Please refer to the Code of Practice on leave of absence procedures available at: www.as.bham.ac.uk/legislation/codesofpractice.shtml
A leave of absence is a recognised and authorised break in your studies. You may request a leave of absence if you have been affected by circumstances to such an extent that you feel unable to pursue your studies.
A leave of absence can be from 1 to 12 months depending on your circumstances.
Please refer to sections 2 and 4 of the Code of Practice on leave of absences and Guidance notes for postgraduate researchers, available to download at the top of this page.
If you are an international postgraduate researcher your right to remain in the UK will be affected by a withdrawal from study. All UK institutions are now legally required to report any changes in a visa student's registration status to the UK Border Agency. You are strongly advised to discuss your leave of absence with the International Student Advisory Service (ISAS) prior to submitting your request.
When taking a leave of absence it is important to understand that you are not registered as a student of the University and you or your sponsors are not liable for the payment of fees.
This means that you are not permitted to make use of some the University's facilities. For a full list of what facilities you can and cannot use when on a leave of absence download the guidance notes available at the top this page.
A leave of absence means that your minimum and or maximum registration dates will change to reflect the period of time that you have taken a leave of absence.
If you take a leave of absence during your writing up period your maximum registration period (the deadline for submission of your thesis) will be amended to take account of the period of leave of absence.
You will be charged tuition fees only for the number of months you are actually working on your research.
Ensure that you have contacted your funding body to ensure that they know your situation and you are aware of your implications for funding. If you are funded by a UK Research Council please contact the Research Student Administration office to discuss your award.
Telephone: 0121 414 2898
Email: graduateschool@contacts.bham.ac.uk
A leave of absence may affect your eligibility for council tax exemption. You are advised to contact your local council direct to check your eligibility for council tax exemption.
Part A - to be completed by the postgraduate researcher and passed to the supervisor
Part B - to be completed by the supervisor and passed to the Head of School
Part C - to be completed by the Head of School (or nominee) and sent to RSA team
Remember, you must include supporting evidence.
Once your form has been fully completed with evidence, it will be sent to the RSA team.
Retrospective leave of absence requests will not normally be considered. Refer to section 7 of the Code of Practice on leave absence.
The RSA team will process your request and inform you by email of the decision and any further actions that need to be taken.
You should inform the RSA team of your intention to return (e-mail is sufficient) when you are about to return from leave of absence so that our records can be updated.
If you have requested a leave of absence on medical grounds a medical certificate will be required to show that you are fit to return to your studies.
Find out how leaves of absence are referred to in the University regulations:
Code of Practice on Leave of Absence: www.as.bham.ac.uk/legislation/codesofpractice.shtml
If you have any questions about leaves of absence that have not been answered on this page, or the downloadable guidance notes, please contact the RSA team:
