Students
Information for the 2022 fall/winter term
- All students are asked to complete the province’s COVID-19 self-assessment tool if they have any symptoms of illness to ensure proper isolation guidlines are followed.
- Undergraduate students: If you are not able to complete your remote learning or attend campus for an in-person assessment or final exam, please contact your home Faculty Academic Counselling Office to request academic considerations. Students in the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Education, Ivey Business School, and School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies can request Academic Considerations via the usual process for your faculty.
Effective November 29: Western is revoking our vaccination policy and will no longer require students, staff, or visitors to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Western continues to encourage everyone in our community to remain up to date on vaccinations
Masks will still be required in instructional spaces in the winter term after the December break, to continue to minimize transmission of the virus.
Safety officers will help ensure COVID-19 protocols are being observed across campus. The university remains flexible, and will be ready to respond to any further direction from our public health partners.
Important Resources:
Student FAQ
Vaccines and Testing
Where can I get a booster shot?
Booster shots will continue to be available at Western’s Vaccination and Testing Centre.
Do I still need to fill out a return to campus questionnaire?
Western has aligned its self-assessment with the provincial tool. Individuals are asked to review and complete the provincial COVID-19 self-assessment tool each day they need to attend campus and follow the instructions provided. Additional guidance is available at ontario.ca/exposed.
Will Western continue distributing masks to everyone on campus?
Medical-grade (ASTM level 3) masks remain available for pick up at all Western library locations using your Western ONECard and are available outside some building entrances and classrooms.
Instructor and Student Absence
How will a student in an in-person class be notified of an instructor absence?
Students should check the course OWL announcements and monitor their University-issued email account for updates.
How will an in-person class proceed if the instructor is unavailable due to self-isolation or illness?
Instructors are prepared for this possibility. Available solutions will vary for different courses but may include:
- continuation of in-person lectures by other faculty members and/or TAs
- a temporary return to synchronous online instruction
- posting asynchronous online lectures
- assigning readings
I have been required to self-isolate and have submitted my request to my academic counsellors, but I am not ill. Can I continue to work online?
Of course! We encourage students to continue their studies to the extent that they are able. You may not attend in-person classes, tutorials, or laboratories during your period of self-isolation, however.
I am an undergraduate student in a second-entry Faculty (e.g., Business, Education, Law), how do I report a need to self-isolate?
If the results of the provincial COVID-19 self-assessment tool require you to self-isolate, you may send a request for academic considerations to your Dean’s Office, who will advise you on next steps.
