Attendance Requirements
You should attend your programme of study, including all seminars and classes offered to you. Research does show that students who attend their classes tend to be more successful in their studies. You can be withdrawn from your programme if you do not attend classes.
1. The University’s General Regulation about absence is as follows. Individual programmes may also have specific additional requirements.
'Students are, except for absence with good cause, expected to attend all elements of their programme of study, including lectures, seminars, tutorials, practicals, laboratory work, language classes, performances, fieldwork and examinations. A student who does not attend classes for more than three consecutive days shall inform the school or graduate school. A student who is absent between 2 and 7 calendar days must submit a self-certification form (www.ncl.ac.uk/students/progress/student-resources/links.htm) for absences longer than 7 days, a student must submit a medical certificate.'
2. You are advised to consult your tutor or supervisor if there is a problem leading to long-term absence (or a pattern of shorter absences) from the University. Your academic unit may be able to support you through difficulties.
3. It is your responsibility to catch-up with academic work missed during a period of absence.
4. Absence from your programme, for whatever reason, should be notified using the Student Notice of Absence form.
5. Students are normally required to attend their programme during standard term dates.
6. Postgraduate taught students are normally required to attend their programme for a minimum of 45 weeks per year. This normally includes 30 weeks across the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms, and a further 15 weeks over the June-September period. Holiday entitlement is therefore limited to the standard Christmas and Easter closures. By discretion, exceptionally, students may apply to take a further 2 weeks holiday in the summer period. International students are required to seek approval for this vacation in advance and are advised to take this leave as early as possible in the summer period (June) - this is particularly important if you intend to travel outside the UK as your visa eligibility to return to the UK to complete your studies may be affected.
7. Postgraduate research students are normally required to attend their programme for a minimum of 45 weeks per year. In any full academic year they are therefore entitled to 7 weeks holiday, including bank holidays and University closure over the Christmas period. There is flexibility about when this holiday can be taken, although it is assumed that bank holidays and University closures will be taken as standard unless agreement is reached with your supervisor in advance. For all other holidays, a leave request should be completed. International students are required to seek approval for all holidays in advance, cannot take more than 4 weeks’ vacation at any one time and are also advised to avoid vacation at the end of their programme and near the end of their visa.
8. Your academic unit will keep a record of all student absences – including those of the summer period for postgraduate students.
9. DO NOT assume that your absence from the programme is approved. The University reserves the right to reject requests for absence, including self-certification of sickness, if there are concerns about a student’s overall pattern of attendance. In such cases, Unsatisfactory Progress regulations may be invoked.
