FAQs

Yes, any student who is looking for summer accommodation must create a summer application by visiting www.durhamresidence.ca. The residence will be in touch with all summer applicants prior to their arrival to ensure their transition into residence is smooth, but also takes into consideration keeping the community safe from exposure to the pandemic.

All incoming students will be contacted by the residence directly. A series of screening questions will be asked prior to your arrival and a move-in time and process will be explained to you prior to your move in day.

The residence will not be forwarding any packages or mail you have delivered to the residence. Please contact the delivery provider and inform them of your change in address. The residence will only return packages to its original sender if you have moved out.

At this time the residence is not offering locker space to all students moving out. If you have urgent need please contact info@dc-otresidence.ca and our staff will work with you to assess and assist in your needs.

If you would like to move out of residence, but are facing challenges, please email info@dc-otresidence.ca and residence staff will work to support you.

1. Please remain in your room and call Student Health Services at 905.721.3038. If you need assistance after hours (Monday to Thursday after 7 p.m.; Friday after 4:30 p.m.; all day Saturdays and Sundays), please contact Durham Region Public Health Services at 905.668.2020 and select option 2.
2. Once you have notified health services, please notify the residence front desk at 905.728.8700 ext. 8000.

Students living in residence who have been told to self isolate should stay in their rooms and notify the residence front desk at 905.728.8700 ext. 8000. Our staff will notify the manager on call who will make arrangements for your isolation. The residence staff will inform you fully of our process concerning our support for you.

If you are still living with a chosen roommate, please encourage your roommate or neighbour to contact Student Health Services at 905.721.3038 or Durham Regional Public Health Services at 905.668.2020 and select option 2. If unable to reach either service please notify the residence front desk at 905.728.8700 ext. 8000. Our staff will connect with your roommate or neighbour to ensure they are connected to the right resources and supported throughout this process.

Please contact the residence front desk at 905.728.8700 ext. 8000.

Yes, the residence will be open. We are working with Durham Region Public Health to remain within all guidelines; ensuring the safety of our residents is our number one priority.

Yes, residence will have limited spaces available for the Winter semester. Applications for the winter 2021 semester will be available at www.durhamresidence.ca on September 15^th, 2020.

 Please contact us directly at info@dc-otresidence.ca to discuss your individual situation.

Yes, in addition to our semi private suites, we have increased the number of single room options available to students.The residence asks that students adhere to all posted signage, keep a safe physical distance from others where possible and wear a mask or face covering when unable to remain physically distant and in the common areas of the residence.

Yes, all of our incoming residents will be put through a screening process prior to their arrival to residence. Any student who does not pass the screening questions will be asked to quarantine for 14 days.

Yes, DC’s residence is offering limited accommodations to students enrolled in the July pilot project. Accommodations will be available as of July 2 at a special rate of $30 per day.

Each private suite consists of:

• Double bed, desk, and television.
• Pillow, pillow case, bedding (queen size sheets).
• Kitchenette equipped with a full-sized refrigerator and microwave.
• Three-piece washroom.
• Towels.
• Toiletries.
• Cable, wireless internet, and parking.
• Temperature controls.

As this will be a short term stay, students are asked to only bring with them what they need to be comfortable.

In accordance with provincial guidelines and public health directives, we have adapted our cleaning measures and implemented physical distancing protocols in residence to protect our students and staff.

To apply, please email mamorim@stayrcc.com.

Please note: Spaces are limited, and are not guaranteed. Requests must be received at least 5 days prior to arrival for consideration. Upon receiving your request, we will verify our availability and send you a confirmation.

The college and the residence have adapted residence policies and procedures to proactively protect residents and employees, while providing a safe and secure living and learning environment.

This includes:

• Offering maximum flexibility on residence payment options and cancellation deadlines.
• Minimizing physical interactions at the front desk.
• Increased cleaning of high traffic touch points through housekeeping.
• Reviewing access to lounges, laundry rooms and other non-essential spaces.
• Included Wi-Fi available throughout the residence, offering bandwidth and speed required for remote learning.

After a summer of physical distancing and self-isolation, living in residence o­ffers an incredible opportunity for you to connect with fellow Durham College students. Our Residence Life team is ready to adapt our community model as restrictions continue to be eased to support and encourage your academic and social success.

 

Traditional residence events such as move-in and orientation will be adjusted to accommodate physical distancing guidelines. We are developing new and innovative programs aimed at engaging students and building community, either in smaller groups or delivered through online platforms.

Our Residence Life team will also be collaborating with our residence outreach worker to promote and support the delivery of virtual counselling services.

In-suite housekeeping service is currently suspended and the residence will monitor provincial recovery plans and determine an appropriate time to reinstate this service. During this time, our staff will continue to focus more on common spaces and high traffic areas will have a higher frequency level of cleaning, focusing on touch-points such as door handles, railings and elevator buttons.

The ability to host guests in residence has currently been suspended. The easing of restrictions will take on a phased approach, including restrictions on number of guests per host, length of stay and total number of guests in the building.

The Regional Municipality of Durham has announced that non-medical masks or face coverings will be mandatory in public and enclosed indoor spaces effective Friday, July 10, 2020 to help manage the spread of COVID-19. The campus as a whole, including residence have adopted this best practice to help keep our community – and each other – safe. All students and visitors are asked to wear a mask in all common spaces of the residence, such as hallways, kitchens, laundry rooms, and lobbies.

Move-in will take place over the course of the week of Monday, August 31 to Saturday, September 5. We are implementing a system that will allow students to select their move in date and time. Students are asked to bring only one person to assist them with their move to reduce the number of people in the building at one time. More information about move in will be sent out in early August.

Yes. Students will be asked screening questions prior to their arrival, and again when they arrive to move in. If a student should fail the screening questions upon arrival they will be placed in a 14-day quarantine within residence.

Yes, if you are an international student arriving to Canada, you will need to quarantine for 14 days when you arrive.

