University of Toronto: How academic appeal policies connect

U of T's foundational integrity policy governs all academic offences including plagiarism, misrepresentation, and unauthorized assistance. It applies to all students across all three campuses and all divisions, and establishes the sanctioning framework, decanal processes, and Tribunal procedures.

• The CBAM distinguishes between offences handled at the divisional level (decanal process) and those referred to the University Tribunal.
• Initial allegations are typically investigated by the instructor, then reviewed by the department or faculty, before a decanal meeting.
• Students are entitled to bring a support person (but not an advocate who speaks on their behalf) to the decanal meeting.
• Sanctions range from a grade of zero on the work to expulsion; the severity influences which appeal route is available.
• A decanal decision can be appealed to the Academic Appeals Committee of the relevant division, and ultimately to the Governing Council's Academic Appeals Committee.

Grade appeals at U of T are not governed by a single university-wide policy. Each division (Arts & Science, Engineering, etc.) has its own grade reappraisal or petition process. The common thread is that appeals must typically start with informal contact with the instructor, then escalate to the department and faculty.

• Arts & Science grade reappraisal must begin within the deadline set in the division calendar — typically within weeks of the grade being posted.
• A formal reappraisal can result in the grade going up, staying the same, or going down — students should review their work carefully before requesting.
• If an integrity allegation is open for the same course and assessment, the grade appeal for that work is typically paused until the integrity matter concludes.
• Grade reappraisals are distinct from petitions — a petition relates to procedural circumstances (illness, extenuating factors), not disagreement with the academic evaluation.

Academic standing at U of T is assessed at the divisional level at the end of each academic session. Standing categories include Good Standing, Probation, and Required Withdrawal. The criteria and GPA thresholds vary by division and by year of study.

• A student on academic probation who fails to meet the conditions of probation at the end of the session typically receives a Required Withdrawal.
• Academic standing decisions can be petitioned on the basis of extenuating circumstances — documented medical, personal, or family circumstances that affected performance.
• Petitions for academic standing must be supported by documentation and submitted to the Registrar's Office of the relevant division, not to individual instructors.
• A successful petition may result in continuation with conditions, extended probation, or a deferred standing decision — not automatic reinstatement.

Required Withdrawal (RW) is the most serious academic standing outcome. A student placed on Required Withdrawal is excluded from further registration in their division for a period (often 12 months minimum). The petition process for RW operates under division-specific rules.

• Required Withdrawal decisions are made by divisional committees, not by individual instructors or advisors.
• A student on Required Withdrawal who petitions unsuccessfully and exhausts divisional remedies may apply to the Governing Council's Academic Appeals Committee in limited circumstances.
• Some divisions allow a student to reapply for readmission after the required exclusion period, which is a separate process from appealing the original decision.
• Students should not re-enroll in courses at another U of T division or campus during a Required Withdrawal period without explicit written authorization.

Deferred final exams and many petitions at U of T are division-specific. This node summarizes the Arts & Science petition route as a concrete example; Engineering, professional faculties, and graduate units publish different forms, deadlines, and offices. Always open your own division’s registrar materials.

• Arts & Science publishes explicit petition timelines for missed finals; other divisions may use different hour counts or forms.
• A division-accepted medical certificate (often the U of T Student Medical Certificate where required) is the typical supporting document for illness-based petitions.
• Deferred finals are usually scheduled in a later exam period; confirm impacts on prerequisites, OSAP, and graduation timing with your registrar.
• Missing a deferred sitting without a further approved petition can result in a zero or failure for that assessment component.

The Governing Council's Academic Appeals Committee (AAC) is U of T's final internal appeal body. It hears appeals from students who have exhausted divisional remedies and are challenging a divisional decision on defined grounds — typically procedural fairness, misapplication of policy, or new evidence.

• The AAC does not re-hear the merits of the case from scratch — it reviews whether the divisional process was conducted fairly and in accordance with policy.
• Grounds for AAC appeal are limited: procedural unfairness, misapplication of University policy, or new evidence not available at the time of the divisional appeal.
• The AAC can uphold the decision, vary it, or refer it back to the division for reconsideration.
• Students must have exhausted all divisional appeal remedies before the AAC will accept an application.