Guidelines for Student Vacation

Approved by the Queen's School of Graduate Studies

July 2009

Scheduled leaves and vacations are a recognized benefit in terms of personal health and workplace productivity. We recommend that graduate students think about and plan regular vacation leaves. Graduate students are not employees of the School of Graduate Studies and as a result, there is no mandated entitlement for a vacation benefit. However, the following guidelines are offered to students, graduate coordinators, program directors, department heads and graduate student supervisors.

Student should be able to take up to 10 working days off, over and above statutory holidays and/or periods when the University is officially close (i.e. the period between the December-January holidays) provided that the time off:

• Should not compromise the progress of a student's studies;
• Is negotiated and approved well in advance. As a rule of thumb, one month's notice should be given prior to scheduling a leave;
• Is compatible with terms and conditions of the governing grant, or contract under which the student is being paid;
• Cannot be carried forward from year to year

Vacation periods do not result in any changes to registered student status; students remain  registered and pay all fees during the vacation period in the academic session until completion or withdrawal.  

It is expected that negotiations for time off for vacation will be free from controversy or disagreement. In the case of dispute, the usual dispute resolution procedures will apply. These procedures can be found in the Guide to Graduate Supervision booklet (section 10) published by the School of Graduate Studies or through the School's website at www.queensu.ca/sgs