Leave of Absence
General Information
Leave of Absence
Leave of Absence and International Students
Leave of Absence on Medical Grounds
Leave of Absence on Personal Grounds
Leave of Absence with Change of Degree Programme
Retrospective Leave of Absence
Assessment/Examination while on Leave of Absence
Returning from Leave of Absence
Update of the Central Student Record
General Information
Departments/Schools should ensure that a student considering a taking a leave of absence (suspending their studies) speaks in the first instance with their Personal Tutor, Year/Course Tutor or other appropriate academic member of staff, so that they have the opportunity to discuss their options and fully consider the implications of such a change.
As well as consulting with their Personal Tutor or other academic staff, University central services (such as the Careers Service) might also be able to help support students in coming to a final decision. The ‘Signposting Sheet for Students’ available from the Downloads box on the right, contains a range of helpful information and signposting to relevant central services. This sheet should be provided to any student considering taking a leave of absence.
Leave of Absence
This is an area of diversity since the circumstances of individual cases vary considerably. The generally accepted position is that leave for up to one year may be granted for genuine personal, family, medical or financial reasons. Leave can also be granted for work placements, additional years abroad/in practice etc. that are not formally part of a student’s degree programme. Renewal of leave for a second year is unusual, but can sometimes be justified. Leave for longer than two years would not normally be permitted and students in this situation may need to consider withdrawal. Re-admission at a later date, with allowance for some or all of the study previously completed, may still be possible depending on the circumstances.
In all cases of leave, students should be advised of the possibility that programme structures may change, modules may be withdrawn and staff may leave during their period of absence, and that it may not merely be possible, on their return, to resume a particular programme at the exact point of suspension with all existing options available.
If leave of absence is agreed as the desired course of action, the department/school and student should complete a Change of Status (COS) Form, ensuring signatures are provided on the Form both by the student and by relevant departmental/school staff. The Form and further Guidance for Staff about the completion of the COS Form is available from the Downloads box on the right. The completed Change of Status (COS) Form should then be forwarded to the Taught Programmes Office.
Leave of Absence and International Students
Where international students are considering the possibility of leave of absence, it is important that any immigration/visa implications are considered. Students may seek guidance via SSiD or from the Student Advice Centre in the Students’ Union Building. Staff in academic departments must not become involved in providing any immigration-related advice.
Leave of Absence on Medical Grounds
Where leave is on medical grounds, students must provide a medical certificate as background evidence for their application (normally this should be obtained from the University Health Service, or the relevant hospital trust Occupational Health Service in the case of students in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health). Medical evidence may in some cases be from a family doctor. Return to the University will be subject to the provision of a Certificate of Fitness to Resume Studies from the University Health Service (or the trust Occupational Health Service in the case of students in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health).
Leave of Absence on Personal Grounds
Special care should be taken in considering applications for leave of absence on personal grounds. In particular, leave should not routinely be permitted if the student is merely trying to avoid the consequences of inadequate attendance and/or work. However, there can be genuine reasons for such difficulties, and the benefit of the doubt should normally be given to the student if leave is seen as being in their best interests. In such cases, Faculty Officers can only be guided by the departments concerned and as a result it may be necessary for the Taught Programmes Office to contact relevant departments for additional information surrounding applications in particular cases.
Leave of Absence with Change of Degree Programme
Where students wish to take a period of leave of absence in advance of changing degree programme, separate Change of Status Forms for the leave and for the change of programme should be completed.
Retrospective Leave of Absence
Where students are asking for leave to be back-dated, please seek advice from the Taught Programmes Office on the most appropriate arrangements, since retrospective leave can have adverse financial effects, given the terms of the government´s Student Support Regulations, and is also not permitted under the Tier 4 student visa regulations.
Assessment/Examination while on Leave of Absence
Where, exceptionally, students are to be assessed (whether by invigilated examination or by coursework) during their formal period of absence, it is very important that departments should make this known to the Taught Programmes Office, so that the necessary arrangements can be made, and results properly recorded. Please notify any such special cases by adding a note on the Form (e.g. "student to sit examination for module X in (month of exam) by special arrangement"). The Examinations Office in Registry Services should also be informed to ensure that formal invigilated examination arrangements are in place, if appropriate.
Returning from Leave of Absence
In advance of a student´s return from leave of absence, the Registration Office in Student Services will contact the student to advise them of registration arrangements, etc. It would also be good practice for your department to make some contact with your own students during a period of leave, in order to maintain links and encourage continuation. In this context, departments may wish to be aware that each year a proportion of students on leave of absence are subsequently deemed withdrawn on the basis of non-return and loss of contact and it is clearly in the University´s interest to minimise such discontinuation, wherever possible and appropriate.
Update of the Central Student Record
Once the Taught Programmes Office has received a Change of Status (COS) Form from a department/school, the details of the leave of absence are recorded on the central student record. In the case of Home undergraduate students, the Taught Programmes Office will then report promptly to the Student Loans Company or other funding/sponsoring agencies. In the case of overseas students with a Tier 4 student visa, the Taught Programmes Office is also required to report the leave of absence promptly (within 10 working days) to the UK Home Office Visa and Immigration Service.
The accuracy of leave of absence records is also important in the context of the University´s internal management information reports and the annual return of data to the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA), which results in the collation of statistical indicators on progression rates etc. We very much appreciate the co-operation of academic departments in assisting to maintain the accuracy of such records.