The University of Sheffield
Taught Programmes Office

Leave of Absence

General Information

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. In some departments leave is also regularly granted for industrial placements, additional years abroad/in practice, etc. Renewal 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. In all cases a Change of Status (COS) Form needs to be completed by a student wishing to apply for a leave of absence. The COS Form should be submitted to the Taught Programmes Office.

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 (see left hand navigation bar). 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all cases of leave, students should be advised of the possibility that programme structures may change, modules may be withdrawn and staff may leave during their period of absence, and that it may not merely be possible, on their return, to resume a particular programme at the exact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.

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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 Union of Students building. Staff in academic departments must not become involved in providing any immigration related advice.

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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). Medical evidence may in some cases be from a different family doctor. Return to the University will be subject to the provision of a medical certificate of fitness from the University Health Service (the trust Occupational Health Service in the case of students in the Faculty of Medicine).

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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.

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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, both section 2 and 3 of the Change of Status Form should be completed.

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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.

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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 in section 5 of the Form (e.g. "student to sit examination for module X in (month of exam), by special arrangement").

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Returning from Leave of Absence

In advance of a student´s return from leave of absence, the Student Services Department 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, on average, around 15% 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.

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