Assignment deadlines can usually be found in your course syllabus. These deadlines are considered to be part of the course requirements. Due to the additional workload and inconvenience for faculty to have to grade late papers, and due to the College’s intention to be fair to students who submit their work on time, we will consider extensions only in exceptional circumstances. You should take serious consideration of this when planning your course load. 

Submit a Course Extension Application.

Grounds for an Extension

Extensions for course work are granted only in cases where the student demonstrates there was an unforeseeable and unavoidable emergency. Emergencies considered to be grounds for an extension typically include:

• personal sickness or injury which prevents one from working
• sickness, injury or death which requires the student’s attention
• emotional or psychological crisis for which the student has sought professional help
• unexpected increase in job responsibilities

By contrast, the following will not normally be considered grounds for an extension: church work, providing hospitality, vacations, relocating, difficult living situations, failure to anticipate the amount of work involved in a course, confusion over the nature of the assignments, computer problems (it is your responsibility to keep files backed up), lost assignments, lack of proficiency in English.

If you have a permanent disability requiring an accommodation, contact the Centre for Accessibility on the UBC campus. Learn more on Regent's Accessibility & Accommodation page.

Application Process

Please read the following carefully: failure to follow extension policy instructions will normally result in a grade of F being assigned to the course. Note that it may take longer to grade assignments submitted with an extension.

For Fall and Winter Courses (Onsite and Online)

For assignments due within the term (i.e., prior to the last day of final exams), assuming you have legitimate grounds as defined above, extensions may be granted at the discretion of your instructor. When requesting an extension, you may also present supporting documentation (e.g., a note from someone whose care or supervision you have been under).

• For an extension with a deadline up to seven days after the end of the term, you must appeal to your instructor.
• If your condition is such that you need to appeal for a further extension beyond that deadline and up to 30 days after the end of the term, you may submit a Course Extension Application through REGIS by no later than the extension deadline given by your instructor. You must also provide evidence, either to Reception (e.g., a signed note) or by email to Academic Advising (e.g., an email exchange), that your instructor granted you the prior extension.

For Spring and Summer Session Courses (Onsite and Online)

Assignments are typically due 45 days after the last class, although some may be due earlier (see your course syllabus). If you require an extension beyond the assignment deadline: (i) complete a Course Extension Application form through REGIS by that deadline, and (ii) pay a $25 fee. Note that your assignments may be graded by someone other than the course instructor.

Notification: You should receive e-mail notification from the Student Services Office within 5 business days of submitting your application form. If an extension is granted, the e-mail will include instructions on how and when to submit your assignments.

Submission of Assignments

For extensions granted by the course instructor, submit your assignment(s) directly to him/her via Reception. For all other extensions, attach the Extension Submission Form (which you will receive from Student Services) and submit or post your assignment(s) to the Student Services Office, or email it/them to Academic Advising, by the assigned deadline. Assignments granted by the Student Services Office or the Academic Standards Committee must not be submitted directly to the professor or the TA. Failure to submit assignments by the assigned deadline will normally result in an assignment grade reduction of 1/3 of a letter grade per day late.

Extraordinary Situations

In a situation where the crisis you are facing continues beyond the extension granted by the Student Services Office, you may appeal for a further extension to the Academic Standards Committee. In order to do so, write a letter of appeal and submit it, along with supporting documentation, to Academic Advising. The decision of the Academic Standards Committee shall be final. Note that the Academic Standards Committee does not normally grant an extension for more than four months beyond the original submission deadline.

If it is not possible for you to complete the course, you may apply (through the same email address) for a Withdrawal from the course (a grade of W on the transcript). The latter type of appeal is normally accompanied by a letter of support from someone whose care or supervision you have been under (e.g., doctor, professional counselor). Note that a W (“Withdrawal”) on your transcript would not affect your GPA, whereas an F (“Failure”) would adversely affect it.