COVID-19 U of T Engineering Graduate Students FAQs

Last Updated:

June 26, 2020 - Added guidelines for students returning to research laboratories in Graduate Research Students Section
June 12, 2020 - Updated how to select CR/NCR option for Winter 2020 courses via ACORN in Course Enrolment Section
- - also updated form COVID-19 Graduate Students/Postdoctoral Fellows Declaration: Conducting Research On-Campus or at Off-Campus Research Site in Graduate Research students section, now called the acknowledgement form
June 10, 2020 - Updated form for COVID-19 Graduate Students/Postdoctoral Fellows Declaration: Conducting Research On-Campus or at Off-Campus Research Site in Graduate Research students section
June 4, 2020 - Added response to "What is the plan for graduate students to return to research sites on and off campus?" to Graduate Research Students section
June 3, 2020 - Added questions on impact of COVID-19 on Tri-Agency scholarships and fellowships in Graduate Research students section
June 1, 2020 - Added "Graduates students have the option to substitute the letter grades they received in some of the Winter 2020 courses for a CR/NCR. Are there any disadvantages in doing so?" to Course Enrolment
May 20, 2020 - Added "When and how will research labs on campus re-open?" to Graduate Research Students; added 2nd letter by SGS Dean below that addresses both MEng and Research students
May 14, 2020 - Canadian Student Emergency Benefit URL added in Financial Aid
May 1, 2020 - Additional financial aid and resources from Office of Vice-Provost, Students added to Financial Aid
April 23, 2020 - 3pm - Added "Is the Canadian Government providing financial support to students?"
April 14, 2020 - 1:00pm - Added "How can I plan or maintain my academic progress?" under graduate research students section; More resources for Financial Aid added; Added URL to Office of the Vice-Provost, Students FAQ for international students under International Students

This page serves to supplement the notices posted by the University of Toronto, Office of the Vice-Provost, Students, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and School of Graduate Studies.

The SGS Dean, Joshua Barker also sent a message to graduate students on March 17, 2020, you can view this letter here.

On May 14, 2020, another letter was sent by Dean Barker, you can view this letter here.

Please find frequently asked questions (FAQs) that are specific to graduate students taking courses with U of T Engineering below. This page will be continually updated as more information is available. If your questions are not answered below, please email us directly at gradstudies@ecf.utoronto.ca

Jump to:

Student Services / St. George Campus

What offices are going to remain open? Who should I contact if I have questions? 

All University buildings will be closed as of 11:59 p.m., March 17, 2020, to the general public.

Following U of T’s guidance directing employees to work from home and research to wind down by the end of this week, student T-card and fob access to U of T Engineering buildings will be disabled as of 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 20 March, 2020. This means the spaces will be inaccessible to all students.

All U of T libraries will close as of 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

U of T Engineering’s Grad Office has moved their services exclusively to email (gradstudies@ecf.utoronto.ca).

There may some disruptions to other University services or changes to operating times. We recommend that you check directly with each service and continue to monitor the  University of Toronto’s website  for updates.

What supports are available to me at this time?

Online programming and student services available to graduate students.

For SGS Programming and student services, please go here.

Student Life is offering workshops online. You can see their offers here.

The Vice-Dean Graduate Office is working with GECoS and the graduate student engineering community to offer online workshops. We will keep you updated when more information becomes available.

Will my residence close down?

Travel

I’m from another country or elsewhere in Canada — should I return home?

 I am planning to travel in the coming days. What should I do?

Based on the guidance of public health officials, the University is advising all members of its community to avoid all travel abroad and to avoid all cruise ship travel. Additionally, Green Shield Canada has provided an update on health insurance coverage while travelling. It is recommended that you review your travel insurance before travelling internationally. If you choose to travel, please consult the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 travel advisory website.

I am a student abroad affected by recent travel restrictions and advisories. What can I do?

The University continues to monitor the Canadian government’s latest advisory related to COVID-19 and the Safety Abroad Office is in contact with its registered students. U of T has specific information related COVID-19 that is regularly updated. Find out more about emergency resources or email safety.abroad@utoronto.ca for more information.

We understand that students will have questions about academic activities abroad and how an early return will impact them. U of T is working to offer as much flexibility as possible to minimize impacts on students.

Upon return to Canada from abroad, please follow public health guidance for 14 days of self-isolation.

I am an international student or faculty member currently outside the country. When can I return to Canada?

On March 20, the Government of Canada announced that foreign nationals will be allowed to return to Canada if they have valid study or work permits or had been approved for a study permit when the travel restrictions took effect on March 18, 2020.

