Leave of absence
Students sometimes find themselves facing difficulties that affect their ability to undertake their research, for example if they are ill or undergoing serious personal problems. A leave of absence enables a student to take an authorised break from their studies in order to overcome the difficulty, without losing valuable time from their registration period, which will be suspended for the duration.
Students must apply for permission from their Department and Faculty to take a leave of absence, using the Leave of Absence (PGR) form available on this page, and can apply on the following grounds:
• Medical
• Personal
• Academic
• Financial*
*Requests for LOA on financial grounds are not normally approved, but may be considered if the student's financial situation changes due to unforeseen and exceptional circumstances.
When applying for a leave of absence, appropriate documentary evidence must be supplied in order for the Department and Faculty to consider whether to approve the request. For a leave of absence on medical grounds, a medical or doctor’s note is required and an application made on these grounds will not be considered without one. Similarly, a student returning from a leave of absence on medical grounds must provide a medical note confirming that s/he is fit to return to the degree programme before they will be allowed to recommence research.
It is essential that students notify their supervisor/department as soon as any difficulties arise that might affect their research and that applications for leave of absence are made promptly and, wherever possible, not retrospectively. Requests for retrospective leaves of absence may not be approved, particularly if they date back a long time. During the period of leave of absence, the student will temporarily leave their programme of study and their registration will be suspended. No supervision will be received.
Students should be aware that requests for indefinite leave of absence will not be considered. It is unlikely that a request for more than 12 months at a time will be approved and requests to further suspend a lengthy leave of absence will be carefully reviewed and may be rejected. There are a number of reasons why lengthy periods away from research are not recommended, e.g. the possibility that the research will lose currency and/or originality and changes to departmental structures and staffing.
Students who receive financial support to undertake their research degree, i.e. those funded by Research Councils or by an employer or overseas government, should notify their sponsor when applying for a leave of absence.
Leave of Absence for International Students
In addition to the above guidance, international students who are studying in the UK subject to immigration regulations (e.g. those on a Tier 4 student visa) should note the following. Students must be fully registered and attending in order to meet the requirements of their student visa. Students considering applying for a leave of absence should contact International Student Support and Guidance for further information and guidance on the implications of applying for a leave of absence. Applications for a leave of absence will be considered for compliance with immigration regulations and any that fail to meet these requirements will not be approved. This includes requests for retrospective leaves of absence for longer than 2 months.
International students should note that the University is required to report Tier 4 visa holders who are on extended leaves of absence to the Home Office. The Home Office will expect such students to return to their home country for the duration of the leave of absence and will curtail a student’s visa. Students will need to re-apply for a new visa when they are ready to recommence their studies.
Student pregnancy
Students who are pregnant, or whose partners are pregnant, can apply for a period of leave of absence. As a result of the Equality Act 2010, the University has developed a Student Pregnancy and Maternity Policy, along with advice pages aimed at both students and staff.