Applying for a leave of absence
If you and your supervisor or course contact agree a leave of absence is the best option, you should try to apply before the proposed start date of your absence wherever possible, and no later than one month after your proposed start date.
If the start date of your leave of absence is over one month prior to the date you submit your request, this may require additional approval from Special Cases. Your department should contact Student Services (Student Records or Special Cases) for further advice regarding retrospective start dates for leave of absence.
The information below does not apply to students studying 100% online on a York Online programme. If you are studying on a York Online programme, please go to York Online Programmes: taking time out for more information about taking a break.
How to apply
You'll need to complete Part A of the leave of absence form and email it to your supervisor/course contact from your York email address. Your supervisor and department will then complete the remaining sections of the form and forward it on for approval.
You should include the following information:
- your student ID (this can be found on the back of your university card)
- any relevant evidence
- whether you’re receiving any sort of outside funding (such as research councils, foreign student loans, etc).
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If your department approves your request and any necessary supporting information has been gathered, they’ll forward your application for consideration to the Student Records team for processing.
Once your leave of absence has been processed you’ll receive an email to your York email account, confirming:
- dates of the leave of absence
- any conditions of your return to study
- your new end date for your course.
You should make sure your current contact address information is correct on e:Vision to make sure you receive any posted correspondence.
If you require a hard copy of the letter for visa purposes, make sure you state this on your application form.
Evidence
Depending on the reason for your leave of absence request, you’ll need to attach supporting documents to your application or your absence request won’t be considered. If you’re applying for a continuation of a current leave of absence, you’ll need to submit new up-to-date evidence with your new application.
Types of evidence
Evidence must be provided to support a period of leave of absence, and should be appropriate for the type of leave. For example:
- For medical leave, you must provide a medical certificate or a letter from a doctor or certified / accredited medical professional, such as a clinical psychologist
- For compassionate leave, a death certificate or other dated evidence of bereavement should be provided, such as a letter from a counsellor or Open Door practitioner, for example
- For maternity leave, confirmation of maternity
- For leave on personal reasons, suitable evidence to match the personal circumstances - for example a letter from an employer, solicitor or other appropriate third party
- For financial leave, a financial statement