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Declaration of Illness Form

Being sick when you are in school is hard. You have to make a choice about whether or not to go to class. Some days this will be easy. You won’t have a midterm or a quiz. You know that you can stay home.

Some days this will be difficult. You know that you are so sick but you have a midterm that you cannot miss. This decision is especially hard as an international student as you must maintain 80% attendance to ensure you are meeting the requirements of your study permit.

Here are instructions that can help you make the best choice for both your health and your studies.

Instructions for the Easy Days *Easy days are days when you have a short-term illness and you don’t have a midterm or quiz. If you miss a class, you will not fail the course.

Note: It’s up to you to determine which day is an easy day to miss class. This will be based on your course outline and your communication with your instructor. This is YOUR choice and your responsibility.

  1. Stay at home.
  2. Talk to a doctor if necessary for your health.

Result: You will be marked absent (N) for the day.

Instructions for Hard Days *Hard days are days when you miss a midterm or significant assignment because of an illness.

Note: It’s your responsibility to determine the outcome of missing a class. You can find this information on your course outline and your communication with your instructor. If you have a midterm or assignment due and have any of the symptoms below, it is important that you reach out to your instructor BEFORE the deadline and not after. This is YOUR responsibility.

  1. You can approach your instructor with the Declaration of Illness Form (Hard Copy). This is also available on the portal under ‘documents’. You do not need to provide a doctor’s note
  2. Have conversation with your instructor, explain your situation, and have your instructor review the form.
    • This form is subject to the student code of conduct and academic integrity policies.
  3. After you fill out this form and sign it, please email it to your instructor. Your instructor will then communicate with advising on the next steps.
  4. Your attendance will be updated from absent to ‘Medical leave’.
    • This does not excuse your absence, but rather indicates to your instructor that you were absent for medical reasons.
  5. Plan with your instructor for any accommodation for a missed assessment/attendance. This accommodation is at your instructor’s discretion.

Please come see an advisor if you have any questions. Our long-term goal is to ensure that you are healthy and well when you are attending your classes.

The physicians at Health and Counselling Services or ANYWHERE else DO NOT have the authority to exempt students from exams, assignments, etc. Whether an exemption occurs is up to the instructor and should be based upon a conversation between the instructor and the student seeking a change to course requirements. Where a requested change to course requirements relates to the impact of a permanent disability, as opposed to routine illness, students are required to work with FIC Advising for support.

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