Contact your designated Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD) Employment Training Consultant (ETC). They will advise you what is possible. If a withdrawal is necessary, complete an Official Withdrawal Form at Durham College’s Withdrawals and Refunds website and send it to Whitby Enrolment Services.

Effective Monday, March 23, DC has transitioned to online and remote course delivery. Students should regularly check DC Connect and DC Mail to access course outline addendums, class material and messages to support continuity of learning.

At this time, training for the Electrical Level 2 and Automotive Level 1 apprenticeships that were originally scheduled to begin in April, and which were rescheduled to June, will not be taking place this summer.

DC is working with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to set a new date for this training to begin in the fall.

If you are already enrolled, you do not need to take any further action. Should you wish to withdraw from the program, or if you have any additional questions, please contact Julie Hauber for next steps.

 

Starting Monday, April 6, OYAP delivery will resume in an online format. Faculty will reach out to students to re-connect and outline their online delivery plan. Attendance will continue to be taken in all OYAP classes.

Yes. Durham College (DC) issued partial parking pass refunds for six weeks when the COVID-19 pandemic began. The college is now issuing final reimbursements of parking refunds, due to the on-going campus closure.

Students who hold a parking pass for the 2019-2020 academic year will receive a parking refund for a seventeen-week period (May 1 to August 31). Refunds will be issued by Friday, June 19 through direct deposit (if banking information is on file) or by E-transfer 

Please email norah.warmuth@durhamcollege.ca for more information on how to change your banking information or check whether or not your banking information is on file.

Yes, all parking gates have been raised at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses until further notice.

Refunds for chaser tickets are not being issued until the college resumes normal campus operations. Please keep your chaser tickets for the time being, and further updates will be communicated with the campus community when the campus is open.

Winter semester parking passes will be valid until April 30. Yearly parking passes will be valid until August 31.

Please email dccares@durhamcollege.ca with parking questions that have not been answered in these FAQs.

Due to COVID-19, parking registration for the annual parking passes (September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021) and fall semester passes (September 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020) is currently suspended. The parking site will be updated when a firm sales date has been determined.

Credit Card

New students can make a credit card payment through the online student tuition credit card payment link.

If you are a returning student, you can make a credit card payment through your MyCampus account. Once logged in, you refer to Helpful Links > Paying Your Fees > Credit Card Payment.

Bank payments

Students can make a payment through their banking institution. To make this payment, your payee would be either ‘Durham College’ or ‘Durham College-Tuition’, and the account number would be your nine-digit student number.

Please note: electronic banking takes 3 to 5 business days to be received by the college.

If you have any questions, please contact us directly at oshawaenrolmentservices@durhamcollege.ca or whitbyenrolmentservices@durhamcollege.ca.

Course registration can be done online by visiting www.durhamcollege.ca/ppl. If you have any questions, please contact ppl@durhamcollege.ca or oshawaenrolmentservices@durhamcollege.ca.

Students can easily access their T2202 on their MyCampus account under Helpful Links > Student Records > Canadian Tax Forms If you have any inquiries, please contact us directly at oshawaenrolmentservices@durhamcollege.ca or whitbyenrolmentservices@durhamcollege.ca. If you need to reset your MyCampus password, go to the MyCampus login page and follow the reset password link under the MyCampus Login.  If you require assistance, please call IT Support at 905.721.3333 or click here to go to the Service Desk portal.

It has been our unwavering focus to ensure learning continuity for every student. With academic integrity at the foundation of every decision, we are committed to working together to foster learning and achieve academic success, even though it is in a different medium than originally expected. Thus, our tuition policy remains as it is for the 2019-2020 year, meaning we will not be offering tuition refunds or rebates.

Faculty and staff at all colleges have worked diligently to provide alternative service and program delivery options that allow students to continue their education as seamlessly as possible. As circumstances continue to change, we develop solutions that support the delivery of programs that would normally require face-to-face interactions, such as science labs, shops and studio work.

Yes, fee appeals will still be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Decisions will be communicated via email. If you have any questions, please contact us directly at oshawaenrolmentservices@durhamcollege.ca.

Domestic program and School of Professional and Part-time Learning course withdrawals will continue to be processed. The international office must process international withdrawals.

If you have any questions, please contact us directly at oshawaenrolmentservices@durhamcollege.ca or whitbyenrolmentservices@durhamcollege.ca.

Contact your designated Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD) Employment Training Consultant (ETC). They will advise you what is possible at this time. If a withdrawal is necessary, complete an Official Withdrawal form and send it to whitbyenrolmentservices@durhamcollege.ca.

1. Complete the Part-time Registration Form and submit it to Enrolment Services for processing OR you may contact your student advisor for assistance.
   • If you are unsure who your student advisor is, please visit the full list online.
2. Once your form has been processed, you will individually register for courses through your MyCampus To do this, navigate to Helpful Links > Registration > Add/Drop Classes.
3. Make a payment for courses either through your MyCampus account or banking institution.

If you have any questions, please contact Enrolment Services at oes@durhamcollege.ca or wes@durhamcollege.ca.

Once logged into your MyCampus account, refer to Helpful Links .> Registration > Look Up Classes to Add. If you have any questions, please contact Enrolment Services at oes@durhamcollege.ca or wes@durhamcollege.ca.

Once registered for courses, you may view your account summary for total charges. This can be found on your MyCampus account by referring to Helpful Links > Paying Your Fees > Account Summary or Account Summary by Term. If you have any questions, please contact Enrolment Services at oes@durhamcollege.ca or wes@durhamcollege.ca.

Credit Card

You can make a credit card payment through your MyCampus account. Once logged in, you refer to Helpful Links > Paying Your Fees > Credit Card Payment.

Bank payments

Students can make a payment through their banking institution.To make this payment, your payee is ‘Durham College’ or ‘Durham College-Tuition’, and the account number is your nine-digit student number.

Please note: electronic banking takes three to five business days to be received by the college.

If you have any questions, please contact Enrolment Services at oes@durhamcollege.ca or wes@durhamcollege.ca.

Students will be given five business days to make their payment. Failure to make payment within this time frame may result in course removal. If you have any questions, please contact Enrolment Services at oes@durhamcollege.ca or wes@durhamcollege.ca.

