FAQs for Current Students – School of Graduate Studies

Fees

1. How do I register for direct deposit?

Update your local mailing address on ACORN
Follow the step-by-step instructions on the ACORN’s website to learn how to add your banking information.

Students must register by either paying or requesting to register without payment (deferring fees)* no later than the sessional registration deadline indicated in the SGS Sessional Dates. Faculty of Arts & Science and Medicine students with inquiries about U of T Fellowships must contact their graduate units.

*When you defer your fees, they are still considered outstanding and owing to the School of Graduate Studies. Please review related service charges and other info on the Student Accounts web page.

2. Why were fees deducted from my award when I requested to register without payment?

When you request to register without payment, your fees are still considered outstanding and owing to the School of Graduate Studies. Please review related service charges and other info on the Student Accounts web page.

3. I am in the funded cohort; can you tell me what my financial package is going to be this year?

That we cannot do, as the funding packages are decided and controlled at the departmental level. Please consult your graduate unit; they should provide you with a written letter detailing your funding package at the start of each academic year.

4. Fee Invoices

Please note that the University of Toronto does not mail fee invoices to students.

You are informed of fees payable by way of ACORN. Simply view your account in invoice format, which lists every transaction posted to your account. All students are expected to view their account on ACORN to monitor all account activity. Tuition is updated in real time and always reflects the most current situation.

Ensure that you notify all graduate units of your decision to accept/decline their offers of admission. Otherwise you will be invoiced for all programs to which you have been admitted.

5. I have received transfer credit; will my tuition be reduced?

There is no financial credit awarded for transfer credit (only academic credit). In other words, a student transferring a credit from any other institution or U of T program is still required to pay the minimum total program fee.

6. I am confused about non-academic incidental fees. Where can I get more information?

You can find helpful FAQs and general information about the Provincial Government’s Student Choice Initiative on the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students (OVPS) website.

For specific information regarding the payment of tuition and others fees, including incidental fees, please visit Student Accounts.

7. I am unable to defer my fees. Why?

You may request to register without payment (i.e., make a fee deferral) through ACORN if you have no outstanding fees from a previous session and are the recipient of one of the following which exceeds the Minimum Payment to Register amount on your ACORN invoice:

Ontario Student Assistance Plan (OSAP) loan
Other provincial government loan
US government loan
University funding package (major award, research stipend or teaching stipend)

You will not be able to defer fees if there is a severe condition on your Offer of Admission.

8. How do I get an Income Tax Receipt?

Tax Credit Forms (T2202A) are issued in February. They may be downloaded and printed from ACORN.

Confirmation Letters

1. How do I get a confirmation letter?

SGS prepares two kinds of letters for students:

Confirmation of degree letter: both master’s and doctoral students may request a letter confirming that all degree requirements have been met. To request such a letter, complete the confirmation of degree form.
Confirmation of registration letter: SGS provides proof of registration for various purposes such as securing student visas and maintaining OSAP interest-free status. To request such a letter, complete the confirmation of registration online form.

There is no charge for letters. Please allow five days (or more during peak periods).

2. How do I replace my lost or stolen TCard?

If you need to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged student ID or library card, visit your campus TCard office with: your student number or UTORid, one piece of valid government-issued photo ID and the replacement fee, if applicable.

Graduate Awards

1. Why were fees deducted from my award when I completed a Request to Register Without Payment form?

Your January and May award instalments are posted to your fees account and automatically put towards tuition and/or any outstanding charges. When you request to register without payment, you are eligible to register without paying the Minimum Payment to Register amount on your ACORN invoice, but your fees are still considered outstanding and owing to the School of Graduate Studies. Please review related service charges and other info on the Graduate Fees web page.

2. I’m in the funded cohort. Can you tell me what my financial package is going to be this year?

Funding packages are decided and controlled at the departmental level. Please consult your home department as they should provide you with a written letter detailing your funding package at the start of each academic year.

3. If I have an award, why is it important for me to keep my Mailing Address, Permanent Address, and UTOR email address up-to-date on ACORN?

The Graduate Awards Office uses the Mailing Address and utoronto email address when sending out award notifications and processing award payments. Whether a student has direct deposit or receives award cheques in the mail, ACORN will NOT process a student’s award instalment unless the student’s ACORN Mailing Address is active.

Registration

1. How do I register?

You are considered registered as soon as you have paid tuition and incidental fees or have requested to register without payment (i.e., fee deferral). For information on registering without payment (i.e. tuition fee deferral), visit the Graduate Fees web page.

2. I have a student loan or major scholarship (NSERC, SSHRC, OGS, etc.) and I plan to use this to pay my fees. How do I register before I receive my award or loan?

