Petition Information and Package
An academic petition is a formal request by a student for the waiver of a Faculty regulation or deadline.
Students have the right to petition with grounds for special consideration. However, submitting an academic petition is not always the best solution to an academic problem. Be sure to connect with an Academic Advisor in the Faculty of Health to review your options to remediate your situation.
Petitions must be submitted online, so prepare to scan and upload all your petition documents when making your submission.
Please watch the video and review the information below for further guidance.
How do I Petition?
Below is a multimedia presentation which will guide you through the process of submitting a petition.
QUICK LINKS
To consult with the Petitions Coordinator by email please click on the “Contact Us” button below to complete the online inquiry form.
What can be petitioned?
Faculty rules can often be petitioned (e.g. drop deadline date and required withdrawal). Departmental rules (e.g. prerequisite and enrolment policies) cannot be altered via a petition.
Types of Petitions and Their Requirements
Please read the information below regarding the type of petition you plan to submit. Please remember that incomplete petition packages will not be reviewed by a Petitions Committee. Incomplete petitions missing required documents will be cancelled and students will be notified via email to resubmit the complete petition package.
A petition for late withdrawal is a request to drop a course after the official drop deadlines.
Required Documentation
- A petition letter* that explains the exceptional situation you encountered that affected your studies and prevented you from dropping or withdrawing from the course by the term’s deadlines.
- A Course Performance Summary (PDF) *per course*
- Recommended: Supporting Documentation (i.e. Attending Physician Statement, Counsellor Statement, etc.) or other documentation to support the request.
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
Submission Deadline
Late withdrawal petitions must be submitted within 30-days from the last day of the class, for a period of up to one-year if based on special circumstances.
Petitions being submitted after this deadline must explain the reasons for the delay in the petition letter and should be supported by evidence.
Potential Committee Decisions
Petitions Committees can choose to:
a) refuse the petition
b) grant a withdrawal (W) on the transcript, or
c) grant a full drop of the course from the transcript.
For further information on the “Withdrawn from Courses” policy, please visit: Academic Forgiveness Policies, Senate
A petition for deferred standing or extension of deferred standing is required when a student has missed a final exam or has missed the deadline to submit a final assignment and would like to request an extension of the deadline.
Required Documents
- A petition letter* that explains the exceptional situation you encountered during the time of the final examination date and/or final assignment submission deadline and strategies you will implement to successfully complete the final if the petition is granted.
- A Deferred Standing Agreement Form (PDF) (signed by the professor of the course)
- A Course Performance Summary (PDF) for the course
- Optional: an Attending Physician Statement (PDF) (this form is suggested when citing medical grounds)
- If applicable: other documentation to support the request.
Note: there is no provision to rewrite a final exam. Such requests will not be considered by the Faculty of Health Petitions Committee. Special accommodations for coursework/exams in a course are at the discretion of the Course Director or Department of the course and are not guaranteed.
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
A petition to waive Honours standing regulations is required for students who do not meet the required cumulative grade point average (CGPA) to continue in an Honours program.
This petition is applicable to BA/BSc/BHS students who have earned 84 or more credits and do not have the required 5.00 (C+) CGPA to proceed in an Honours program
Required Documentation
- A petition letter* that outlines the following:
- The intended program of interest (including degree type and major)
- An academic plan that addresses:
- Remaining courses needed to complete the program
- The grades necessary to continue in Honours
- The resources and strategies that will be implemented to achieve the required grades and support your academic progression
- The exceptional situation that affected your studies and how that situation has been resolved or is in the process of resolution
- Recommended: supporting documentation
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
A petition to waive Honours standing regulations is required for students who do not meet the required cumulative grade point average (CGPA) to continue in an Honours program.
This petition is applicable to BScN students who have earned 120 or more credits and do not have the required 5.00 (C+) CGPA and/or have failed to meet the conditions of program warning and are ineligible to proceed in the Nursing program.
*Prior to submitting an academic petition, please ensure that you have met with the Undergraduate Program Director or designate to discuss your progression in the Nursing program
Required Documentation
- A petition letter* that outlines the following:
- The intended program of interest (including degree type and major)
- An academic plan that addresses:
- Remaining courses needed to complete the program
- The grades necessary to continue in Honours
- The resources and strategies that will be implemented to achieve the required grades and support your academic progression
- The exceptional situation that affected your studies and how that situation has been resolved or is in the process of resolution
- Recommended: supporting documentation
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
A petition to take additional credits is required for:
- Students in a Bachelor program that have taken the maximum allowed credits and whose GPA is below the required 4.00 (C).
- Students in an Honours program that have earned 120+ credits and whose GPA has fallen below the required 5.00 (C+).