• If you are applying to another institution, you may complete your request through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) or Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) portal, which will expedite your request.
• Depending on the individual need, you may be able to use an unofficial transcript. This can be accessed through your MyCampus account under Helpful Links > Student Records > Grades > View Unofficial Academic Transcript.

It can take up to two to three weeks during this time for your transcript to be processed, and there is a $14 charge per official transcript request.

There is no pick-up option until the college returns to full services.

If you have any questions, please contact Enrolment Services at oes@durhamcollege.ca or wes@durhamcollege.ca.

Post-secondary students and students in the School of Professional and Part-time Learning can access their verification of program and semester enrolment letters through MyCampus under Helpful Links > Student Records.

Please note: a verification of semester enrolment letter is only available once you have registered for the chosen semester.

If you require a customized letter you can email oes@durhamcollege.ca and request the letter using the Official Documentation form. Please note there is a $6 service charge.

If you require a government verification form please email oes@durhamcollege.ca.

At this time, we are unable to produce duplicate credentials. You may complete and submit the Duplicate Credential Request, which will be processed when we return to full service.

At this time you may request a verification of graduation letter using the Official Documentation form. Please note there is a $6 service charge.

If you have any questions, please contact Enrolment Services at oes@durhamcollege.ca or wes@durhamcollege.ca.

No, in-person payments are not available at this time. You can make a payment for your credit transfer application online via the Credit Transfer portal on MyCampus.

After logging in to MyCampus, you can find the Credit Transfer portal on the right-hand side of the page under Helpful Links > Registration > Application for Credit Transfer.

If you have any questions about your application, please contact transfers@durhamcollege.ca

We advise that you request to have an electronic transcript sent to Durham College directly, or mailed to your home address where you can then forward a scanned copy to transfers@durhamcollege.ca.

Yes, if you have submitted a credit transfer application, there may be a delay with the subject matter expert (SME) assessing your request. If you have any questions about your application, please contact transfers@durhamcollege.ca

If you have submitted your PLAR challenge, there will be a delay with the subject matter expert (SME) assessing your challenge. If you already have mailed your challenge and/or exam to the college, please email PLAR@durhamcollege.ca indicating the date it was mailed out. If applicable, please provide a tracking number. Challenges and exams will be held at the college until the SME is able to pick it up.

If your exam was written with a proctor, please have your proctor email PLAR@durhamcollege.ca with the date your exam was mailed out. If applicable, please provide a tracking number.

If you were scheduled to complete your exam via proctor and are now not able to do so, please email PLAR@durhamcollege.ca.

No, in-person payments are not available at this time. You can pay for your PLAR application online via the MyCampus portal. You can make payments on MyCampus by clicking the following on the right-hand side of the page: Helpful Links > Paying Your Fees > click Credit Card payment.  If you do not have access to MyCampus, please email PLAR@durhamcollege.ca

Yes, if you have submitted a PLAR application, there may be a delay with the subject matter expert (SME) assessing your request. If you have any questions about the status of your PLAR assessment, please email PLAR@durhamcollege.ca

Current full-time students studying during the Spring semester (May to August) who are experiencing financial challenges may apply to the Durham College General Bursary program. The application can be found under the Financial Aid tab in MyCampus and will be available as of May 19.

Once applications are submitted and reviewed, students will be notified directly through their DC Mail email account. Bursaries are generally assessed within 15 business days of submission.   

The federal government also announced on April 22 that comprehensive support of nearly $9 billion will become available for post-secondary students and recent graduates. Please visit the Government of Canada’s website for more details.

Appointments can be booked through MyVisit for existing students. All Financial Aid appointments will be conducted via phone or Skype until further notice. Please do not come onto the campus for your appointment.

Financial Aid and Awards phone inquiries are currently suspended.  Please send your question via email to the corresponding email address below. To avoid delays, all emails should be sent from your DC Mail account and include your full name (first and last) as well as your student number.

Financial Aid inquiries: financialaid@durhamcollege.ca.

Student Awards inquiries: studentawards@durhamcollege.ca.

On-Campus Employment inquiries: dcstudentemployment@durhamcollege.ca.

General bursary applications will be processed as usual.  You will be notified of the results via your DC Mail Account. Bursary applications and deadline dates can be found in MyCampus on the Financial Aid tab

Documents required for Financial Aid or Awards purposes other than OSAP should be scanned in PDF format and forwarded to the appropriate email as listed below or to your Financial Aid Coach if you have been dealing with them directly.

Financial Aid inquiries: financialaid@durhamcollege.ca.

Student Awards inquiries: studentawards@durhamcollege.ca.

On-Campus Employment inquiries: dcstudentemployment@durhamcollege.ca.

SALS employees are working remotely Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Virtual appointments can be arranged by calling 905.721.2000 ext. 2491 or ext. 4221.

A list of SALS service areas is provided below. Please call 905.721.2000 ext. 2491 or ext. 4221 to schedule an appointment.

Subject
Basic math, business math
Physics, statistics and technical math
Biology, anatomy, physiology
Writing skills/referencing/academic Integrity
ESL/writing Skills
Accounting and business
Chemistry
Learning Skills
Peer tutoring
Director, questions / concerns Nicky.Patel@durhamcollege.ca

For information on subject-specific tutorials, please refer to the corresponding subject units in SALS ONLINE on DC Connect. Tutorials will be delivered via Zoom.

Learning skills and writing skills workshops are available through SALS ONLINE. The Academic integrity workshop will also be held on Zoom. No face-to-face workshops are currently being offered.

Students are encouraged to use SALS ONLINE resources to support their learning and check Announcements in SALS ONLINE for updates regarding available help. We will do our best to support you.

Basic peer tutoring is being offered virtually. Students are not to meet face-to-face.  Any other questions, please email SALS@durhamcollege.ca

Students registered in the spring semester were not charged for the UPass in their payment of fees. As such, please be advised that your Durham College student ID will not be valid as a bus pass for Durham Region Transit for the duration of the semester.