You may request to register without payment (i.e. make a tuition fee deferral) through the ACO RN if you have no outstanding fees from a previous session and are the recipient of one of the following which exceeds the Minimum Payment to Register amount on your ACORN invoice:

OSAP loan
Other provincial government loan
US government loan
University funding package (major award, research stipend or teaching stipend)

The Register Without Payment (Fee Deferral) form must be used if you are receiving a major award, research stipend or teaching assistantship that is not part of a funding package or if you are registering after the deadline. If you are receiving a major award, research stipend or teaching assistantship that is not part of a funding package, the form is submitted to your graduate unit. You can find the relevant Register Without Payment Form by searching the Policies & Guidelines table.

If you register after the final date to register without financial penalty, you are required to pay a late registration fee of $44.00. Please complete the online late registration form and online payment here. Once completed, SGS will change your ACORN status to “invited,” which will allow you to register.

*When you request to register without payment, your fees are still considered outstanding and owing to the School of Graduate Studies. Please review related service charges and other info on the Student Accounts website.

3. How do I register if I have an admission condition?

You must bring the necessary documentation to clear admission conditions to your graduate unit. Once the condition(s) is cleared, you may view your Fees Invoice using ACORN. Once you have paid your fees, bring proof of payment to your graduate unit and then proceed with enrolment, etc.

4. I applied to two programs and was accepted. I see two fees invoices on ACORN. What do I do now?

You must cancel the invited registration for the program in which you do not intend to register. You may do this through the ACORN or by contacting the School of Graduate Studies or the graduate unit in which you do not intend to register. It is important that you do this, otherwise fee charges will remain on your account for all programs to which you were accepted.

5. What is the deadline to pay fees?

Please see the sessional registration deadline indicated in the SGS Sessional dates. A late registration fee of $44.00 will be charged when students register after the sessional registration deadline (payable at SGS). You will be required to show proof of payment and register at SGS if you register after the sessional registration deadline. Enrolment in and access to courses via ACORN will be cancelled for those who fail to register by the registration deadline. You may also lose credit for full-time attendance for income tax purposes by Revenue Canada (T2202A).

6. What is the minimum fee I have to pay by the registration deadline?

The minimum required payment (MRP), as well as the due date, is indicated on the fees invoice. The MRP is:

Fall session: Arrears + 100% of Fall (September to December) tuition fees
Winter session: Arrears + 100% of Winter (January to April) tuition fees
Summer session: Arrears + 50% of Summer (May to August) tuition fees

If you are an international student, you must pay your University of Toronto Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) fees (indicated as an item on your fees invoice) before registering, even if you have requested to register without payment.*

7. I recently became a landed immigrant in Canada. How do I change my immigration status and claim exemption from international fees?

You are eligible for the domestic tuition rate if you are claiming Status in Canada exemption. For more information on eligibility for international fee exemptions, please consult the Student Accounts website. Please also check with your graduate unit whether you are enrolled in a program affected by the 2018 change in international fee structure.

A change of status is not retroactive to any previous session.

Bring original documents to substantiate the claim to SGS by the following deadlines:

November 1 for reassessment for the complete Fall and Winter session.

February 1 for the reassessment for the Winter session only.

June 30 for reassessment for the complete Summer session. This only applies to
students that have tuition fees charged for the Summer session.

Students who are assessed annual fees will have to claim Status in Canada exemption in the session that they are charged their annual fees.

Note that upon graduation, all students in master’s programs will be charged at least the minimum degree fee associated with their program. The minimum degree fee differs depending on your immigration status in Canada during the length of your program (i.e., the time that a full-time student is expected to complete the program). If your immigration status changes from international to domestic after you have completed the program length, your minimum degree fee will be based on your international status.

8. How do I get my student card?

Government-issued photo ID and your offer of admission letter are required to obtain your TCard. Email service, wireless network, and access to Quercus will be available upon receipt of your TCard and authentication of your UTORid. You can obtain your TCard from the following locations (visit the TCard website for details).

Proof of legal status is required in order to receive a TCard. Your legal status will also determine your fees. Students whose legal status documentation does not match their status in the University’s records system will not be issued a TCard and will instead be directed to SGS.

9. How do I create a UTOR email address?

To create a UTOR email address, please follow the instructions at www.utorid.utoronto.ca. You will need your TCard to active your UTOR email address. It is important to activate your UTORid to receive communications from U of T, SGS, and the Graduate Awards Office. Only University-issued email accounts will be accepted by the Student Web Service ACORN. Also, you must activate your UTORID to access the University’s student portal.

10. How do I get my OSAP money?

After you have submitted your OSAP application and provided OSAP signature pages and supporting documentation to Enrolment Services (173 St. George Street), you will need to take your personalized Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA) along your Social Insurance Number Card, valid photo identification issued by the federal or provincial government and your banking information (voided cheque) to a Canada Post outlet to be forwarded to the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC).

U of T will confirm your registration through an electronic process for eligible students who have completed their MSFAA. You are considered registered as soon as you have paid tuition and incidental fees or have requested to register without payment (i.e. fee deferral). For information on registering without payment (i.e., fee deferral), visit the Graduate Fees section of this website.

