Medical

Medical requests must be accompanied by the Health Care Provider form. Please note we do not require detailed medical records or the disclosure of a diagnosis, rather the University requires that the form confirm the specific dates on which the student visited the health professional and should include details on the following:

• the degree to which the health issue (or treatment, in the case of medication, for example) is likely to have affected the student's ability to study, attend classes, or sit examinations;
• the length of time over which the student's abilities were likely hampered by the condition
• the fitness of the student to resume studies 

If the condition began prior to the semester of the tuition refund request, there needs to be documentation of how the condition has worsened or changed in an unforeseeable way. It is expected that students with pre-existing conditions work with the resources available to them in order to develop an academic plan accomodating their condition and needs.

• We encourage students to reach out to Health and Counselling and the Centre for Accessible Learningfor support services.

Compassionate

• Death of a loved one, including immediate or extended family member, or close friend. A death certificate or obituary in English is required as documentation. If these documents cannot be obtained, please contact our office at irreac@sfu.ca so that we may assist you in finding a potential alternative.
• A sudden change in personal or familial responsibilities, such as taking care of an ill loved one or taking over childcare responsibilities for an ill loved one. 
• Other unanticipated events not mentioned above will be considered, provided there is clear documentation.

Other extraordinary circumstances, including but not limited to:

• Unanticipated transfers or deployments for military and first responder personnel
• Administrative errors

Financial reasons

Financial concerns alone are not considered an eligible reason for a refund request. For students facing financial hardship, we encourage connecting with Financial Aid & Awards for advising and support.

Being unaware of tuition refund dates and deadlines

In order to enrol in courses, students must agree to the Student Declaration and Responsibility to complete enrollment actions. The Student Declaration and Responsibility states that students are responsible for knowing and adhering to all deadlines and policies in reference to enrollment and fees. 

Nonpayment or Nonattendance

Failure to pay tuition by the tuition payment deadline will not result in an automatic course drop, and failure to pay tuition is not a valid reason for a refund. Students are responsible for all fees incurred by their enrollment actions. Similarly, failure to attend classes in which a student is enrolled is not a valid reason for a refund request.

Issues pertaining to course content or instructor performance

Please refer concerns and feedback to the relevant department

Workload, difficulty, or scheduling issues

It is the student's responsibility to manage their workload, difficulty level, and scheduling needs, and as such these are not considered eligible reasons for a refund request.

Courses not fitting academic program or graduation plan

It is the student's responsibility to understand requirements and work with advisors if necessary to ensure enrollment decisions are suited to their academic plan

Overenrolling to attend classes before dropping in order to save seats in preferred classes

Students should only enrol in courses they intend to take. Please note that students are responsible for tuition and fees for courses that they were enrolled in from the waitlist. For this reason, it is advised that students drop themselves from any waitlist for courses they no longer intend to take. Overenrollment to secure preferred enrollment opportunities is not a valid reason for a refund request.