Permanent resident applicants who had been approved for permanent residence before the travel restrictions were announced on March 16, 2020, but who had not yet travelled to Canada, will also be permitted to travel to Canada.

Those affected by these exemptions should not try to travel to Canada immediately. Before trying to travel, please check the Government of Canada COVID-19 site to check exemption status.

Once the exemptions go into effect, you should be allowed to board a flight to Canada (as long as you have no symptoms that could be related to COVID-19). Please do the following as you prepare to return:

Review the Federal Government information for travellers returning to Canada so you’re aware of the limitations and expectations for those returning 
Review travel restrictions for any country you’d be passing through on your way to Canada.

Exams

If I'm registered with Accessibility Services, how will my accessibility-related academic accommodations be accommodated for final assessments?

Course Enrolment

[Updated June 1] Graduates students have the option to substitute the letter grades they received in some of the Winter 2020 courses for a CR/NCR. Are there any disadvantages in doing so?

This functionality will be available on ACORN for Winter 2020 courses, from June 5th to June 30th.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Toronto is allowing graduate students to elect pass/fail grades to appear on their transcripts as CR/NCR in their Winter 2020 courses that are normally graded with a letter. This has raised the question of how these CR/NCR grades will impact the evaluation of incoming transcripts in the admissions process and also competitiveness for scholarships and fellowships.

Many post-secondary institutions across the world have similarly modified their grading systems for the courses offered in the Winter 2020 semester. Consequently, evaluation and ranking criteria for admissions in academic programs and for scholarship applications have been adapted with the objective to avoid penalizing graduate students who were enrolled in courses during the Winter 2020 semester. In addition, many institutions, including the University of Toronto, will add a notation on transcripts for the Winter 2020 session grades to indicate that a significant disruption had occurred during that session. This notation will inform and remind reviewers that there was during this session an abrupt transition to other modes of instruction and significant disruptions to all aspects of student life.

In general, in Engineering, substituting a letter grade for a CR/NCR is less likely have an unexpected impact for students in professional graduate programs such as the MEng and MHSc, in particular when these students are not planning on continuing to study after completing their programs. However, evaluating the potential impact of substituting a CR/NCR for one or several winter 2020 courses is more complex for students in research stream programs (MASc and PhD), in particular if these students are planning to compete for national or international scholarships or when they intend to apply in the future to academic programs in other institutions across the world. In their decision, these students should consider the following:

Eligibility criteria for scholarship applications usually include a minimum GPA in each of the two most recent years of study (e.g. usually a 3.7 GPA for NSERC, CIHR and OGS)

Eligibility criteria for admissions in academic programs usually include a minimum GPA over one or two most recent years of study (see this link to the SGS calendar for University of Toronto programs)

Courses graded with a CR/NCR are not included in the GPA calculations. Consequently, depending on the method used in a given unit or institution for determining if an applicant meets the minimum GPA requirement, students can be impacted in different ways. For example, in the GPA calculations, one institution might choose to calculate the GPA based on the remaining graded course during the same time period while another institution might replace the recent courses graded CR/NCR with graded courses completed earlier in the academic history (e.g. to base the GPA calculation on a fixed number of graded courses).

For instance, in terms of the admissions process for PhD applicants, the University of Toronto requires an average grade equivalent to a B+ (GPA =3.3) or better in the previous Master’s degree program. The admission officers will exclude the CR/NCR grades of the Winter 2020 session from the averaging calculation. In that case, the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) recommends that the admission officer calculates the average based on the remaining course grades. If there are very few graded courses available, the recommendation is to place an increased emphasis on reference letters and other indices of academic achievement such as publications, presentations, honours, and awards.

In terms of the admission process for Master’s applicants at the University of Toronto, the SGS minimum requirements for admission to a Master’s program include an average grade equivalent of at least mid-B or better in the Bachelor’s degree, demonstrated by an average grade in the final year or over senior courses. Normally, the average for admission to a Master’s program is calculated using the five full-course equivalents taken in the last year of the program. In cases where the final year includes CR/NCR grades, SGS recommends that the graduate unit select courses from the 2018-19 academic year to use for averaging purposes. If there is not a desirable set of five full-course equivalents, SGS recommends that the graduate unit prepares a non-standard admissions case.