In an effort to help transition customers to contactless fare payment, DRT is offering free PRESTO cards for a limited time. Please visit their website for more information.

If using public transit, you will be required to pay the applicable rates when entering the bus. In an effort to help transition customers to contactless fare payment, DRT is offering free PRESTO cards for a limited time. Please visit their website for more information.

If you have any questions, please contact oes@durhamcollege.ca.

For courses with lab/shop/studio/placement or other face-to-face delivery requirements, that can not be completed until we return to campus, students will see an incomplete grade (INC) for that course when grades are released. When you are back in class and have achieved the required course learning outcomes, your final grade will replace the “INC”.

Yes, where you have not passed a course, you will automatically receive a Withdrawal (W) notation on your transcript. This will be reflected on your permanent transcript as a reflection of DC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As per the Grading Policy, you will not be granted credit for courses in which a ‘W’ was awarded, and the ‘W’ grade will not impact your GPA. You will still be required to repeat the course where necessary to complete program requirements. The course where a ‘W’ grade has been assigned will not count as a course attempt. There will not be a resulting tuition refund.

Where you have received a passing numeric grade in a course, but do not want that result to appear on your transcript or to adversely impact your GPA, you can have your numeric grade converted to Satisfactory (SAT) grade. To take advantage of this opportunity, you must complete the SAT Conversion form that will be available on MyCampus and submit it to Strategic Enrolment Services (SES).

Students who choose this option should be aware that your eligibility for honours and awards (including financial aid awards that consider GPA) may be impacted. You may not be eligible for credit transfer, which may impact the evaluation of your transcripts (for admissions, credit transfer or advanced standing) and transfers to co-op options at Durham College and at other academic institutions.  

Academic Standing is used to determine the eligibility of students to continue or graduate from their programs. Although Academic Standing will be assessed, no student will be required to withdraw from a program following the winter 2020 semester. Students will be eligible to register in the next semester.

As the COVID-19 situation evolves, the college will continue to provide answers on a daily basis to many of the frequently asked questions we are receiving. Questions about classes and academics can be directed to your academic school below. If your question is not addressed in the FAQ on this page, all other questions can be sent to dccares@durhamcollege.ca.

Department	Telephone	Email
School of Business, IT & Management	905.721.3064	BITM@durhamcollege.ca
Centre for Professional and Part-time Learning	905.721.3052	ppl@durhamcollege.ca
School of Health & Community Services	905.721.3080	HCS@durhamcollege.ca
School of Hospitality & Horticultural Science	905.721.4144	gayle.anderson@durhamcollege.ca (student advisor)
School of Interdisciplinary Studies	905.721.3161	janice.haslett@durhamcollege.ca
School of Justice & Emergency Services	905.721.3070	tracey.duncan@durhamcollege.ca
School of Media, Art & Design	905.721.2000 ext. 3067	stacy.leaming@durhamcollege.ca
School of Science & Engineering Technology	905.721.3060	SET@durhamcollege.ca
School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology	905.721.2000 ext. 3344	amapola.serrano@durhamcollege.ca (general questions) jennifer.means@durhamcollege.ca (student advisor)

Students in spring semester programs, who do not require face-to-face classes to finish their courses, will complete their courses remotely on August 7.

Spring semester students who are in programs that require face-to-face classes will have these courses deferred until the above winter semester students have completed their face-to-face instruction. Specific dates for in-person instruction will be shared by school offices as soon as information becomes available.

We understand the anxiety you may be feeling given the current global situation. The Government of Canada is being proactive in its response to COVID-19 to ensure the health and safety of everyone currently living in Canada and Durham College will support international students during this time.

• Please do not make quick decisions. 
• Please reassure your family that international students are covered by Morcare health insurance. 

International students will have coverage for COVID-19 under the terms and conditions of the policy, just like any other medical condition.  If an international student is advised by a public health official to get the test for COVID-19, the cost will be covered by Morcare. Remember that you are not covered for Morcare health insurance or Student VIP Blue Cross health insurance in your own country.

On Monday, March 23, 2020 online delivery began and will continue until further notice.

If your Program of Study has co-op work-terms, practicums, field or clinical placements, labs or studio requirements they have been suspended and your program coordinator or placement coordinator has been in touch with you regarding how these requirements will be completed.

If you still wish to return to your home country, please notify the International Education office at international@durhamcollege.ca and contact your program coordinator to let them know you plan to leave Canada to complete your studies at home.  Be sure to ask if for their approval to do so, and if you have everything you need to complete your studies successfully online, outside of Canada.

Students returning to their home countries should keep in mind that they will still be expected to join online class at the times offered, despite being in a differing time zone.

If you choose to return to your home country, be sure to follow your country’s procedures as it relates to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).  Please also be aware of travel restrictions to Canada should you want to return by following the Government of Canada travel advice here. 

If you are not in your final term, be sure that you have all necessary documents in order to return to Canada, such as a valid passport, TRV or eTA, Study Permit, Biometrics, Program Enrolment verification letter, Semester Enrolment verification letter, and anything else that may be asked by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers when you return.
See more about leaving and returning to Canada as an international student at the following link. It is important to note that re-entry to Canada is not guaranteed. As of March 16, 2020, entry into Canada is limited to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada, only. This does not include study permit holders.

If you are in your final term and plan to apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after this semester, you can do so from your home country or return and apply in Canada.  If you decide to return to Canada, please refer to the link above about leaving and returning to Canada.  You will have 180 days from the date you receive confirmation that you have graduated to apply for your PGWP.  You will receive your Course Completion letter from the International Education office several weeks after you complete all of your program requirements, see more about what to expect after you complete your studies here.

You will also require an original of your transcript when applying for your PGWP.  More detailed information about the PGWP can be found on this website.

