Description of Graduate Students

Graduate students are systematically described by category and by classification.

Category

Regular Student: An applicant who has met the university or program admission require ments, is considered for admission as a regular student.

Provisional Student: An applicant whose qualifications for meeting the minimum university or program requirements appear uncertain, may be considered for admission as a provisional student. This category is unavailable for applicants who clearly do not meet the minimum university admission requirements as assessed by Graduate Program Services. While provisional, the student's program will include at least one graduate course and may include active involvement in supervised thesis research. If at the end of one semester the department is satisfied with the student's progress, it will recommend to the dean transfer to regular student status. Upon such transfer, the student will receive credit for courses completed. If transfer to regular student status is not achieved at the end of one semester, the student may be permitted to continue for a second semester as a provisional student. At the end of this time, the record will be reviewed as before. If transfer to regular student status is not recommended, the student may be required to withdraw.

Special Student: International students who are applying for the internship program in the Ontario Veterinary College should make application to be special students.
   Students who are not currently registered in a graduate degree or diploma program and who wish to take graduate courses for professional upgrading and/or personal interest should apply to Admissions Services. At the time of application to Admissions Services, the applicant should indicate clearly that they wish to apply as an undergraduate student, and that they are not registered for a graduate degree or diploma at that time. A registered undergraduate student may take a graduate course with the permission of the chair or director of the academic unit offering the course and the permission of the instructor of the course. Graduate courses taken by undergraduate students will not normally be credited to a graduate program at the University of Guelph.

Classification

   Students are classified as full-time or part-time on the basis of the program in which they are enrolled. All students have access to university activities and facilities and are expected to take part in the academic life of their program and the university.

Full-time Student: Full-time students apply themselves to their graduate study as a primary responsibility. Normally graduate students will be registered as full-time students because they are registered in full-time programs.

Distant Student: Full-time students may be located away from the university. If the student lives 200 km. or more from Guelph, the student may apply to be full-time distant, which precludes the payment of some non-tuition student fees.

Part-time Student: Part-time students are enrolled in part-time graduate programs. This status must be declared at the time of admission. If a program does not indicate "full-time only", applicants may assume that a part-time option is available. Students interested in part-time study should consult graduate programs of interest to confirm the availability of this option. Part-time students may register for no more than 1.0 course credits in a semester. Three part-time semesters are regarded as the equivalent of one full-time semester in terms of minimum program duration.
   In rare instances full-time students may be allowed to transfer to part-time if demanding circumstances relating to personal health matters or family responsibilities exist. Documentation of the these circumstances must be submitted to Graduate Program Services on an annual basis. Transfer to part-time status is not related to employment.
   Pending transfer application and approval from both their program and Graduate Program Services, part-time students may transfer to full-time status at any time in their programs. Full-time graduate students originally admitted to part-time programs may transfer back to part-time status on request.