In summary, there are many factors a graduate student should consider before deciding to convert one or some of the letter grades received for the Winter 2020 courses into a CR/NCR notation. The admissions process noted above regarding calculation of GPA on CR/NCR course, only applies to University of Toronto graduate programs. The evaluation of applications and ranking criteria for admissions in academic programs and scholarship competition can vary significantly between institutions and programs across the world. Accurate assessment of the impact of substituting a letter grade to a CR/NCR for Winter 2020 courses requires an individual approach that considers the specific program, institution or scholarship a student might be considering applying to. When applying to institutions outside of University of Toronto, it is recommended you reach out to the admissions officer of the program you are applying for to gain clarity on the admissions process.

[Added June 12] How do I enable a Winter 2020 course CR/NCR?

Do I need to use caution when choosing the “dial-in” option on Blackboard (BB) Collaborate?

MEng Guide to Working from Home

I’m struggling to shift to learning at home — what changes can I make?

Graduate Research Students

[June 26] Are there guidelines for students returning to research laboratories during COVID-19?

What is the plan for graduate students to return to research sites on and off campus?

What is the plan for students to reengage research again?

SGS has outlined detailed guidelines here on reengaging research here, which includes a FAQ. Please read over these guidelines and FAQ.

For students who have been deemed eligible to return to campus for research by their supervisor, they are required to complete the *COVID-19 Graduate Students/Postdoctoral Fellows Declaration: Conducting Research On-Campus or at Off-Campus Research Site. When completed, please submit it to your supervisor/principal investigator.

*Note: This form has been updated as of June 12, 2pm. It is now called the acknowledgement form

[updated June 12] Where can I access the acknowledgement form “COVID-19 GRADUATE STUDENT/POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH ON-CAMPUS OR AT AN OFF-CAMPUS RESEARCH SITE?"

Where can I get updates on the lab reopening process?

I’m a Graduate/Postdoctoral Researcher — how can I shift to working from home?

How can I plan or maintain my academic progress?

To address the concerns of research-stream students and supervisors may have about graduate research and how it may impact a student's academic progress, SGS has shared guidelines with students and supervisors on research continuity planning. Please read the full message here.

SGS asks that supervisors/advisors and their research-stream Master’s and Ph.D. students plan to have an online mentoring meeting to discuss and formally document the impact of the pandemic on the student’s research plans and academic progress. Strategies to mitigate this impact, if needed, should be discussed and recorded. For doctoral students, this mentoring meeting may be part of the Annual Progress Report meeting; or it may be a special meeting. A supplemental form to document the results of this meeting will be provided to you. When completed, please return it to your departmental Graduate Coordinator or graduate administrator, no later than May 15, 2020.

The mentoring meeting will not only serve as an important check-in, but an opportunity for students and supervisors to discuss any concerns surrounding these unanticipated events. Information gathered from the meetings will inform future planning by departments, divisions and institutional leaders aimed at supporting students’ academic progress in these challenging times. SGS is exploring a range of tools to help support students during this pandemic such as departments, divisions and institutional leaders aimed at supporting students’ academic progress in these challenging times.

For continuing students, a follow-up mentoring meeting in October is expected.

SGS also shared Strategies for Graduate Mentoring and Supervision at a Distance.

How will my Tri-Agency student award/fellowship due to end between March and August 2020 be impacted?

The Canadian government has announced that all Tri-Agency student awards and fellowships due to end between March and August 2020 which have been directly impacted by COVID-19 are eligible for a 4 month extension. Note that students who’s research has been largely uninterrupted by COVID-19 are ineligible. Eligible awards include Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS-M, CGS-D, and Vanier), agency-specific doctoral (NSERC PGS D, SSHRC Doctoral), Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships and agency-specific postdoctoral programs.

Potentially eligible award holders will be contacted directly by the relevant granting agency (CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC) in the coming weeks to attest that their research was disrupted by COVID-19 and that they are not currently benefiting from compensation under the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or other income supports related to COVID-19. The extension is optional and may be declined by award recipients.

If eligible, the additional 4 months are added to the award end date. Payment of the additional funds will be dispersed using the same method through which the current award holders are receiving their award (e.g. ROSI), and is expected to be issued by September 30, 2020.

The Tri-Agency Scholarship Extensions Announcement & FAQ webpage has full details on the extension program, including restrictions, agency contacts and Frequently Asked Questions.

The School of Graduate Studies will be reaching out directly to potentially eligible students with the above information as well.

We will also be receiving more detailed information regarding the extension process from the granting agencies within the next two weeks, and hope to provide these details to you at that time.

