SFU Graduate Student Handbook

Graduate Student Vacation Policy

• Graduate students are entitled to three weeks of vacation (15 working days) from their academic obligations per academic year.
  
• For the purpose of calculating vacation allotments, the academic year means the period of time from September 1 to August 31 of the following year.
  
• Any vacation time taken during the period between the Christmas and New Year statutory holidays is not included in the three-week vacation allotment.
  
• Vacation allotments will be prorated for the portion of the year in which you are registered.
  
• Vacation leave will not interrupt disbursement of student stipends or merit-based student financial assistance.
  
• There will be no vacation pay in lieu of any vacation time not taken.
  
• The exact duration and timing of any vacation, including extensions of vacation, are subject to prior approval by your supervisor and by any faculty member providing you with Research Assistantship (RA) funding. Vacations must be arranged so that there is minimal impact to your research and other obligations to the University.
• This policy does not affect your employment as a Teaching Assistant (TA). Although you may make a request to align vacation taken under this policy with that taken from paid employment, vacation taken under this policy is approved separately from that for paid employment at the University.
  
• Attendance at academic conferences shall not be considered vacation time.
  
• Vacation requests within these guidelines will not be unreasonably denied.
  
• Should a conflict arise between your vacation request and a supervisor’s expectations, the graduate program chair will make a final determination.
  
• The time taken for vacation leave will be counted toward the maximum time allotted to degree completion.
  
• All program requirements, academic unit expectations and deadlines will remain the same.