Accommodations for Religious & Spiritual Observances

University welcomes and includes students, staff, and faculty from a wide range of backgrounds, cultural traditions, and spiritual beliefs.

This page provides information about the Policy on Scheduling of Classes and Examinations and Other Accommodations for Religious Observances and information about the Hajj Pilgrimage.

Policy on Scheduling of Classes and Examinations and Other Accommodations for Religious Observances

It is the policy of the University of Toronto to arrange reasonable accommodation of the needs of students who observe religious holy days other than those already accommodated by ordinary scheduling and statutory holidays.

Students have a responsibility to alert members of the teaching staff in a timely fashion to upcoming religious observances and anticipated absences. Instructors will make every reasonable effort to avoid scheduling tests, examinations or other compulsory activities at these times. If compulsory activities are unavoidable, every reasonable opportunity should be given to these students to make up work that they miss, particularly in courses involving laboratory work. When the scheduling of tests or examinations cannot be avoided, students should be informed of the procedure to be followed to arrange to write at an alternate time.

Read the Policy on Scheduling of Classes and Examinations and Other Accommodations for Religious Observances.

Accommodation for the Hajj Pilgrimage

The Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime Pilgrimage to Mecca for some Muslims. As the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the dates for the month of Dhu al-Hijjah change each year. 

While the pilgrimage itself last only a limited number of days, pilgrims travel as a group and most groups leave a minimum of two weeks in advance in order to complete related obligations. The early departure means that students would likely have to leave at a time that may affect a number of academic activities. Furthermore, because of the dates being fixed for the entire group, there is often very little flexibility.

Read the Accommodation for the Hajj Pilgrimage.

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