For any further questions, students may reach out to the relevant contact(s) at the relevant Tri-agency and/or at the University:

Tri-Agency Contacts:
NSERC: schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
SSHRC: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
CIHR: support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Vanier CGS: vanier@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Banting PDF: banting@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

University Contacts:
Vanier Awards & NSERC/SSHRC Doctoral Student Awards (SGS): Pascal Papathanasakis p.papathanasakis@utoronto.ca
CGS-Masters (CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC) Awards (SGS): Stacey Kwan staceym.kwan@utoronto.ca

CIHR Studentships/Fellowships with a Research Allowance component (e.g. CGS-D, Post-doctoral Fellowship, HSIF, Banting PDF) (Research Services): Laura Weir laura.weir@utoronto.ca

I am a new award recipient of a Tri-Agency student award/fellowship, what is the deferral policy?

New award recipients may choose to delay their start date due to COVID-19, but must still choose between the currently available start dates, i.e. no later than January 2021. The Tri-Agency is currently not permitting COVID-related deferrals past January 2021 (but students are still eligible to defer for the other reasons, e.g. medical, parental, listed in the Tri-Agency Award Holder’s Guide). The Tri-Agency is open to revisiting this as the situation changes, but currently, the latest start date for recipients is January 2021.

For any further questions, students may reach out to the relevant contact(s) at the relevant Tri-agency and/or at the University:

CIHR Studentships/Fellowships with a Research Allowance component (e.g. CGS-D, Post-doctoral Fellowship, HSIF, Banting PDF) (Research Services): Laura Weir laura.weir@utoronto.ca

Funding

How will my graduate funding and TAship be impacted?

How will my SGS travel and conference grant be impacted?

Graduate students who have received a 2019-2020 travel and/or conference award, and have yet to travel, may alter or delay their originally proposed travel dates or destinations. Using the SGS Change Request Form, students can opt to change or defer their proposed travel or decline the grant and reapply to a future application cycle, should the travel not be expected in the near future.

In either case, students will receive – at a minimum – the same level of support, provided the destination and duration remains the same. Students who must cancel or pay to reschedule their pre-purchased travel, can access the SGS Emergency Grant to help cover the unexpected additional expenses.

Travel grant recipients who are currently traveling with an SGS grant and must either extend or shorten their trip due to COVID-19, can request a reassessment by submitting an SGS Travel Special Circumstances Form along with the usual SGS Conference / Research Travel Grant Payment Activation Form.

SGS Emergency Loans are also available for students who need an advance on their next funding payment (e.g. TA, RA, award).

For more information, please contact:
SGS Conference Grant: conferencegrant@utoronto.ca
SGS Research Travel Grant: travelgrant@utoronto.ca
Emergency Grants and Loans: sgs.financial.assistance@utoronto.ca

How will I schedule a departmental examination?

Placements, Internships and Other Program Requirements

What is going to happen with my placement or internship?

Summer 2020 Courses

Are Summer 2020 courses still going to be held? Will they be moved online too?

Spring 2020 Convocation

What will happen with Spring 2020 convocation?

Accessibility

I am registered with Accessibility Services. Can I still access accommodations for my class? 

I am a student registered with Accessibility Services and I’m concerned about doing well in online formats. Can I request accessibility related accommodations?

We recommend you start by contacting your instructor to see what individual accommodations can be considered for your course. If this is not a realistic option, or if you still have questions or concerns, please consult your Accessibility Advisor to discuss next steps. Special updates for students registered at Accessibility Services can be found at: https://www.studentlife.utoronto.ca/as/covid-19-updates.

Health

I am feeling unwell, what should I do?

We all have a role to play in limiting the spread of COVID-19. Everyone should stay at home and self-isolate if they have flu-like symptoms.

At this time, students do not need a doctor’s note or medical certificate for cold or flu-related absences, or for self-isolation. Students should record cold or flu-related absences, as well as self-isolation absences, through the Absence Declaration tool on ACORN (under the Acorn Profile and Settings menu).

This situation has caused anxiety/stress. I do not think I can perform academically in any remaining course work/exams, but I don’t think it’s fair to have to drop the class. What do I do?

What other resources are there I can use to help cope during this period of stress and uncertainty?

My Student Support Program (MY SSP) provides University of Toronto students with immediate and/or ongoing confidential, 24-hour support for any school, health, or general life concern at no cost to students. You can call or chat with a counsellor directly from your phone whenever, wherever you are for a range of concerns. Students who use My SSP still have access to existing campus and community mental health services; My SSP is an additional support service. More info.

Additional resources can be found on the UofT COVID-19 website.

International Students

Will these changes to my courses affect my visa status?

I have plans to come to U of T Engineering as an International Visiting Graduate Students (IVGS). Should I still travel to Toronto?

