Centre (FDA 22) within 4 days of the missed final examination.
Non-Engineering Courses Administered by Summer Studies Deferred exams for non-engineering courses administered by Summer Studies are to be written within two weeks of the date of the original exam. The date will be determined by Summer Studies and students will be notified via their McGill email.
Summer Studies
Engineering Administered Courses
Deferred exams for courses administered by the Faculty of Engineering are offered the next time the course is given.