Learn more about applying for the PGWP outside of Canada

Learn more about applying for the PGWP inside Canada

As the one week of suspended classes, is not considered a scheduled break, but rather a situation out of your control regarding your studies, we recommend that you call Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) at 1-888-242-2100 to find out if you are eligible to work more than 20 hours per week off-campus. You can reach a client service representative by dialing 3-4-1-0 after the introduction message. There might be a long wait, so be prepared for this if you decide to call.  You will also find more IRCC information on scheduled breaks by visiting this link.

Yes. Student residences are still open and students living on campus are permitted to stay until the end of the academic term.

Any student who is looking for summer accommodation must create a summer application to do so.

For additional questions, contact the residence via their website to live chat, call 905-728-8700 ext. 8100 (Oshawa) and 905-728-8700 (Whitby) or email info@dc-otresidence.ca

DC has committed to pay continuity for part-time student employees for regularly scheduled hours.

Where work study students do not have regularly scheduled hours, they will be paid an average, based on hours worked per week, for the last four weeks.

Work study students will still be responsible for updating their hours via Web Time Entry (WTE) and must continue to update their approved scheduled hours via WTE as per the payroll deadlines.

Work study students cannot be approved for hours after Friday, April 17, 2020, nor can they exceed established work study semester maximums (140 hours /semester).

For general inquiries, please contact international@durhamcollege.ca and we will ensure your message gets directed to the appropriate person.

Keep checking this page for up-to-date information on special measures put in place by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to help international students, temporary and permanent residents, and applicants affected by COVID-19.

DC is restricting college academic and business-related travel and is strongly encouraging employees or students to avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada.

DC employees and students who are travelling for personal reasons outside of Canada in the coming weeks are advised to continue to monitor the Government of Canada guidelines and follow the protocols listed for travel.

Students and employees returning to Canada should:

• Self-isolate for 14 days after your return from travel outside of Canada.
• Monitor your health for fever, cough or difficulty breathing.
• Wash your hands often for 20 seconds and cover your mouth and nose with your arm when coughing or sneezing.

If you develop a fever, cough or difficulty breathing within 14 days:

• Continue to isolate yourself from others.
• Immediately call a health-care professional or public health authority In Ontario call 1-866-797-0000 or visit Public Health Ontario’s website more information.
  • Describe your symptoms and travel history.
  • Follow their instructions carefully.

In addition to the above, Shoppers Drug Mart has a virtual health consultation program called Maple.

As of March 16, 2020, Morcare coverage for inbound (international) students and medical coverage remains the same, as documented within the current policy, including testing and treatment for COVID-19 being fully covered.  If you are advised by a public health official to get the test for COVID-19, the cost will be covered by Morcare.

Remember that you are not covered for Morcare health insurance or Student VIP Blue Cross health insurance in your own country.

For more information on international student health care coverage, please go to the Morcare website and select Durham College.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that, for international students in Canada, courses of study being delivered online on an exceptional basis due to COVID-19 will not affect PGWP eligibility.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canada Revenue Agency has extended the tax deadline to June 1, 2020.

For information on filing your taxes as an international student, please see this page.

Yes. If you have lost income because of COVID-19, you may be eligible to apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) which provides temporary income support. To be eligible for the CERB, you must reside in Canada and have a valid Social Insurance Number. Workers who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents – including temporary foreign workers and international students – may be eligible to receive the CERB if they meet the other eligibility requirements. For more information and application instructions, please visit https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html. The portal for accessing this new benefit launched on April 6.

In addition, students who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 can apply to the International Student Emergency Bursary. This fund is intended to support students with proven financial need due to COVID-19. This includes students who have lost income, are unable to secure a job to support expenses, are unable to transfer money from their home country to Canada, are unable to return to their home country and have therefore incurred unforeseen in-Canada costs (housing, etc.), and other impacts.

This emergency bursary is awarded on an individual basis after a careful review of a student’s expenses, income, employment and personal situation. The amount awarded will be based on a student’s individual assessed need.

If you require emergency financial support and would like to apply, email isa@durhamcollege.ca to discuss your financial concerns. In your email, include an outline of your financial need. You will be asked to complete a needs assessment application.

If your job offer is in an essential service, you can work more than 20 hours per week. IRCC recently announced that they have lifted the restriction on working 20 hours per week for essential services due to COVID-19. For further details and a list of essential services, see: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2020/04/removing-barriers-for-international-students-working-in-essential-services-to-fight-covid-19.html

If your job offer is for a position that is not considered an essential service, contact ISA@durhamcollege.ca.

You have 180 days beginning from the date listed on your course completion letter or when you receive your final marks, whichever date is earlier, to apply for your PGWP. For example, if your course completion letter is dated July 1, you have 180 days starting from then.

If you wish to work full-time once you apply for your PGWP, you will need to apply for your PGWP before your study permit expires.

Students with a valid study permit may continue working 20 hours per week until they receive their course completion letter.

Once they receive the course completion letter, they must stop working until they submit their PGWP application.

After submitting their PGWP application, students who had a valid study permit at the time of applying for the PGWP may work full-time until a decision has been reached.

IRCC has provided a helpful guide for applying for a PGWP. See here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/about.html

If you have extended your stay as a visitor OR extended your study permit, include the submission confirmation letter of either of these extensions in your PGWP application.

For all Durham College students who have recently completed their programs, it will be helpful to write a letter of explanation to the immigration officer within your application to note that while you have graduated and you have your official verification of graduation letter, however, due to COVID-19 your official transcripts are unavailable, and provide the Unofficial Transcript Letter from Strategic Enrolment Services, signed by our Registrar. Provide these explanations in one PDF file and include in your application in the section “Client Information” file. Include your study permit in this PDF file, as well.  If you need more information during this process, contact ISA@durhamcollege.ca

Please contact ISA@durhamcollege.ca. Be sure to include your name and student number in your email.

If you plan on staying in Canada while waiting to apply for your PGWP and not work, but your study permit expires before you apply, you can apply to remain in Canada as a visitor to keep your legal status while waiting for your PGWP. In your PGWP application, include the submission confirmation letter of your application to extend your stay as a visitor. Here’s how to extend your stay in Canada as a visitor. For more information, see Guide 5551 – Applying to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada – Online application.