Financial Aid

The COVID-19 situation has negatively affected my financial situation — what supports are available to me?

If you are experiencing immediate financial hardship, you can apply for an SGS emergency loan or emergency grant. We are usually able to pay out emergency loans within 24-hours and emergency grants within one week.

Faculty of Arts and Science has developed a comprehensive document that provides sources of government support for graduate students. You can view this document here.

The Office of the Vice-Provost, Students has also released resources regarding financial support and funding opportunities here.

CEWILL Canada may also have some resources as well.

Is the Canadian Government providing financial support to students?

May 14: More detailed information on Canadian Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) is now available.

On April 22, 2020, the Government of Canada announced approximately $9 billion in new supports for students and new grads affected by COVID-19. The measures will provide financial support this summer and assist students in continuing their studies in the fall. The announcement also includes new funds to extend federal research grants and expiring scholarships and fellowships.

Initiatives Announced

Key measures include:

Creation of the Canada Emergency Student Benefit, which will provide support to students and new graduates who are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. This benefit will provide $1,250 per month for eligible students or $1,750 per month for eligible students with dependents or disabilities. The benefit will be available from May to August 2020.
Extend expiring federal graduate research scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships and supplement existing federal research grants to support students and post-doctoral fellows, by providing $291.6 million to the federal granting councils. In addition, the government intends to enhance work opportunities for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows through the National Research Council of Canada.

Other measures include:

Double the Canada Student Grants for all eligible full-time students to up to $6,000 and up to $3,600 for part-time students in 2020–2021. The Canada Student Grants for Students with Permanent Disabilities and Students with Dependents will also be doubled.
Broaden eligibility for student financial assistance by removing the expected student’s and spouse’s contributions in 2020–2021, in recognition that many students and families will struggle to save for school this year.
Enhance the Canada Student Loans Program by raising the maximum weekly amount that can be provided to a student in 2020–2021 from $210 to $350.
Create the Canada Student Service Grant, which will help students gain valuable work experience and skills while they help their communities during the COVID‑19 pandemic. For students who choose to do national service and serve their communities, the new Canada Student Service Grant will provide up to $5,000 for their education in the fall.
Increase existing distinctions-based support for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation students pursuing post-secondary education by providing an additional $75.2 million in 2020–2021.

The announcement can be found online.

Further details on implementation will be distributed as we become aware.

Getting Involved with Student Community

How can I stay involved with the student community?

The Graduate Engineering Council of Students (GECoS) is working on creating a Quercus course with help from Vice-Dean Grad Office to connect our grad student community. Use this platform to connect with students, reach out for help, share resources, and access online events curated for engineering grad students! We will provide more details once it is set up.

If you want to get involved with mental health, you can visit the GECoS Mental Wellness Commission the Facebook page for resources and events.

If you have any concerns or want to volunteer for student initiatives, you can reach out through the GECoS website or contact your departmental student association.

Resource List

Feeling Distressed?

A list of UofT and Community mental health resources and contacts.

My SSP | 1-844-451-9700. Outside of North America, call 001-416-380-6578.

My Student Support Program (MySSP). Culturally-competent 24-hr mental health and counselling services in 146 languages for all U of T students. Chat about school, health, general life concerns for free.

Good2Talk Student Helpline | 1-866-925-5454
Professional counseling, information and referrals helpline for mental health, addictions and student well-being.

Student Life

Many events/Workshops and services are available online or by phone:

Events include: Mindful Moments, productivity workshops, de-stress events
The Centre for International Experience - addressing the needs for International Students
Graduate Conflict Resolution Centre - Peer-to-peer chats, big or small!
Academic Success
Accessibility Services
And more!

Accessibility Services

Moving courses to an online format can affect students with accessibility needs. The Accessibility Services team is available via phone or email and is posting updates as they become available.

Canadian Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) - Canadian government financial support for students.

SGS Emergency Grant:

Emergency assistance grants are available for domestic and international students impacted by COVID-19 and who need immediate short-term financial relief because of unexpected expenses.

GECoS Mental Wellness Commission

The Engineering Graduate Student Mental Wellness Commission Facebook Group shares resources, tips, and events (in the future) for UofT engineering grad students.

UofT Central Hub

For most up to date information and resources on COVID-19.

School of Graduate Studies website

Updated information relevant to the graduate community during the COVID-19 outbreak. Information on academic activities, final oral examinations and more can be found on this site.

Faculty of Arts and Science - Sources of Government Support

A document developed by Faculty of Arts and Science. Information found on their document may be helpful for engineering graduate students as well.