Prepare your justification letter and gather your supporting documents.
To avoid any problems, submit a complete file to the Student Account Reimbursement Committee.
Please note that your personal information will be safeguarded and kept confidential at all times. Learn more about access to information and privacy.
Justification letters should stick to the facts, presented in chronological order, and include:
- your name, your student number and the date
- an explanation of the exceptional circumstances that apply to your request
- the purpose of your request and the result you’re seeking
You should also state in your letter if this is your first request in connection with these exceptional circumstances. Remember to attach your supporting documents.
Helpful tips
You don’t have to follow these suggestions, but they may help clarify your situation.
If you have previously made a similar request involving the same exceptional circumstances, explain the steps you took to prevent such a situation from happening again. For example, in the event of a health issue, did you see your doctor for an assessment of your ability to continue your studies? Did you do so shortly before the deadline for withdrawing with a financial credit?
If you weren’t able to withdraw before the deadline, explain why clearly. Did the incident occur after the deadline for withdrawing with a financial credit?
If you received University services (course attendance, correction of assignments, sports services, etc.), remember that these services have value and incur costs. As a result, be prepared to explain why you feel your refund request is justified.
If you did not attend class or submit any exams or assignments during the period covered by a refund request, consider asking your professors for a non-attendance confirmation letter.
Health reasons
Refund requests for health reasons must be accompanied by a medical certificate or support letter from the University of Ottawa’s counselling and therapy service.
The certificate must include your name, period of absence and date of return to studies, the date of your medical consultation and the signature of the health care professional. If the authenticity of your medical certificate is in doubt, the Student Account Reimbursement Committee may require that it be validated by Health and Wellness services. The certificate must also clearly state that you were unable to withdraw from the course(s) by the deadline.
You should note that if you attend a class during the disability period indicated on your medical certificate, you can no longer submit an appeal based on health reasons.
Important: You don’t have to submit any documents that mention a diagnosis or the name of the medical condition in question. Such information is confidential and is rarely useful for the committee members, as they are not health professionals.
