Research and Scholarship Leaves

Academic Staff

The primary purpose of granting a research and scholarship leave is to enhance the quality of the Academic Staff member as a scholar and as a teacher, thereby assisting the university to achieve greater excellence in its basic areas of responsibility, effective teaching, and the advancement of learning.

A research and scholarship leave will be granted only when the leave is determined to be of mutual benefit to the Academic staff member and the university. The benefit shall be judged in terms of any combination of research, scholarly work and teaching.

Research and Scholarship leaves are earned through the accumulation of years of service. A staff member may make an application for an RSL in accordance with the schedule below.

The 2025-2026 application period is now closed.

  1. 3 Years Qualifying Service

    Length Leave: 6 months

    Maximum Assistance During RSL Based on: 90.0% of staff member's academic rank salary

  2. 6 Years Qualifying Service

    Length Leave: 12 months

    Maximum Assistance During RSL Based on: 90.0% of staff member's academic rank salary

  3. 6 Years Qualifying Service

    Length Leave: 6 months

    Maximum Assistance During RSL Based on: 100% of staff member's academic rank salary

Important notes:

  • All Research and Scholarship Leaves are subject to approval by the Dean and are not a direct entitlement for academic staff members.
  • First RSL granted after tenure will be at 100% salary - this first RSL is only available to staff members who apply for and receive tenure through the processes under this Collective Agreement and not to those who are appointed with tenure.
  • Those staff members who have held an administrative appointment (example Department Head, Associate Dean) of not less than five consecutive years shall be eligible for a 12-month administrative leave at 100% salary.
  • In addition to the administrative leave eligibility parameters set out in Article 17.1 of the Collective Agreement as it relates to five (5) year appointments, an academic staff member who renders three (3) consecutive years of service as a Department Head or Associate Dean, in their initial appointment into such role, shall be eligible for a six (6) month administrative leave at 100% of the academic staff members salary. 
  • Please refer to the Collective Agreement; Article 16 and 17 for complete information on RSL and Administrative Leaves.

How to Apply

The 2025-2026 application period is now closed.

Interested applicants should know there are two steps to a completed RSL application.  Both portions must be completed by October 15, 2024: 

  1. Submitting intent to apply (via the webform below), and
  2. Completing the application process in Academic Portfolio. 

A few days following the submission of your intent to apply via the webform, HR will initiate a case in Academic Portfolio and you will receive an email notification.  You are required to log in and complete all of the required documentation and steps in Academic Portfolio by October 15, 2024.

The Faculty Research & Scholarship Leave Committee members will review applications using Academic Portfolio.

Particular attention is directed to the following:

  • you must make appropriate arrangements for handling your academic duties and responsibilities during the RSL in consultation with your Department Heads [16.10]
  • you must return and render regular, full-time service to the university equal to the number of months comprising the Research & Scholarship Leave, or reimburse the university for the amount of assistance received during the leave period [16.20(a)]
  • within three months of completion of the Research & Scholarship Leave, you are required to submit a written report to your Dean (and Head if applicable) which provides an outline of your activities during the leave period [16.20(b)]
  • all Research & Scholarship Leave applications must be approved by the Dean of your faculty [16.8]
  • if you anticipate international travel as part of your research and study leave, please visit Risk Management & Insurance for information on current travel restrictions and travel registration 

Frequently Asked Questions

Academic Staff Member

Qualifying service is determined by the duration of service of a staff member holding a Continuing, Contingent Term, or Limited Term appointment. This duration is affected by periods of leave and administrative roles such as Department Head or equivalent, or Associate Dean. If an Academic staff member has neither taken a leave of absence nor held an administrative position since their date of hire, their qualifying service duration should match their overall service time. The service of a staff member holding a part-time appointment shall accrue qualifying service on a pro-rata basis. 

Example: If a staff member was employed under a Continuing Appointment starting from July 1, 2018, without any leaves or administrative appointments, by July 1, 2024, they would have accumulated 6.0 years of qualifying service.

For more information on qualifying service, see Article 16.3.1 and Article 17.

Your qualifying service will be verified by Human Resources through the submission of your Intent to Apply at the beginning of the application process. The application period commences in September.

