Leave of Absence

A leave of absence allows you to take an authorised break of a month or more from your studies. You may apply for a leave of absence for a documented medical or personal reason. Breaks of less than 1 month can be approved at departmental level, but will not then result in an extension to your progression or final submission deadlines.

Any postgraduate researcher can apply for a leave of absence. It can be a good solution for a postgraduate researcher who genuinely finds that medical or personal difficulties are preventing their study for a period of time. However, approval remains at the discretion of the Special Cases Committee (SCC).

As far as possible, you should apply for a leave of absence in advance. Departments should not submit requests to the SCC later than one month after the proposed start date of the leave period. Leave of absence that is entirely retrospective will not normally be considered or approved.

Postgraduate researchers on Student Visas should be aware that a Leave of Absence (LoA) will impact on their eligibility to remain in the UK, and should therefore consult with the Immigration Advice Service before making any decision.