Accommodation of Holidays and Holy Days
McGill University recognizes and respects the diversity of its community, including diversity of religious faiths and observances. The University is committed to providing an environment in which its students can fulfill both their university and their religious commitments. Please note that students must make a request for an accommodation for religious reasons in advance, usually 4 weeks prior to the scheduled exam date in the case of final exams. For in-course exams and other graded assessments, speak with your professor as far in advance as possible.
Policy on holy days:
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Students are not to be penalized if they cannot write examinations or be otherwise evaluated on their religious holy days where such activities conflict with their religious observances.
- While sessional dates, classroom and Faculty activities, and examination dates take into account academic constraints and statutory holidays, where there is flexibility, efforts are to be made to select dates which do not conflict with religious holy days or to find other appropriate accommodations.
See McGill's Policy for the Accommodation of Religious Holy Days, as well as the official McGill Senate policy.
See the Exam Conflict page for deadlines to request an accommodation for religious reasons.
For faculty, event planners and members of the McGill community interested in learning more about important dates in various faith communities, see the calendar of holy days referenced at McGill.
Support for religious-based discrimination experiences at McGill
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, contact 911.
If on campus, call McGill Security Services:
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Downtown at 514-398-3000;
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Macdonald Campus at 514-398-7777
If you feel that you are facing discrimination at McGill based on your religion or on any other prohibited ground (gender, race, disability, etc.), several groups/organizations on and off campus (see Support Resources) that can offer emotional and/or procedural support. McGill’s core values include respect and inclusion, and the institution has a policy on dealing with harassment and discrimination, including that on religious grounds. A detailed website explains this policy and outlines the steps for filing a complaint, whether the discrimination is happening between students, staff, faculty or any combination thereof. Regardless of whether or not you decide to file a complaint, there are support services at McGill equipped to help you, including MORSL staff.
