The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (FGPA) is open for service. We are happy to help. If you have a question, please do not hesitate to email us at graduate_studies@carleton.ca.

For other FAQs relating to COVID-19 and Carleton University, please visit Carleton’s COVID-19 website.

FAQs

Academic Programs

Fall 2021 Academic Programs

I have a question related to my research. Where can I go for help?
The Carleton Office for Research Initiatives and Services has prepared this list of FAQs. You may also want to talk with your research supervisor.

Is there an update about programs for this Fall (2021)?
For fall, 2021, a significant proportion of courses will be offered on campus in a safe way, but online options will also be available to provide flexibility. You can find out more about fall and winter courses by clicking here on the University FAQs.

Please note, you cannot register unless you have cleared all conditions on your offer. Your time ticket will be updated in your Carleton Central account, after the removal of your conditions is complete.

In order to be granted full access to campus, all members of the Carleton community—including all students, faculty, and staff— will be required to have received a full course of a Health Canada or World Health Organization approved vaccine, for at least 14 days.

To find out more detailed information about fall and winter courses, please click here on the University’s FAQs.

Winter 2022 Academic Programs

Has the university released any plans yet for the 2022 winter term?
Senate confirmed at its Oct. meeting that winter 2022 courses will be offered through a mix of face-to-face and online delivery to provide maximum flexibility for students, in line with the recommendations of the Carleton University Scenario Planning (CUSP) Working Group. Based on student demand, we have revised the course schedule to offer more online options for courses in the winter term. Please check with your departments or in Carleton Central to see if there have been any changes in the delivery format for your winter courses.

 

International Students

Who can help me with an immigration question such as study or work permits?
The International Student Services Office (ISSO) has certified Immigration Advisors who can provide guidance to students. You can contact the ISSO at isso@carleton.ca. You can also review the ISSO’s FAQ website by clicking here.

Is there any special financial assistance for international PhD students?
Yes but only due to the pandemic or an emergency.

I am an international graduate student and I have some questions about my status. Where can I go for help?
At this time, the International Student Services Office (ISSO) is providing services during their regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday). The best way to connect with the ISSO is by email. You should receive a reply to your inquiry within 2-4 business days. There are several FAQs available on the ISSO’s website that provide useful information.

I am a Graduate student with questions about why UHIP coverage. What should I do?
For an update on UHIP information, please go to the ISSO website.

Please note that if you are registered as a Special student, your UHIP coverage is valid only for the term(s) you are enrolled in classes.

Kindly note that UHIP does not cover the cost of prescription drugs, and dental and vision care. These are offered through the supplemental plans with the Graduate Student Association (GSA), and students should consult with them directly about how non-registration may impact coverage.

Graduation Ceremonies

Will there be a fall 2021 graduation celebration?
To celebrate your academic success, the University will host a Virtual Graduation Celebration that will be available beginning at 7 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. Several departments will also be hosting their own Grad Celebration events. Stay tuned as we will have more information about this in the near future.

 

Funding

How Will RA payments be made this fall (2021)?
The following explains the process by which Research Assistants will be paid for 2021-22. Payments for all Type A Research Assistants (fixed payment not linked to specific hours worked) will be applied directly to their graduate student account for this year, rather than what happened in the past e.g. being paid over four months via payroll. The full amount of the RA (rather than the 92% that Payroll limits the grads to) will be applied to their student account.

Faculty and students both still use the Grad RA Payment System to set up the funding. Data from that system will be applied to the student account.

For domestic students, a T4A will still be issued. For international students, a T4A-NR (same form, for a non-resident) will be produced. Students will be able to request a refund of the amount applied to their account in excess of their tuition fees.

Incoming students who request to defer their admission and have an external award, may only defer by FOUR months or they lose the funding

If I take an LoA, can I still receive RA funding?

This is possible but it is up to your supervisor to decide how he/she wants to handle this. Please consult with your thesis research supervisor regarding details around a Research Assistantship, as FGPA does not directly administer RA funding.

I am in need of financial assistance? Where can I go for help?
Students in financial need should take advantage of the financial assistance programs announced by both the provincial and federal governments, as applicable. Students who are in need of emergency assistance and are not eligible for other government programs, can complete the Student Emergency Fund In-Take Form available to graduate and undergraduate students to receive funding for essential expenses that may have arisen as a result of COVID-19.

Given that TA and Scholarship funding will be moved to the next available term after a LOA, will my OGS also automatically be moved forward, or do I need to make arrangements for this?
If you take a Leave of Absence and have remaining terms in your official time to completion, then the OGS funding will be deferred to the next available term (that does not have an OGS award already in place).

Do students need to contact SSHRC, NSERC or CHIR to defer this award?
You cannot defer your award. However, you can defer your registration for a term by taking a Leave of Absence and your funding will be moved to the next term.