Following a 6-month research and scholarship leave with 90% pay, the maximum qualifying service which a staff member may carry forward to be counted as qualifying service shall not exceed thirty-six (36) months. 

Following a 6-month RSL with 100% pay (not first after tenure), or 12-month RSL with 90% pay, all remaining qualifying service is cancelled.

For more information on carry-forward service, see Article 16.3.1 e) and 17.2. 

If an academic staff member is interested in retirement at the conclusion of their research and scholarship leave or administrative leave, they must submit a separate notice of retirement to the Dean, as early as possible, but usually after the time the research and scholarship leave or administrative leave is approved and no later than three months before the commencement of the leave.

Article 16.21 applies to academic staff members:

  1. who are sixty (60) years of age or older with at least fifteen (15) years of continuous service; or
  2. who are sixty-five (65) years of age with at least three (3) years of continuous service in a full-time, Continuing, Contingent Term or Limited Term appointment by the end of the research and scholarship leave or administrative leave.

For more information on RSL or Administrative Leave to Retirement see Article 16.21 and 17.8. 

Return to Service Requirement

Following a period of research and scholarship leave a staff member is required to return to the University and render regular full-time or part-time service according to the staff member's appointment equal to the number of months of the research and scholarship leave (or reimburse the University for the amount of research and scholarship leave assistance received during the leave period). 

RSL Report to the Dean

Following a period of research and scholarship leave a staff member is required to, within three (3) months of the date on which the research and scholarship leave expires, submit a written report to the Dean which provides an outline of the staff member's activities during the research and scholarship leave period.

For more information, see Article 16.20 and 17.8.

Deferral (Change of Dates)

To change the dates of an approved research and scholarship leave, contact your Department Head and Dean to confirm the change of dates. Written approval from the Dean is required – once approved, email hracadem@ucalgary.ca.

For more information on rescheduling an RSL, see Article 16.6.

Cancellation

To request a cancellation an approved research and scholarship leave, contact your Department Head and Dean to confirm the cancellation. Written confirmation from the Dean is required – once confirmed, email hracadem@ucalgary.ca.

The qualifying service related to the unused portion of the research and scholarship leave shall count as qualifying service credit to be applied to a future research and scholarship leave, subject to the provision of Article 16, Clauses 16.3.1 and 16.3.2

For more information on rescheduling an RSL, see Article 16.24.

Your current group benefit and pension arrangements will continue through your period of Research & Scholarship Leave. For more information on benefits and pension during RSL click here.

If travelling outside of Canada during your leave, review the RSL Benefits Information Guide from Alberta Blue Cross.

For specific questions regarding your coverages while on leave, contact Alberta Blue Cross or totalrewards@ucalgary.ca.

Academic staff members holding Continuing, Contingent Term, and Limited Term appointments are eligible to submit reimbursement for professional expenses. Staff members on Research and Scholarship or Administrative Leaves remain eligible.

  • To access your PER account, log on to the myUCalgary portal. Navigate to My work> Finance & Supply Chain > PER Statement

Submissions of Claim

Staff members on leave may continue to submit PER (Professional Expense Reimbursement) claims while on leave. Claims for the current academic year must be submitted online no later than two months by following the end of the academic year (by August 31st) or September 30th for a Staff Member returning from leave.

  • To submit a PER expense claim, log on to the myUCalgary portal. Navigate to My work> Finance & Supply Chain > Manage Expenses

 

For more information on Professional Expense Reimbursement, see the PER Website and the PER Handbook.

Department Head or Equivalent

Qualifying service is determined by the duration of service of a staff member holding a Continuing, Contingent Term, or Limited Term appointment. This duration is affected by periods of leave and administrative roles such as Department Head or equivalent, or Associate Dean. If an Academic staff member has neither taken a leave of absence nor held an administrative position since their date of hire, their qualifying service duration should match their overall service time. The service of a staff member holding a part-time appointment shall accrue qualifying service on a pro-rata basis. 

Example: If a staff member was employed under a Continuing Appointment starting from July 1, 2018, without any leaves or administrative appointments, by July 1, 2024, they would have accumulated 6.0 years of qualifying service.

