Appeals

An Extenuating Withdrawal is a withdrawal granted after the end of the withdrawal period has ended, based on students encountering extenuating circumstances which makes it impossible for them to complete coursework and affects academic performance.

Extenuating circumstances are defined as unusual circumstances beyond the student's control which are unpreventable, unpredictable and unavoidable.

The circumstances can be medical, psychological, accidental or hardship and other personal challenges that arise during the registered term. Conditions or situations of which there was pre-existing knowledge are not typically considered.

An extenuating withdrawal from courses is a withdrawal after the end of the Withdrawal period. If an application for an extenuating withdrawal is granted the grade on the student records will be noted on as a "WE."

Students can apply for an Extenuating Withdrawal after the withdrawal period has ended. Students experiencing circumstances that prohibit them from continuing their studies during the withdrawal period must withdraw from their course(s).

Applications for an extenuating withdrawal must be submitted within 12 months after the beginning of the requested term.

Any request received after this deadline may not be considered. If extenuating circumstances prevent the student from submitting a request within this timeline, a rationale must be included in the personal statement for considering the request after the deadline.

If a student withdraws from their course(s) during the withdrawal period due to exceptional circumstances, they are eligible to apply for a refund. A complete application must be submitted, including a personal statement and all relevant documentation.

Complete all sections of the Extenuating Withdrawal Application (pdf) form, including Declaration and Consent. Signatures must be in ink or digital; typed signatures will not be accepted.

Your personal statement and supporting documents should be clear and factual. Your personal statement should be typed and a maximum of 500 words.  Personal statements must demonstrate that circumstances differ significantly from other students.

Please see the Extenuating Withdrawal Application for more details and requirements for your personal statement and supporting documentation.

Email your application from your my.capilanou.ca email to extenuatingwithdrawal@capilanou.ca with the subject line: Student name, Student number – Extenuating Withdrawal

An incomplete application will not be processed. A complete application is typically processed in approximately in two to three weeks. This timeline can increase to four to six weeks in peak periods.

Note: Submission of an Application is not guarantee it will be approved.

If an application is approved

A decision letter will be emailed to your my.capilanou.ca email account. Your transcript will show a "WE" (withdrawal due to extenuating circumstance) in the grade section of the course. This is a neutral grade and is not calculated into your grade point average.

If you have requested a refund and your request is for the current term, the details of the refund decision will be included in your Extenuating Withdrawal approval letter. If you have requested a refund and your request is for a past term, your application will be forwarded to Student Financial Accounts to make a decision on your refund request.

If an application is not approved

If your application is not approved, you can appeal a decision under Student Appeals Policy (pdf). You need to complete the Student Appeals Application Form (pdf) and email to studentappeals@capilanou.ca within twenty-one (21) calendar days of receipt of the decision that you wish to appeal.

For more information, please see "Student Appeals" section on this page.

Refunds are not automatically considered. If you would like to be assessed for a refund, you must indicate so on the application.

An approved extenuating withdrawal does not guarantee an approved refund.

Refund requests received after an application has been processed and a decision has been made will not be considered.

You will be Required to Withdraw (RTW) if you achieve a CGPA of less than 1.59 and a TGPA of less than 1.67. The RTW notation is listed on your permanent record and is noted on your academic transcript.

If you have been Required to Withdraw, you will be unable to register and attend any courses for a minimum of one major term (Fall or Spring). If you have registered for a subsequent term, you will be deregistered from all courses and removed from any waitlists for that subsequent term and all charges of tuition and fees will be reversed.

Please refer to the Academic Standing Policy (pdf) for more information on academic standing.

A Required to Withdraw Appeal provides an opportunity for you to explain why you have faced academic difficulty, the actions taken to resolve it, and your plan to improve your academic status moving forward.

If you’ve been Required to Withdraw (RTW) and the circumstances leading to your academic difficulty were unusual, beyond your control, unpreventable and unpredictable, you may be eligible for an Extenuating Withdrawal.

Please see the Extenuating Withdrawal section on this page for information on eligibility and how to apply.

Complete all sections of the Required to Withdraw Appeal Form (pdf), including answering all required questions in detail and attach supporting documentation relevant to your appeal.

Supporting documents may include, but are not limited to:

• A verifiable note/letter from someone in a “Professional Capacity” or University department.
  • Provided on official letterhead or include business stamp/card
• Email communication
• Receipts
• Travel information
• Proof of Death
• Employee information
• A verifiable report or claim - police reports, insurance claims, etc.

