Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Appeal Letter for Waiving the Petition Deadline of RTW
Bella Han
20wh27@queensu.ca
Student Number: 20286041
July 26, 2026
Dear Associate Dean,
I am writing to formally appeal for waiving the petition deadline related to my Requirement
to Withdraw (RTW) ruling. I understand that the deadline to submit an RTW petition was
June 16, 2026, and I sincerely apologize for not meeting the deadline. I know it is important
to comply with University deadlines and would have missed it under normal circumstances.
I was experiencing extenuating circumstances beyond my control, which prevented me from
submitting the petition on time. I have been living with depression and anxiety for several
years. During the period close to the June 16 deadline, my mental health significantly
deteriorated due to multiple serious family problems that occurred in a short period of time.
My grandfather has been in the intensive care unit for a long period of time, and I have been
carrying the emotional burden of being unable to return to China to visit him. In late April
2026, another major family crisis happened when my aunt was diagnosed with bipolar
disorder after she physically attacked my mother and made death threats toward my parents
that involved me. My aunt was hospitalized from late April through May. This was an
extremely distressing event for my family, especially because my mom and aunt had been
very close throughout their lives. I have been staying with my aunt and her family for
holidays since I came to Canada to study, and we have always been close. At the same time,
ongoing conflicts within my extended family created additional stress. While I was still in
Kingston, I was asked by my mom to provide emotional support for my three young cousins
during this difficult time. Despite trying to support my cousins, I was struggling with school
and my own mental health when I felt overwhelmed by these responsibilities.
I flew back to China with my cousin to visit our families in May as planned. The reunion
with family members who have been physically and partially mentally distant from me,
resulting in multiple panic attacks and once again increased my emotional stress. My
grandfather’s condition worsened in late May, and by June my family had begun preparing
for his funeral arrangements. In addition, there was ongoing conflicts within my extended
family. My mom continued requiring me to provide emotional support to my cousins, aunt
and grandma while everyone was trying to cope with the situation. I was overwhelmed with
the fear of losing my grandpa and the responsibilities to take care of my families’ and my
own mental health.
As these events unfolded, my depression and anxiety became increasingly difficult to
manage. I experienced issues with concentrating, processing important information, making
decisions, and taking the necessary steps to respond to my academic situation. Because of my
mental health during this period, I did not fully understand the urgency of the RTW petition
process. Once I was in a better state of mind and understood my options, I immediately
contacted my academic advisor to seek guidance on how to proceed.
In support of this request, I have included the letter from my cousin and documentation
regarding my mental health treatment, including records of my prescribed medication. I
respectfully ask that you consider these circumstances and grant a waiver of the petition
deadline so that I may submit my RTW appeal for consideration.
Thank you very much for taking the time to review my appeal. I appreciate your
understanding and consideration.
Sincerely,
Bella Han