Course management accommodations

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.

Additionally, course load has an impact on academic performance or grade point average (e.g. enrollment in too many courses may result in lower grades). This may affect eligibility for further study

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.

Extensions

• Home study - 2 business days
• Funded - sent to SFA within 2 business days (Check with this dept on processing timelines)
• Grad – sent to Grad dept within 2 business days. (Check with this dept on processing timelines)

AF Requests

• With 1 month notice from the beginning of your course start date materials will be provided.

VOA (Verification of Accommodation) Processing

• 3 to 4 weeks from date of receipt

Accommodation updates and changes

• 3 to 4 weeks from date of request once the accompanying documents are received

Appeals

• 4 weeks from date of receipt

Funding

• Reach out to our office 6-8 weeks prior to your start date.

Exam Requests

• Examination requests are processed by order of write date in time for the student to write

 E-mails/Quiz Requests

•  E-mail inquiries and quiz requests are typically responded to within 5-7 business days

 Alternate Assessment

• Students must have their additional medical documentation submitted 60 days prior to their requested write date. If you already have the accommodation of Alternate Assessment, please ensure you submit your request at the beginning of each course.

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.