IRCC states that to apply for a PGWP, you require:

• an official letter from your school that confirms you’ve completed your study program (for Durham College graduates, this is your course completion letter)
• an official transcript, OR a copy of your transcript from your school’s website

See IRCC’s website for details.

While IRCC will accept a copy of your transcript from our website, we recommend that students use their official transcript to put together the best application possible.

However, the Durham College campus is closed due to efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. With no access to printing and postage facilities, Strategic Enrolment Services has suspended paper (official) transcript services at this time, until we are back on campus.

To support your PGWP application, please download and include the Unofficial Transcript Letter from Strategic Enrolment Services, signed by our Registrar. This letter, which can also be found in the Need to Know section of MyCampus, will explain to an IRCC Officer that Durham College official transcripts are not available at this time.

We also encourage you to write a brief explanation in your application, as the first page of your Client Information File (a section in the PGWP application form), about why you are including a copy of your transcript instead of your original transcript. A sample note may be:

Dear IRCC Officer, 

Please note that I have included a copy of my transcript from my school’s website in my application for a Post-Graduation Work Permit. Due to our Strategic Enrolment Services offices working off-campus in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, they are unable to print official transcripts at this time. Please see the letter from our Registrar, included in my application, that confirms this information.

Thank you for your consideration,

{Your name}

In addition, according to new rules by IRCC in response to challenges presented by COVID-19, you can apply for your PGWP without having all of the required documents at the time of application. IRCC has stated that they “will not refuse an application for non-compliance”. This means that the IRCC officer will keep your application open while awaiting your documents. Detailed information from IRCC is available here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/service-delivery/coronavirus/temporary-residence/study-permit.html

As of Monday June 22, current and past graduates can obtain a copy of their graduation status(es) at Durham College. This official letter can be accessed at any time on MyCampus and will provide you with your graduated status whether you have just begun your program, have applied to graduate or have successfully graduated from your program.  You can provide this letter to another academic institution for admission, for employment or for PGWP purposes.

The course completion letter is now called the Verification of Graduation letter.

Please visit MyCampus, in the DC Home tab, go to the right side of the page and under “Student Records” click on Verification of Graduation letter.

If you have any questions regarding the status of your letter please email convocation@durhamcollege.ca.

After submitting your PGWP application, if you have received a letter from IRCC requesting you provide one or more documents, a new section was created on your application page.

Sign in to your IRCC account (MyCIC), click the “View submitted application” button at the bottom of the page and follow the instructions provided on the Documents Submitted page.

Should you be unable to provide the information and/or other documents requested, you must advise IRCC in writing detailing the reasons why you cannot provide the document/information requested.  You must upload this written explanation electronically through the MyCIC portal instead of the document requested. This would include, for example, that your official transcript is not available due to COVID-19 situation.

Our September intake is open for international students and is currently set to start as scheduled. Due to the fast-changing situation, it is advisable that students visit our website for updated information and contact details. We will continue to post the most up-to-date information as it becomes available.

If you require English language proficiency testing but are unable to access IELTS or TOEFL, we will temporarily accept the Duolingo English test if completed between Monday, March 16 and Monday, August 31.

For applicants completing Duolingo, upon arrival to campus, there may be a re-assessment to ensure any additional language needs or supports are available to ensure student success.

If you have additional questions about admissions, please contact the international admissions team at internationaladmisssions@durhamcollege.ca.

DC will be accepting results from the Duolingo English Test until Monday August 31. This interim measure has been approved as an alternative for applicants who cannot access testing at English Language testing centres closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The college reserves the right to add additional testing once students arrive on campus, in order to ensure that students’ learning is supported appropriately.

Applicants with questions can contact us at internationalapplications@durhamcollege.ca.

Keep checking this page for up-to-date information on special measures put in place by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to help international students, temporary and permanent residents, and applicants affected by COVID-19.

Durham College will be accepting results from the Duolingo English Test until August 31, 2020. This interim measure has been approved as an alternative for applicants who cannot access testing at English Language testing centre closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The College reserves the right to add additional testing once students arrive on campus, in order to ensure that students’ learning is supported appropriately.

Minimum Scores

Certificate and Diploma Programs:  105

Most one-year certificate programs

Most two-year diploma programs

Most three-year advanced diploma programs

Post-Graduate and Degree programs:  110

One-year Ontario college graduate certificate and compressed, fast-track programs and the following diploma or degree programs:

• Behavioural Science - Honours Bachelor
• Dental Assisting (levels I and II)
• Dental Reception and Administration
• Health Care Technology Management - Honours Bachelor
• Journalism
• Massage Therapy
• Music Business Administration/Music Business Management
• Police Foundations
• PR and Strategic Communications
• Social Service Worker
• Sport Administration/Sport Management

The following selected programs:  120

• Practical Nursing
• Communicative Disorders Assistant (graduate certificate)

TOEFL is now offered online.  Access to a new online test has recently been posted on the TOEFL website.   Here is the link:https://www.ets.org/s/cv/toefl/at-home/

Please note: If a student is from an SDS Country, it is up to the student and agent to verify with IRCC if using Duolingo will affect their applications as an SDS student. If it will, student will need to apply under the general stream as we have no control or say over IRCC rulings.

DC has implemented a pay continuity model to protect the wages of our employees, while we continue to assess the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our operations. The model of pay continuity is in place until further notice.

The college campuses are currently closed. Employees who are considered essential services have been advised by their supervisor, all other employees are not to go to campus, per the Government of Ontario’s directive. 

