Engineering Supplemental Exam Information

Please refer to the Academic Calendar for complete information on Regulation 14.

Supplemental Exams are an option granted exclusively to engineering students who have received between 40%-49% FR (Failure Range) grades during the term. Please note there is no opportunity to reschedule a missed Supplemental Exam. Supplemental exams are not an obligation owed to the student, but rather an opportunity to improve the grade. Students who would like the privilege of writing an upper-year supplemental exam during the upper-year exam period should ensure that they are available to write in person during the 4-day exam dates listed.

Eligibility:

  • a fall and winter term GPA of 0.7 or higher, a cumulative GPA of 1.30 or higher, and a final mark of ‘FR’ in the upper-year course.
  • Only two supplemental examinations can be written in any academic year.
  • Failure to write a supplemental examination for which a student is registered will result in a mark of ZERO “0.”
  • FR Grade(Failure Range 40-49%) is the grade in the course that is necessary to apply for a Supplemental Exam
  • Students must apply for a Supplemental Exam using the application on the forms page.
  • Students who also have more than two deferred exams (see Regulation 4a) will not be permitted to write a supplemental examination.
  • (NOTE: Supplemental exams are unavailable for Complementary Studies or first-year APSC courses.)
  • Questions? Contact qse.apc@queensu.ca Smith Engineering Student Services Office.

How an “FR” Grade Affects Fall Term CORE Course Registration

  • If the course with an “FR” is a prerequisite for a fall term CORE course, those courses will not be preloaded in SOLUS and will be removed by the prerequisite check program just before September 1st
  • Winter term courses will be preloaded but removed in January if a prerequisite is missing.
  • If a supplemental exam is taken and is a prerequisite for a CORE course in the fall, students should attend those CORE classes in September even though they are not registered for them.
  • Once the final mark is submitted (instructors typically have 10 working days after the exam is written to submit marks), and you have passed the course, you can register in those fall term CORE courses that were affected in SOLUS.

Final Grade is an “IN”

  • If a final grade of “IN” (incomplete) shows on your transcript, you will likely be writing the final exam for this course along with the students writing Supplemental exams in August.
  • No application or fee is required because this grade is based on extenuating circumstances
  • A confirmation email will be sent in the summer, and the exam schedule will be posted in mid-August.
  • The IN mark will be replaced with the new final grade.

Final Grade is “F”

  • If you have a final grade of “F” and the course is a CORE course, you will need to repeat this course at some point. Retaking a course usually means deferring another course to make room in your schedule and maintain a balanced course load. In this situation, students usually defer an elective and take it during the summer

How to Apply

The application for a Supplemental is due in June, and the application is posted yearly in May. Find the form here

Last updated: Mar 18, 2026