New incoming students who request to defer their admission and have an external award can request to change or defer their award start date prior to commencing the award. The following information is posted on the tri-agency websites:

At this time, deferments and interruptions to Tri-agency training awards due to COVID-19 will be allowed beyond January 1, 2021. Training award recipients (master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral) may continue to defer the start date of their award, or request an unpaid interruption, normally in four-month increments, for reasons related to the COVID-19 situation. For master’s and doctoral award holders, these can be adjusted to align with the next available start date (September 1, 2021 or January 1, 2022).

Professional Development

What professional development resources are still available to me?
FGPA continues to remotely offer one-on-one writing consultations to assist you with writing-related challenges, or to discuss the effectiveness of your research and writing strategies. To request a consultation by phone or through other electronic means, please fill out and submit this web form.

There are many other resources available to you, including a new curriculum entitled “Trajectories”. Please click here for details.

Campus Services

How can I get my student ID card if I’m taking courses online in Fall 2021 and not physically present on campus?
New students should submit a photo through MyPhoto.Carleton.ca.  An email will be sent to you when the photo is reviewed and will have further instructions. Students who are not physically on campus do not need a student ID card.  Library Access and other services are available remotely using your Carleton login credentials.  All details and instructions can be found on the Campus Card website.

Is the Carleton Bookstore still offering services?
The Carleton University Bookstore continues to offer lots of services including:

  • Free Shipping with all domestic orders through the Carleton Bookstore website This includes various formats of course materials, supplies, apparel, technology, and more.
  • The Bookstore’s rental return date is April 25. To get a FREE return label for your current rental, please contact Kelly, the manager at the Bookstore at  0936mgr@follett.com.
  • Textbook adoptions are still being accepted. If you are teaching a course during the summer term, be sure to submit your textbook adoptions ASAP to give the Bookstore time to get physical and/or digital copies of the materials you need. Submit your textbook adoption form.
  • If you have questions or concerns, please contact thebookstore@carleton.ca

How can I access mental health support?
There are several FAQs on the University website that talk about support and services for students. Click here to view the FAQ about mental health services.

Thesis

What if I have a defence (PhD, Masters or Proposal defence) or my comprehensive exams are taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic?
FGPA is using online approaches, such as ZOOM, to facilitate defences remotely. For PhD defences, Information Technology Services (ITS) has been very helpful in successfully conducting several defences so far. The Associate Dean will continue to coordinate the remote thesis defences with students and their committees. All other defences (Masters defences, proposals, etc.) will continue to be coordinated by the departments/program. ITS is available to help with facilitating the remote/online defences. Program/Departmental staff/faculty may contact Jonathan Lindsay in ITS (Jonathan.Lindsay@carleton.ca) for help and support in arranging the remote defences/thesis proposals. Arrangements for comprehensive exams are also being coordinated by the department/program. Graduate students should contact their graduate supervisor if they have questions about these elements of their program.

Will I be given extra time to complete my thesis or degree due to the COVID-10 pandemic?
Carleton University Senate (on the recommendation of the Graduate Faculty Board) has recently approved the extension of PhD times-to-completion (to 6 years). In addition, newly approved regulations require that decisions regarding extensions would be coordinated within the programs/departments. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the way in which we operate and we are grateful for the departmental commitment to supporting students with compassion and flexibility during this difficult time.

Masters students and Graduate Diploma students who display summer 2020 as the final term and are in good standing in their program will have their time of completion extended by one term. Summer registration is not mandatory for this accommodation.

Leave of Absence

Can I change my LOA to registered status?
In our effort to remain as flexible as possible, it is possible to do this, depending on the student’s circumstances.

If I take an LOA in May, can I cancel this LOA in July if research possibilities become available?
Yes, you can. If you alert FGPA, we will register you retroactively for the term.

What are the program implications if I take a leave of Absence or ‘Not Registered’ (NR)?
Masters and Graduate Diploma students who display summer 2020 as the final term and in good standing in their program will have their time of completion extended by one term. Summer registration is not mandatory for this accommodation.

Doctoral students who display summer 2020 as their final term of completion and believe they are unable to meet the timeline are required to correspond with their department/supervisor and the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral affairs to discuss their needs and progress.

If I take a summer Leave of Absence, will I be exempted from paying back my OSAP payments before I return in the fall?
FGPA is not directly responsible for the administration of OSAP, however, we are happy to refer this query to the AWARDs office, which is directly responsible for the administration of OSAP.

Research

What if I haven’t defended yet but my research has been interrupted and I can’t progress in my work?
Please contact our Graduate Registrar at kevin.mcewan@carleton.ca if you would like to request a leave of absence (LOA). We are cognizant of the fact that the collective response to COVID-19 may result in interruptions in your research and requests for LOA will be reasonably accommodated.

Library

Is there any new information about services being offered by the Library?
Please visit the MacOdrum Library website for up-to-date infomation:  https://library.carleton.ca/

Will those students currently on leave due to parental responsibilities, or who take a Leave of Absence, be given online access to the library?
While the parental leave policy has not yet been approved by Senate, we are working with the library to determine what accommodations could be arranged to allow access for in-progress students, who take a Leave of Absence.  There are some limitations however around online licencing agreements that may restrict usage.