For more information on qualifying service, see Article 16.3.1 and Article 17.

Qualifying service will be verified by Human Resources through the submission of the Staff Member’s Intent to Apply at the beginning of the application process. The application period commences in September.

If an academic staff member is interested in retirement at the conclusion of their research and scholarship leave or administrative leave, they must submit a separate notice of retirement to the Dean, as early as possible, but usually after the time the research and scholarship leave or administrative leave is approved and no later than three months before the commencement of the leave.

Article 16.21 applies to academic staff members:

  1. who are sixty (60) years of age or older with at least fifteen (15) years of continuous service; or
  2. who are sixty-five (65) years of age with at least three (3) years of continuous service in a full-time, Continuing, Contingent Term or Limited Term appointment by the end of the research and scholarship leave or administrative leave.

For more information on RSL or Administrative Leave to Retirement see Article 16.21 and 17.8. 

Deferral (Change of Dates)

To change the dates of an approved research and scholarship leave, the Department Head and Dean need to confirm the change of dates. Written approval from the Dean is required – once approved, email hracadem@ucalgary.ca.

For more information on rescheduling an RSL, see Article 16.6.

Cancellation

To request a cancellation an approved research and scholarship leave, the Department Head and Dean need to confirm the cancellation. Written confirmation from the Dean is required – once confirmed, email hracadem@ucalgary.ca.

The qualifying service related to the unused portion of the research and scholarship leave shall count as qualifying service credit to be applied to a future research and scholarship leave, subject to the provision of Article 16, Clauses 16.3.1 and 16.3.2

For more information on rescheduling an RSL, see Article 16.24.

Return to Service Requirement

Following a period of research and scholarship leave a staff member is required to return to the University and render regular full-time or part-time service according to the staff member's appointment equal to the number of months of the research and scholarship leave (or reimburse the University for the amount of research and scholarship leave assistance received during the leave period). 

RSL Report to the Dean

Following a period of research and scholarship leave a staff member is required to, within three (3) months of the date on which the research and scholarship leave expires, submit a written report to the Dean which provides an outline of the staff member's activities during the research and scholarship leave period.

For more information, see Article 16.20 and 17.8.

Travel Fund

Pursuant to Schedule "A" Article 2.19 of the Collective Agreement between the Board of Governors and the Faculty Association.

A travel fund is available to academic staff members who undertake a Research & Scholarship Leave involving a sojourn of no less than four months outside the Province of Alberta.

Schedule “A” of the Collective Agreement:

Article 2.19.1 A staff member who undertakes a research and scholarship leave or administrative leave involving a sojourn of no less than four months outside the Province of Alberta, shall be eligible for reimbursement for actual travel, accommodation, and food expenses incurred on their own behalf outside Alberta, to a maximum of $2,000 in respect of any one research and scholarship leave.

Article 2.19.2 All travel must be completed within the research and scholarship leave period, but the time spent outside of the Province of Alberta need not be taken in one consecutive period.

To file a claim, staff members must complete the request online through the 'Create Expense Report' tool in PeopleSoft Self Service. All supporting receipts must be uploaded with the online expense report. Please use the account code 10-63045-55140 when submitting your online claim. Once the claim has been substantiated, payment will be made to the staff member.

Total Compensation

The full amount of outside assistance received as scholarships, fellowships, travel grants, and the like, may be accepted and retained in addition to the level of support otherwise available to you from the university.

In general, you shall not engage in any employment for compensation during the leave period unless authorized in writing by the Department Head and Dean.

In cases where employment for compensation is authorized, the amount of university research and scholarship leave assistance otherwise payable by the university shall be decreased so that the amount of assistance together with outside compensation shall not exceed 125% of the staff member's academic rank salary for the leave period.

Fill out the Application for Approval of Employment Compensation While on Research and Scholarship Leave

  1. Supporting Documents

    Research and Scholarship Leave Committee members will review applications using Academic Portfolio.  These forms are supplementary to the RSL application and are available within Academic Portfolio.

  2. Documents and Forms

  3. References