Email your completed application from your my.capilanou.ca email to extenuatingwithdrawal@capilanou.ca with the subject line:  "Student name, Student number - Required to Withdraw Appeal"

An incomplete application will not be processed. A complete application is typically processed in approximately one to two weeks. This timeline can increase to four to six weeks in peak periods.

Note: Submission of an Application is not a guarantee it will be approved.

A decision letter will be emailed to your my.capilanou.ca email account, detailing the outcome of your appeal and any academic conditions that may be applicable.

The deadline to apply for a Required to Withdraw Appeal is the final day of the standard add/drop period in the term that you have been required to withdraw from. Appeals will not be accepted after that time.

• If you receive RTW status in the Spring term and are deregistered from the Summer and Fall terms, the deadline to apply is the Summer full-term add/drop deadline
• If you receive RTW status in the Summer term and are deregistered from the Fall term, the deadline to apply is the Fall add/drop deadline
• If you receive RTW status in the Fall term and are deregistered from the Spring term, the deadline to apply is the Spring add/drop deadline

The final grade appeal process offers an option of recourse to a student who substantive reason to believe that an inappropriate final grade has been assigned for a credit course. All processes will be guided by the Final Grade Appeal Policy (S. 2018-01) and .

A grade appeal is not required to correct recording errors (i.e. a course grade that was not recorded properly or a grade resulting from a mathematical error in the calculation). In such cases, the student should bring the error to the attention of the instructor as soon as the error is noticed so that the instructor can make any corrections immediately.

NOTE: An appeal may result in the final grade being lowered, remaining the same, or being raised.

A student who plans to submit a formal final grade appeal is requested to first meet with their course professor/instructor in accordance with the informal stage identified in the Final Grade Appeal Procedure (pdf).

To begin the formal stage, the Capilano University student must submit a completed Final Grade Appeal Application (pdf) and all required supporting documents to the Registrar's Office, either in person or by email at finalgradeappeals@capilanou.ca.

1. Have a conversation with the instructor to discuss how the grade was determined, including confirmation that the assessment was submitted, and to discuss whether there is any opportunity for remediation.
2. If not satisfied with the outcome of the conversation with the instructor, discuss the situation with the coordinator or program chair to explore whether there is any opportunity for resolution.
3. If the matter is not resolved, proceed to the formal Final Grade Appeal Stage.

1. Complete the Capilano University Final Grade Appeal application form, a cover letter, and compile supporting documents. The student must submit a well-written cover letter, along with any graded assessments the student has or is asking to have reassessed, no later than ten (10) business days after the end of term (December 31, April 30, or August 31).
2. The Registrar's Office will review the application for completeness and appropriateness. If is review is satisfactory, the appeal application will be forwarded to the appropriate dean.
3. Within five (5) business days of receipt of the Final Grade Appeal Cover Letter and the supporting documentation, the dean will review, may conduct a meeting with the student, may require the student to provide additional material evidence, and then deliver results of the preliminary review through the student's Capilano University email. 
4. If the student wishes to proceed after the dean has determined the final grade appeal process is appropriate, the student must, within five (5) business days, 1) notify the dean by email of their intent to proceed with the final grade appeal, 2) Complete the Final Grade Appeal Form, and return this form to the dean; and, deliver any additional material required by the dean to the Dean's Office.
5. For more detailed information on the process, please refer to the Final Grade Appeal Procedure (pdf).
6. A decision made during the formal grade appeal, including the preliminary review or the final grade appeal, is appealable by the student to the Student Appeals Committee (See Policy B.109 and related Procedure B.109.1)

Supporting documentation may include, but is not limited to graded assignments, related documents distributed or returned to the student and/or retained by the instructor (e.g. final examination or course outline).

Capilano University recognizes the right of a student, to request an appeal of a final grade on the following grounds (as per the policy and procedure):

• A significant error in the assessment, evaluation, and/or determination of individual components of the course;
• Substantiated claims of instructor bias or discrimination;
• Failure by the instructor to follow the evaluation profiles, grade assignment, or operational details as stated in the course's outline.

Inappropriate grounds for appeal include:

• Grade appeal is not required to correct recording errors;
• Dissatisfaction or disagreement with the final grade, without satisfying one of the above (grounds for an appeal).

Complete all sections of the Final Grade Appeal Application (pdf), including Declaration and Consent.

Your Cover Letter and supporting documents should be clear and factual. Please refer to the Application Checklist on the first page of the form for criteria and requirements.