Required Documentation
- A petition letter* with an academic plan that outlines:
- The number of credits being requested and the remaining courses to complete the program
- The grades necessary to achieve and maintain the required CGPA for the program
- The resources and strategies that will be implemented to achieve the required grades and support your academic progression
- The exceptional situation that affected your studies and how that situation has been resolved or is in the process of resolution
- Recommended: supporting documentation
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
Students who have been required to withdraw for 12 months at the end of an academic session may petition to waive this decision and continue their studies on Debarment Warning without the 12-month interruption.
Required Documentation
- A petition letter* that outlines:
- The exceptional situation that affected your studies and how that situation has been resolved or is in the process of resolution
- The resources and strategies that will be implemented to support your academic progression and meet the conditions of debarment warning
- Recommended: supporting documentation
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
Students who have been debarred for 2 years at the end of an academic session may petition to waive this decision to continue their studies on Probation without leaving York University for 2 years and having to re-apply for admission.
Required Documentation
- A petition letter* that outlines:
- The exceptional situation that affected your studies and how that situation has been resolved or is in the process of resolution
- The resources and strategies that will be implemented to support your academic progression and meet the conditions of probation
- Recommended: supporting documentation
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
The maximum course load for the Fall/Winter academic session is 36 credits. The maximum course load for the Summer academic session is 15 credits.
Students who wish to take more than the maximum-allowed course load must petition for a course overload.
Required Documentation
- A petition letter* that explains the exceptional reasons you require a course overload and strategies you will implement to manage the overload if the petition is granted
- A sample timetable with potential course load
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
With extenuating circumstances, students may petition to have a degree requirement waived or altered. Examples of requirements include: upper level, general education, elective or residency.
Required Documentation
- A petition letter* that explains the exceptional reasons why the degree requirement(s) should be waived or altered.
- Recommended: supporting documentation
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
Students who have missed the last day to add a course with permission by the course instructor may petition to enroll late in a course.
Required Documentation
- A petition letter* that explains that exceptional situation you encountered that prevented you from adding the course by the required deadline.
- A Petition to Enrol Late Form (PDF) (requires Course Director and Departmental signatures)
- Recommended: supporting documentation
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
A repeated course is excluded from the grade point average and credit count and is denoted on the transcript with an NCR notation beside the grade. Students who wish to have a repeated course included in their grade point average and credit count may petition to alter the course repeat legislation.
Required Documentation
- A petition letter* that explains the exceptional reason why the course repeat legislation should be altered
- Recommended: supporting documentation
*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be copied/cut and pasted in the form (see picture below).
Forms You May Require for Your Petition
Additional Helpful Information
A petition letter* addresses the exceptional circumstances that have required you to submit an academic petition. It is important to be clear on the type of petition you are submitting (i.e. regulation you are petitioning), and the circumstances related to the petition.
General tips for writing your petition letter:
- Clearly state the regulation you are petitioning (i.e. late withdrawal, deferred standing, waiver etc.), and any relevant courses being petitioned.
- Sequence of events: outline how your circumstances aligned with the timelines of the course(s) and impacted the course(s). Address relevant dates and timelines.
- Refer to any relevant supporting documentation that supports your grounds
- Address selectivity: if you are petitioning some but not all the courses taken in the same academic session or term, address how the petitioned course(s) was particularly affected by your circumstances.
- Missed deadlines: Explain how your circumstances impacted your ability to meet academic deadlines (i.e. final exam date or drop deadlines, etc.)
- If applicable: outline the steps you have undertaken to improve academic performance, and those you will undertake if your petition is granted
- Address each circumstance in a separate paragraph
- Edit and proof-read the letter for errors and grammar prior to submission
Additional Resources
Late Withdrawal Letter Petition Resources:
- For more additional writing guidelines for Late Withdrawal petitions, please see the Petition Letter Writing Guidelines - Late Withdrawal (Drop Course Past Deadline) Information Page.
- Create an outline for your Late Withdrawal petition letter by downloading the Petition Letter Outline Template (Late Withdrawal)
Academic Waiver Petition Letter Resources:
- For additional writing guidelines for academic waiver petitions, please see the Petition Letter Writing Guidelines - Waivers Information Page.
- Create an outline for your academic waiver petition letter by downloading the Petition Letter Outline Template (Waivers)
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*New – the petition letter must be entered directly in the form and can be a maximum of 1500 words. Letters prepared in another program can be cut and paste in the form (see picture below).
Late Withdrawal
Petitions pertaining to the late withdrawal of specific courses must be submitted within 30 days from the last day of classes. Petitions may be considered for up to 1 year if there are extenuating circumstances to explain the lateness.
