SFU Graduate Student Handbook

Effective September 2021 until August 2022

Following Admission Acceptance (What to Expect)

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

To promote a safer online environment at SFU, you must enroll in SFU Multi-Factor Authentication once you receive your SFU Compting ID.

Enrolling in Courses

Approximately two months before the start of your first term, you will receive an email that contains your SFU computing ID and instructions on how to activate it. Your computing ID is used as your login to the SFU email system, the student information management system (used for enrolling in classes, ordering transcripts, reviewing fees, etc.), and as the access login to various other campus systems. Note the following:

  • Your computing ID is not your 9-digit student number, nor is it the ‘GA’ account that you may have created when you applied for admission.
  • You may self-enroll from the start date of enrollment up to the second week of the term. We advise you to enroll prior to the start of the term to ensure best selection of courses, access to any online content and to receive any award disbursements.
  • You will not be able to enroll in courses if you have been granted conditional admission with requirements due prior to the start of the term. Once your conditions have been met you will be able to register online.

With permission of your supervisor or graduate program you may enroll in courses outside your program. Please contact your program in advance to discuss the relevancy and the procedure. Students may also take courses from other western Canadian universities including UBC, UVic and UNBC through the Western Canadian Deans Agreement. These must be arranged at least 6 weeks prior to the start of the term.

Failure to Enroll

If you are not enrolled or not on an approved leave of absence by the end of the 6th week of classes within a term, you will be discontinued from your program. If you have been discontinued from your program, you may apply for reactivation in that same term. Once reactivated, students must maintain continuous enrollment for the length of their program.

If you fail to apply for reactivation you will not be able to enroll in subsequent term(s). When this occurs, you will need to apply for readmission.

Readmission is completed through the regular admission process and normally you must still be within your program time limit, plus three terms of possible extension time. A $90 readmission fee applies.

Students who are readmitted to their program maintain the same start date, time limit and program requirements from when they were first admitted to the program.

Tuition and Fee Structure

There are two tuition fee structures at the university, as outlined below:

  1. Term fees: students pay a flat amount each term
  2. Credit fees: students pay an amount per unit for each course in which they have enrolled

Certain rules and policies differ, depending on the type of program in which you are enrolled. The student system calculates tuition and fees each term after you have enrolled. Find detailed information on tuition and ancillary fees.

Note the following:

  • If you wish to take one or more courses outside your program requirements, additional tuition will apply.
  • Student accounts is responsible for receiving payment of fees and any payment plan must be arranged directly with them.
  • If you have any questions with your assessed tuition fees contact Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.