Part-Time Thesis Registration

Under certain circumstances, students who have begun their programs may request a change from full-time status to part-time status (see criteria below).  

To be eligible for a change to part-time status, students must demonstrate one of the following:

• an offer of full-time employment, or,

• medical/family/other circumstances that now prevent them from working on their program fulltime.

A change to part-time status should be carefully considered by the student in consultation with their supervisor.  If a change to part-time status is deemed appropriate, the student and supervisor will submit the request using the Part-Time Status form (FGSR Forms Cabinet - under Records) to the Department for approval.

Requests for change to part-time status must be submitted to FGSR by the registration deadline of that term so that FGSR can code the student’s registration and fee assessment, accordingly.

Students may not change to part-time status more than once within their program. Once a student changes to part-time status, they may return to full-time status once, but cannot subsequently revert back to part-time.

Students may not change to part-time status for financial reasons.

Requests for retroactive part-time status changes will not be accepted.

It is important to note that all students in thesis-based programs must satisfy the Minimum Registration Requirements of their program.

Students with approved part-time status must register in THES 906 in every Spring and Summer term, but will be assessed part-time fees.

International Students and Part-Time Status

International Students may not be eligible to apply for part-time status under their study permit regulations; they should contact International Student Services for more information to determine their eligibility.

Graduate Student Employment and Part-Time Status

Part-time students are eligible to hold GTAs and GRAs, in accordance with the GSA collective agreement. Note, however, that students who have signed a Letter of Appointment for a GTA and/or GRA may not be eligible for part-time status.  Students should contact their departments for further information.

Maximum Time in Program While Registered Part-Time

Understanding that a change to part-time status is meant to facilitate a change in a student’s life where they are no longer able to work on their program full-time, maximum allowances for program completion still apply,

Time in program will be adjusted when a student changes to part-time status as follows:

• For every year (12 months) a Master’s student is registered as part-time, they will receive an additional four (4) months in time to complete their program;

• For every two (2) years (24 months) a PhD student is registered as part-time, they will receive an additional four (4) months to complete their program.

• Maximum allowable time to complete a thesis-based Master’s program part-time is six (6) years;

• Maximum allowable time to complete a PhD program part-time is eight (8) years.

If a student is nearing the end of the maximum allowable time in program while registered part-time, they are required to submit an extension request to the Dean of FGSR following the same procedures used for full-time students.

All extension requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and should include a clear explanation for the request and a detailed timeline explaining how the student will complete the remaining requirements of their program.

Part-Time Status and Awards/Scholarships

Part-time students are not eligible for most scholarships or awards administered by FGSR. For those students holding a scholarship and/or award while registered full-time, a change to part-time status may affect their eligibility to continue doing so. In these instances, students should consult Section 12 of the FGSR Scholarships & Awards Manual for direction. Normally, the “Forgiveness Policy” (Section 12.5) would preclude a student from having to repay a portion of a scholarship and/or award that may be affected by a change to part-time status.