11. I am having a financial emergency. What are my options?

You should speak with staff in your graduate unit or the SGS Financial Advisor. To book an appointment with the SGS Financial Advisor, please email sgs.financial.assistance@utoronto.ca.

If you have encountered an unanticipated serious financial emergency, you may be eligible for an SGS Emergency Grant. The SGS Financial Advisor can assist you with any questions you may have about this process.

12. What financial support options are available to PhD students who are no longer receiving a cohort funding package?

If you are in the fifth or sixth year of your doctoral program, you are eligible for a Doctoral Completion Award.

Contact your graduate unit or visit the Awards & Funding section of this website for more information.

You may also wish to book an appointment with the SGS Financial Advisor, who may be able to direct you to additional resources. Please email sgs.financial.assistance@utoronto.ca.

13. What do I do if I miss a test or exam because I am ill?

If you miss a test or final examination for unforeseen reasons, notify the graduate office within 24 hours of the scheduled test/examination. If the office is not notified within this time frame, you may receive a grade of zero for that test/examination. A final examination may be deferred for the following reasons:

documented medical grounds;
documented compassionate grounds. Please use the Verification of Illness or Injury form if you are submitting missed exam reports based on medical grounds. If you write a scheduled examination, you will not be allowed to ask for an alternative assessment or special consideration in marking after the fact.

15. What do I do if I become ill during an examination?

If you become ill at an examination, you must notify the instructor immediately. You cannot do this at the end of the examination or just before the examination ends. Seek medical attention immediately. You may then request through your graduate office for another opportunity to write the examination and provide a Verification of Illness or Injury form to support your request. Having once abandoned an examination, keep in mind that consideration may not be given again for the same circumstances.

16. My course is non-standard. What are the add/drop dates?

If your course is not a standard 12- or 13-week academic activity, please check add/drop dates with your graduate administrator. Graduate units may establish their own add/drop dates which vary from the SGS sessional dates.

Student Records & Transcripts

1. I have legally changed my name; how do I update my U of T student record?

To change your name, including middle names, you must complete the University of Toronto Name Change Form. You will be required to submit an original legal name change document (e.g., court document specifying change of name; birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, or passport may be required depending on the nature of the name change). Please note that because of COVID19, we are accepting electronic copies of IDs that have not been notarized. Our requirement would be under normal circumstances, that any ID provided electronically must be notarized. Due to COVID19, that requirement is being waived.

2. I do not want to legally change my name; how do I update my U of T student record?

If you would like to have your name and / or gender changed on your student record at the University of Toronto but do not wish to legally change your name, some exceptions may be permitted with supporting documentation (contact SGS at graduate.information@utoronto.ca for further information regarding supporting documentation). Please complete the University of Toronto Name Change Form.

3. How do I order a Transcript?

If you were registered in any sessions prior to September 1978, you can order a transcript from Transcript Services. You can also order through the Transcript Services if you have forgotten your student number.

If you were registered any time from September 1978 to the present, order a transcript through ACORN.

When ordering official transcripts, you have the option of selecting only the graduate portion of your academic record to be displayed on your transcript. The full undergraduate / graduate transcript remains the default unless the graduate only option is indicated when a transcript is ordered.

Supervision

1. How do I find a supervisor?

Your graduate unit will advise and assist you. Some graduate units assign a supervisor—but with doctoral programs the responsibility, generally rests with the student. The Graduate Supervision Guidelines discuss strategies students might use when beginning to look for a supervisor.

2. Do master’s students need a supervisor?

Some do. Master’s program supervisors may be assigned at the time of admission. Practice varies across disciplines. Ask your graduate administrator.

3. Is there a deadline for finding a supervisor?

University regulations require all doctoral students to have a supervisor and supervisory committee in place not later than the end of the second year of their program and to meet at least once a year thereafter. Some graduate units have even earlier deadlines. Talk to your graduate administrator.

4. Can I change supervisors?

Yes, of course. But changing supervisors, and research focus, can set back progress in your degree program. Graduate departments have procedures in place if a dispute or concern arises between a graduate student and supervisor. Conflict resolution is also addressed in the Graduate Supervision Guidelines.

5. Do I need to speak with my supervisor about course selection?

Normally you would discuss course selection with your supervisor, as you would discuss your research interests, a research plan, timelines, and so forth. Once you confirm acceptance of an offer of admission, your graduate unit follows up with appropriate direction/advice on supervision and course selection.

6. How often do I meet with my supervisor?

You and your supervisor should have shared expectations about how often to meet. You will prepare a research plan and timetable in consultation with your supervisor and report on your progress and results. Doctoral students will spend several significant years, working with their supervisor. Supervisory committees for doctoral students are required to meet at least once per year.

7. Who owns intellectual property developed through my research?

Consult the SGS Intellectual Property web page. Establish clear shared expectations with your supervisor. Discuss questions such as: who owns what, order of authorship on publications, co-authorship, potential patent agreements, etc.