Graduate students are entitled to three weeks of vacation (15 working days) from academic obligations per academic year.
- For the purposes of calculating vacation allotments, the academic year means the period from September 1 to August 31 of the following year.
- Any vacation time taken between the Christmas and New Year statutory holidays is not debited from the three-week vacation.
- Vacation allotments will be prorated for the portion of the year in which a student is registered.
- Vacation leave will not interrupt disbursement of student stipends or merit-based student financial assistance.
- There will be no vacation pay in lieu of any vacation time not taken.
- The exact duration and timing of any vacation, including extensions of vacation, are subject to prior approval by the student's supervisor and by any faculty member providing the student with Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) funding. Vacation must be arranged so that there is minimal impact to the student's research and other obligations to the University.
- This policy does not affect a student's employment as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Graduate Academic Assistant (GAA). This policy does not affect any vacation or leave provisions specified in the collective agreement for GTA positions.
- Attendance at academic conferences shall not be considered vacation time.
- Student vacation requests within these guidelines will not be unreasonably denied.
- Should a conflict arise between a student's vacation request and a supervisor's expectations, the Graduate Program Coordinator will make a final determination.