• Ensure you have a suitable remote work space, taking into consideration safety, ergonomics, privacy and confidentiality.
• Ensure an internet connection is available.
• Managers should ensure they have a means of contacting all of their employees during the closure period, and have communicated how they should contact them.
• Guarantee regular check-in of work voicemail and/or have calls forwarded to a home, or cell phone device. Voicemail should also be updated to identify to callers the frequency with which voicemails will be checked.
  • Sample voicemail message: Due to COVID-19, Durham College’s campuses and Pickering Learning Site are closed. Academic programs and operations have transitioned online. This voicemail is being checked on a daily basis. I will return your call, or feel free to reach me via email. The most up-to-date information on the college's operations is available on the DC website. Thank you.
• Use teleconferencing, Skype for Business or Office 365 to hold and attend meetings as necessary.
• Log into email and calendar regularly.
• Ensure access to applications and files remotely and request VPN access, if necessary. Note: VPN access is not necessary to access email, DC Connect, ICE, Office 365 or MyCampus. Employees require VPN access to connect to Banner, Fast and the network drives.
• Fulfill the expectations agreed upon with their manager regarding the scope of their remote work assignment and honour agreed upon hours of availability to communicate.
• Avoid working on personal computers, and take all reasonable steps to ensure the protection of confidential information.
• Report any malfunctions to equipment as soon as possible to supervisor and IT Services.
• Continue to report absences due to injury, illness, or caring for a family member to their supervisors/attendance keeper as soon as possible.

In support of business continuity plans, most employees, with the exception of small teams of in-person essential services, are being asked to work from home. Below are some guidelines to assist managers and employees with establishing and maintaining work from home arrangements.

·     A work from home arrangement should maintain an employee’s regular hours of work, any shifts in hours of work or availability should be discussed with your manager in advance.

·     Working from home does not change the basic terms and conditions of employment under the applicable collective agreement, employment contract, policies and law. All employees are expected to continue to comply with college policies while working remotely.

·     In some cases, a manager may require an employee to report in a different way, or with different levels of frequency than when they are working onsite. This is generally to ensure the manager is up-to-date. For example, the manager may wish to schedule additional update meetings, have updates provided by email, or implement schedules and methods of reporting.

·     The length of time work from home arrangements are in place will be based on direction from government officials and business continuity decisions made by DC.

A remote workspace should provide a comparable level of health, safety and security to college office space. For more information about ensuring a safe work space at home, visit the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website

Please direct the person to Public Health information and advise they follow the direction provided.  Please do not share health related information with others, without the express consent of the individual.

If you are in self isolation due to travel, or another reason as directed by Public Health, but are not symptomatic, you are able to work remotely.

 

If you are having difficulty keeping up with work while remote, please talk to your manager to review options, such as other accommodation measures, taking accrued vacation, borrowing on future vacation, change of schedule etc. 

The Human Resources department, in collaboration with Communications and Marketing, has created a new section on ICE called Work@home. Dedicated to supporting employees while they are working from home, the site provides a variety of resources and new ways to connect with the DC community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the resources on Work@home include tips and tricks for working remotely, online professional development offerings, health and wellness webinars/resources, virtual coffee breaks, and information on employee benefits and the Employee and Family Assistance Program.

Employees are encouraged to take some time to check out this great new resource.

An employer is not obligated to provide a paper copy when an electronic ROE is filed. An employee can assess their ROE online through Service Canada at https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/my-account.html.

As Ontario's government continues a staged approach to re-opening the province, DC is developing plans for a phased return to campus when it is safe to do so.

A key consideration in DC's planning is safeguarding our workplace. To ensure protocols are in place to support employee health and safety, DC and Ontario Tech University established a joint Return to Work (RTW) operational task force.

The RTW task force has developed revised Working on Campus guidelines for employees whose roles required them to be on campus for the continuity of campus operations.  Based on current public health and government advice, this document outlines specific actions taken to ensure a safe work environment for employees. It also guides managing and maintaining a safe workplace as campus operations resume in the future.

Despite DC's closure in mid-March, some essential services have remained on-campus. In the coming weeks, DC will be working toward a very careful and thoughtful phased reopening of additional essential services on campus, when it is safe to do so and based on government guidance.

More information will be shared as decisions regarding the reopening framework for the safe resumption of on-campus operations are made. Ensuring the health and well-being of our employees, students and the broader community will always remain our first priority.

Please continue to follow the direction provided by Durham Region Health.

Please continue to follow the direction provided by Durham Region Health.

Please continue to follow the direction provided by Durham Region Health.

The college has reinstated its standard sick note policy in which employees must provide a doctor’s note for short term sick leaves longer than 5 days.

For leaves due to illness or injury longer than 10 days, the college has also reinstated its policy that requires physician’s clearance and disclosure of any required accommodations prior to returning to work.

The exception to the above will remain in instances where an employee has been diagnosed with COVID19 or are self-isolating because they are believed to have COVID19. Or if the employee has requirements to care for a loved one who is ill with COVID19. In these situations no doctors note will be required. Please speak with your supervisor or your HR Generalist if you have any specific questions.

All members of Durham Region are advised to follow the COVID-19 reporting protocol identified by Durham Region Public Health.  The Public Health department will communicate with you directly if there is a need for you to be tested or isolated.  If DC is contacted by Public Health, we will fully cooperate with their investigation.

EFAP is available to full-time employees and their eligible dependents.  If you are a contract or part-time employee and are interested in EFAP supports, please contact Kelly.doyle@durhamcollege.ca. EFAP services can be accessed:

• 1.844.8809142
• TTY: 1.877.338.0275
• Workhealthlife.com
• download My EAP app

Absences due to illness should continue to be reported and recorded through the normal, established process within your department.  Attendance keepers will continue to report attendance to HR.

If an employee who is eligible for sick leave entitlements advises the College that they are ill or injured, the College will compensate that employee using the appropriate sick leave per the normal process.

As of April 7, all support and administrative staff are to utilize all current year leave balances (vacation, and lieu time for support staff) by June 30.

Effective March 18, managers may need to speak with employees about rescheduling vacation.

All eligible employees (full-time academic, support and administrative staff as well as partial-load staff) currently on sick leave will continue to follow the normal process for managing their sick leave plans and ensure if needed, that the LTD application process is followed.  For clarity, if an eligible employee exhausts their 100% paid sick days, they would switch to 75% paid sick days until the 130 days elimination period for LTD is reached.

For employees who left Canada prior to Wednesday, March 18:

Sun Life is treating illness due to the Coronavirus as any other medical emergency. This means there is no exclusion to treating someone because this is an epidemic vs. another type of medical emergency.

