Full-Time Off-Campus (FTOC) Request

As summer is approaching, please be reminded that full-time graduate students are expected to be on campus for all three terms of the university year. In addition to statutory holidays and the closure of the University normally late December until early January, normal vacation entitlement for a graduate student is two weeks of vacation during the year, to be scheduled by mutual agreement with the research supervisor. An exception to this allotment requires approval from the supervisor or in the supervisor’s absence a member of the supervisory committee. Students who are also employees of the University must seek vacation approval from their employment supervisor and are entitled to vacation time pursuant to the terms of their employment contract.

Other than vacation, for absences of more than one week, approval in writing from the supervisor is required. For absences of more than two weeks, the department chair’s approval is also needed. For absences of four weeks or more, a request to be Full-Time Off-Campus (FTOC) needs to be completed, approved and emailed to the PhD office at busphd@mcmaster.ca.

Thank you and wishing you a nice summer ahead.