Universities offering exam deferrals, holds on tuition as war rages on in Middle East

Queen's University signage is seen in Kingston, Ont., Friday, Aug. 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg

OTTAWA — Universities across Canada are offering some international students extra supports like exam deferrals and extensions on tuition as the war continues in the Middle East.

The University of Victoria said it has reached out directly to students who have links to Iran to offer support on a case-by-case basis. Those supports include offering special bursary funding and lifting holds on registration related to overdue tuition.

The university said it’s also offering flexibility to applicants struggling to meet their final admissions requirements due to the war.

Queen’s University said it’s giving some students extensions on winter tuition and fee payments without late penalties, access to emergency bursaries and expanded access to counselling and mental health supports.

“Students affected have been encouraged to reach out to the university … as they navigate the impacts of this challenging situation,” said a spokesperson for the university.

Carleton University said it’s giving affected students flexibility on filing admissions documents and exam deferrals, and is reviewing some requests for tuition relief.

A spokesperson for McGill University says an email about access to academic accommodations and mental health resources has been sent to students from Iran, Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the UAE.

The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. The Associated Press reports that as of Thursday the death toll from the war has risen to more than 1,900 in Iran and more than 1,300 in Lebanon.

Data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada shows more than 23,000 study permit holders from Iran and about 1,800 from Lebanon in Canada as of Dec. 31, 2024.

Several student organizations across Canada are holding fundraisers, Nowruz gatherings, discussions and demonstrations in response to the conflict in the Middle East.

Amir Moghadam is an Iranian international student and president of the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union. He has been studying in Canada for five years and is a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering at the University of Toronto.

He said extensions and tuition pauses are “positive steps” and he’s glad to see universities offering them.

He also said those measures should be part of a “broader, systemic framework” that would apply to any international student community facing a crisis.

Moghadam added that universities need dedicated emergency funding, mental health services tailored for international students, and clear institutional policies.

“Right now, Iranian students in Canada cannot contact their families, cannot transfer money and in many cases have no way of knowing whether their loved ones are safe,” he said. “That is an extraordinary level of disruption, and it demands more than deadline flexibility.

“These situations will keep happening to different communities at different times. The supports should already be in place when they do.”

Moghadam said the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union is working with university administration to push for accommodations for affected students, including deadline extensions, leaves of absence and adjusted research expectations.

He said the union also offers an emergency grant program that provides up to $1,000 to students facing financial hardship due to crises.

“As an Iranian international student myself, I understand first hand what it means to be thousands of kilometres from home during a crisis, unable to confirm the safety of your family and loved ones, often because internet blackouts and communication disruptions make even a simple phone call impossible,” Moghadam said.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press