The out-of-country coverage will cover the employee in the event of a medical emergency, even if it is related to the Coronavirus. This applies as long as the employee is within the trip duration limit. For more information please review the College Employer Council update.

For employees who are leaving Canada to travel on or after March 18, 2020:

The administrative exceptions included above will not apply. This is in-line with the Government of Canada’s efforts to prevent non-essential travel and repatriate Canadians traveling abroad.

The following will not be available under the out-of-country travel benefit for employees on or after March 18th:

Coverage of any expenses during and after a period of quarantine (directed by a doctor or public health official), unless the plan member shows symptoms of or has tested positive for COVID-19-19

Employees who are currently abroad, but not in quarantine and cannot return home will continue to have access to out-of-country coverage up to the 60-day limit under the Plan. After this time, they will not have out-of-country coverage.

If an employee or their dependent needs the immediate attention of a doctor for a medical emergency, they must contact Allianz for assistance:

• In the USA and Canada call: 1.800.511.4610
• From anywhere else: 1.519.514.0351
• Fax: 1.519.514.0374

Allianz is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For more information please review changes to out-of-country coverage due to COVID-19-19.

The College will continue to administer Sun Life benefits according to the terms of our negotiated plan, which requires benefits coverage to conclude at the same time the partial load teaching contract ends.

Employees can find the enrolment form on the ICE.

Please complete the enrolment form and send an electronic scanned copy to your Human Resources Generalist via email. If you do not have access to a scanner please take a picture of each page of the enrolment form and email it to your HR Generalist.  Please note that all sections of the enrolment form must be completed and coverage selection must be clear. You must submit the original hard copy of the enrollment form to your HR Generalist within two weeks of the college re-opening.

A remote workspace should provide a comparable level of health, safety and security to college office space. For more information about ensuring a safe work space at home, visit the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website.

Please ensure media inquires are forwarded to DC’s Communications and Marketing team at mediarelations@durhamcollege.ca.

Please speak with your supervisor.  HR related questions can be directed to your Human Resources Generalist.

Yes. Durham College (DC) issued partial parking pass refunds for six weeks when the COVID-19 pandemic began. The college is now issuing final reimbursements of parking refunds, due to the on-going campus closure.

Employees who have paid their 2019-2020 annual parking in full, will receive a seventeen-week refund via direct deposit.

Employees who pay for parking through payroll deduction will continue to have payments suspended.    

Payroll deductions will be reconciled and if an amount is owed, the amount will be deducted on the following dates:

• Full Time administrative staff on June 26
• Full Time faculty on June 26
• Full Time support staff on July 2
• Contract employees on July 3

There is no action required on the employees’ part. We will communicate when the deduction of these fees is set to restart.

Please continue to visit www.durhamcollege.ca/coronavirus for COVID-related updates and FAQs.

Please email payroll to check or change your banking information on file.

Yes, all parking gates have been raised at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses until further notice.

Refunds for chaser tickets are not being issued until the college resumes normal campus operations. Please keep your chaser tickets for the time being, and further updates will be communicated with the campus community when the campus is open.

Winter semester parking passes will be valid until April 30. Yearly parking passes will be valid until August 31.

Please email dccares@durhamcollege.ca with parking questions that have not been answered in these FAQs.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued travel advisories to avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada.

Students and employees returning to Canada should:

• Self-isolate for 14 days after your return from travel outside of Canada.
• Monitor your health for fever, cough or difficulty breathing.
• Wash your hands often for 20 seconds and cover your mouth and nose with your arm when coughing or sneezing.

If you develop a fever, cough or difficulty breathing within 14 days:

• Continue to isolate yourself from others.
• Immediately call a health-care professional or public health authority, and:
  • describe your symptoms and travel history.
  • follow their instructions carefully.

Those returning from Italy, Iran, or Hubei province (China) are asked to contact the public health authority within 24 hours of arriving in Canada and to provide your contact information.

Government of Canada novel coronavirus information line: 1-833-784-4397.

If you think you have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has it, use the Government of Ontario’s online self-assessment to help determine if you need to seek further care.

DC is restricting college academic and business-related travel and is strongly encouraging employees or students to avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada.

DC employees and students who are travelling for personal reasons outside of Canada in the coming weeks are advised to continue to monitor the Government of Canada guidelines and follow the protocols listed for travel.

As of March 14, the Government of Canada is recommending that those currently outside of Canada:

• Find out what commercial options are still available to return to Canada and consider returning to Canada earlier than planned if these options are becoming more limited.
• Ensure that you have sufficient finances and necessities, including medication, in case your travels are disrupted.

For employees who left Canada prior to Wednesday, March 18:

• Sun Life is treating illness due to the Coronavirus as any other medical emergency. This means there is no exclusion to treating someone because this is an epidemic vs. another type of medical emergency.
• The out-of-country coverage will cover the employee in the event of a medical emergency, even if it is related to the Coronavirus. This applies as long as the employee is within the trip duration limit. For more information please review the College Employer Council update.

For employees who are leaving Canada to travel on or after March 18, 2020:

• The administrative exceptions included above will not apply. This is in-line with the Government of Canada’s efforts to prevent non-essential travel and repatriate Canadians traveling abroad.
• The following will not be available under the out-of-country travel benefit for employees on or after March 18th:
• Coverage of any expenses during and after a period of quarantine (directed by a doctor or public health official), unless the plan member shows symptoms of or has tested positive for COVID-19

Employees who are currently abroad, but not in quarantine and cannot return home will continue to have access to out-of-country coverage up to the 60-day limit under the Plan. After this time, they will not have out-of-country coverage.

If an employee or their dependent needs the immediate attention of a doctor for a medical emergency, they must contact Allianz for assistance:

• In the USA and Canada call: 1.800.511.4610
• From anywhere else: 1.519.514.0351
• Fax: 1.519.514.0374

Allianz is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For more information please review changes to out-of-country coverage due to COVID-19.