If your petition is late, please be sure to explain the reasons for the lateness, preferably with supporting evidence for the Petitions Committee to consider waiving the submission deadline.
Deferred Standing
A request for deferred standing must be communicated to the Course Director within 7 days from the missed final exam or missed submission deadline for term work. If a request for deferred standing is refused by the professor, a petition must then be submitted.
Petitions for deferred standing normally will not be considered if submitted more than one month after the date of a missed final exam, or more than one month after the last day to submit term work.
Petitions may take up to 10 weeks to process from the date of submission.
Graduating? Please be mindful of these processing times if you are planning to graduate. It is recommended to postpone graduation until a petition decision has been received.
Students will receive their petition decision letter via email. The petition decision letter will outline the grounds for the petition decision and will provide students with any necessary next steps.
To verify your contact information, please visit Current Students - Personal Information.
Please note that York University emails may sometimes be sent to SPAM or TRASH when using an external email. If you have a petition that is pending, please be sure to check these folders for safe measure.
The academic petition process is confidential. However, students who have privacy concerns and would like to exclude certain details from their supporting evidence may pursue the following options:
- Redact private and personal information from personal supporting evidence. This may affect the result of the petition, depending on the information that is excluded from the evidence. It is not recommended to redact your name on personal supporting evidence. OSAS may follow-up to verify the information that has been redacted.
- Instead of firsthand personal records (i.e. hospital records, police reports, etc.), students may provide a letter of support from a recognized third party (i.e. Attending Physician, Counsellor, Lawyer etc.) that is familiar to the situation and can attest to the timeframe of the extenuating circumstances and the effects of the extenuating circumstances on the student’s academic progress.
Submit Your Academic Petition
All academic petitions to the Faculty of Health must now be submitted online!
If you have watched our informational video, reviewed the necessary information and collected all the necessary documents (as listed above), you may submit your academic petition using this online link:
Submit Academic Petition Online
IMPORTANT: the Faculty of Health no longer requires undergraduate students to submit hard-copy petitions to Registrarial Services. All academic petitions to the Faculty of Health must be submitted online using the link.
What is an Appeal?
Students who disagree with the result of a petition, have new evidence to support their request that was not available at the time of the petition, or find evidence of bias, prejudice or procedural irregularity in the handling of a petition file may appeal the decision.
An appeal is reviewed by a separate Petitions Committee composed of members who were not on the panel that adjudicated the original petition.
How Do I Appeal a Petition Decision?
Appeals may be submitted using the petition online submission form. Please be sure to select “Appeal” as the type of request when completing the online form.
An appeal package must include:
- An appeal letter explaining the new grounds and/or evidence you are addressing to support your request. It is recommended to address why this new information or evidence was not included in the original petition.
- Strongly recommended: new supporting evidence that was not available at the time of the petition
NOTE: The Petition Committee adjudicating the appeal package will also have access to the original petition package. Students who are appealing do not need to resubmit the original petition in the appeal package.
NOTE: Appeals are reviewed by a different panel of members than the panel that adjudicated the original petition.
Academic Petitions Workshop Webinars
The Faculty of Health will be offering webinars to guide students through the petition process. During the webinar you will have the opportunity to chat with the Petitions Coordinator and/or an Academic Advisor to discuss your academic petition questions.
To Attend Online: On the day of the webinar, please click on the relative access link. We recommend accessing the link at least 5 minutes prior to the start time of the webinar (noted as “Time to Join Webinar” below). Students attending online should log in promptly at the start time of the webinar. The webinar will be locked after the time to join the webinar and students will not be able to log in.
Note: you do not require video or microphone access to participate in the petitions webinars online.
To Attend In-Person: On the day of the webinar, please sign-in at 235 Calumet College at least 5 minutes prior to the webinar start time (noted as “Time to Join Webinar” below). Students will not be permitted to join the webinar in-person after it has started.
Note: workshop webinars consist of a presentation beginning promptly at the listed start time. Following the presentation, there will be individual appointment times where students may liaise with the Petitions Coordinator or Academic Advisor to discuss their questions.
If you have any outstanding questions or concerns regarding your petition, please contact the Petitions Coordinator at hhpet@yorku.ca.
Academic Petitions Webinar
This webinar is open to all Faculty of Health students that require guidance on the academic petition process.
| Date | Time to Join Webinar | Access Link |
| Monday, February 6 Monday, March 6 Monday, March 20 Monday, April 3 Monday, April 17 | 10:30am - 10:35am | Zoom Meeting Link |
| Monday, February 13 Monday, February 27 Tuesday, March 14 Monday, March 27 Monday, April 10 Monday, April 24 | 2:30pm - 2:35pm | Zoom Meeting Link |