Email your Final Grade Appeal Application (pdf) and supporting documentation from your my.capilanou.ca email to finalgradeappeals@capilanou.ca with the subject line:

[Student name, Student number] – Final Grade Appeal Application

Mail or deliver your application and supporting documentation to:

Capilano University
2055 Purcell Way
North Vancouver, B.C.
V7J 3H5
Attn: Registrar's Office
Library Building, room LB152

For a breakdown of the formal final grade appeal process, please refer to section 4 of the Final Grade Appeal Procedure (pdf).

An incomplete application will not be processed.

Submission of an Application does not guarantee that it will be approved.

The dean will notify the student of the result of the preliminary review through the student’s Capilano University email. If the student wishes to proceed after the dean has determined that the final grade appeal process is appropriate, the student shall, within five (5) business days: 

• Notify the dean by email of their intent to proceed with the final grade appeal; and
• Submit any additional material required by the dean to the Dean’s Office.

For more information, please review Section 4.4 of the Final Grade Appeal Procedure (pdf).

If your application is not approved, you can appeal a decision under Policy B. 109 Student Appeals Policy You need to complete Student Appeals Application Form and email to studentappeals@capilanou.ca within twenty-one (21) calendar days of receipt of the decision that you wish to appeal.  For more information, please see “Student Appeals” section on this page.

Student Appeals are a way for students to challenge decisions made by the university about their academic or non-academic matters.  They can only appeal if they think the process or decision was unfair.  The student appeal process is not meant to start the whole previous application over again.

Non-Academic appeals

• The decision given to students under Student Code of Conduct
• The decision given to students under Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy
• The decision made under any other University policy that impacts the student’s non-academic standing

Academic appeals

• The application of Extenuating Withdrawal
• The application of Required to Withdraw Appeal
• The application of Final Grade Appeal Policy
• The decisions given to students under Academic Integrity Policy
• The application of any other any other university policy that impact a student’s academic standing

The deadline for submitting the application for appeal is within twenty-one (21) calendar days of the decision that is being appealed.

The grounds for an appeal determine whether your appeal is valid. Before submitting an appeal, students must have exhausted all other avenues determined in the policy which they are appealing and have a full understanding of the B.109-Student-Appeals-Policy and B.109.1-Student-Appeals-Procedure including timelines, expectations and confidentiality agreement.

All appeals are limited to the following grounds:

• On the Balance of Probabilities that an injustice or error occurred when the determination of fact was made
• A University policy or procedure was incorrectly applied
• The adjudicating body exceeded its legitimate jurisdiction or authority
• Important evidence was ignored or not reasonably assessed

An application will move forward if it has valid grounds. 

Complete all sections of the Student Appeals Application Form (pdf), including Declaration and Consent. Be sure to attach the decision letter you wish to appeal on the application. Your personal statement and supporting documents should be clear and factual.

Please refer to the Application Checklist on the first page of the form for criteria and requirements.  Please note, the content written in the body of your email will not be included in your Student Appeal application package. 

Supporting documentation and evidence is an important part of your appeal and may include anything you feel is relevant.

Document requirements

• All documents submitted must be named and referred to in your statement.
• Original supporting documentation in English
• Ensure that the documentation includes the date(s)
• Confirm authorization to verify documentation
• Supporting documents are not returned unless requested at the time of submission

Documents may include, but are not limited to:

• Emails, letters, or any form of correspondence regarding the appeal
• Notes from verbal communication, e., a copy of meeting invitation
• Application documents & transcripts, course outline
• Medical and supporting documentation, e., letter from your doctor, counselor, licensed mental health professional, CapU Accessibility Services, death certificate (showing your relationship to the deceased is required), police report, insurance claim, airline itinerary, employment letter, tests, and assignments

Email your application form, personal statement, the decision letter you are appealing and supporting documentation from your my.capilanou.ca email to studentappeals@capilanou.ca with the subject line:

[Student name, Student number] – Student Appeal Application

Note:

• Submit your Student Appeal application package from your CapU email address.
• Content in the body of the email will not be considered part of the Student Appeal Application package.
• Attach the required documents directly to the email; do not share documents via a link.

The Student Appeals Tribunal holds final decision-making authority regarding appeals it considers. The findings of the committee represent the final decision of the University.

The Capilano Students' Union's Student Rights Office helps students understand university policies and provides support for issues like academic conflicts, allegations of cheating, extenuating withdrawals, and complaints about instructors. 

As an independent non-profit, Student Rights Office staff are not university employees, ensuring you can speak freely about your experiences. We won't advance a complaint without your consent. For assistance, visit the Student Rights Office webpage.

Links and forms

• Student Appeals Application Form (pdf)
• Student Appeals Policy (pdf)
• Student Appeals Procedure (pdf)