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► Leave of Absence
Leave of absence
for home and EU
undergraduates
( Suspending your studies)
Index:
1. Suspension of studies
2. Leave of Absence
3. University procedure
4. Student Finance implications
5. Repeating study
6. Tuition fees
7. Bursaries, Allowances
and Subject Specific Awards
8. Access to Learning fund
9. State benefits
10. Residences
11. Library and Computers
The information has been checked for accuracy at the date of printing. It will be updated and reissued when significant changes occur.
Aston Students’ Guild
Advice & Representation Centre
August 2009
1. Suspension of Studies
Policy guidance issued to Student Finance England:
Circumstances when a student may suspend their studies
Some full-time students may have to interrupt their studies for a variety of reasons. These may include illness, pregnancy, caring responsibilities, financial difficulties, bereavement or premature termination of a work placement. In some of these cases, when the students are ready to resume their studies, their institutions may not allow them to do so immediately. The institution may often require the student to wait until the beginning of the next academic year, or require the student to resume their studies at some later point in the next academic year, for example at a point comparable to when the student had left the course in the previous academic year.
Students should, in the first instance and at the earliest opportunity, contact their institution. The suspension process should involve the student receiving support and advice from a range of staff at the institution, particularly course tutors, welfare and financial advisers. Institutions should consider the reasons for suspension and reach an agreement on the best course of action for the student, either withdrawal or suspension. The student and the HEI should agree the likely period of absence and then arrange to keep the position under review. The student should then ask the institution to complete the agreed ‘Notice of Student Suspending Study’ form (the ‘Change of Circumstances: Administration’ Guidance), confirming that they are suspending their studies, giving the reasons for suspending and providing an agreed date of return.
It is the responsibility of institutions to notify the student’s local authority (LA) or Student Finance England (SFE) as soon as it is agreed that the student will suspend study. The student should also be advised to approach their LA/SFE, requesting that they be assessed for continued support if required. Whenever possible a joint approach to the LA/SFE from the institution (supporting the case to extend student support) and the student is recommended. The process would enable the LA/SFE to make a timelier and better informed decision on whether to continue student support, and it would also reduce the possibility of confusion arising over whether a student has withdrawn from the course or has suspended their studies.
2. Leave of Absence (LOA) from Aston University
Aston undergraduate regulations allow students to apply for 'leave of absence' (LOA); which is permission to be absent from your course. This is similar to the government’s phrase, ’suspension of study’. You can normally apply to take LOA for up to 2 years to allow for unexpected events. The longer the LOA, the more there may be issues when returning to the course e.g. if the course syllabus has changed.
3. University procedure
You should write to your personal or year tutor to ask to be allowed to take leave of absence. The letter should include dates of the LOA; when you want it to start and when you would like to return. If possible, try and link your leave with a logical academic date such as the end of a term or the end of a 12 week teaching period. In most cases verbal permission is given quite quickly even if it takes time for it to become official.
The simplest type of LOA is for a complete academic year It is possible to backdate the start date of the LOA with your tutor’s agreement but there will be issues with the payment of your tuition fees. See section 6
For example: you ask for the LOA to run from the end of week 12 of the 2009/2010 academic year until the beginning of week 13 of the 2010/2011 academic year.
The more complex LOA is when you need to return in less than a year because you want, or need, to repeat some of your work. Check with your School to see if repeat study would involve you repeating coursework or class tests/exams, as the School will have to decide if this may be allowed or whether the School will allow you to keep marks from work completed on the first occasion.
For example you ask for LOA for the summer term 2009/2010 and to be allowed to return in the autumn to repeat your studies for the first two terms of 2010/2011. The third term of 2010/2011 would then be studied for the first time.
4. Student Finance implications
You have a legal duty to write to LA/SFE, keeping a copy of the letter, to tell them about your LOA and any repeat study period if applicable. The Advice & Representation Centre stocks a change of circumstance form which can be used instead of a letter.
No student support is payable whilst you are absent from the course unless the LA/SFE looks at the circumstances and decides that part, or all, of the support may be paid.
There is an automatic disregard of absence for 60 days if you are ill. You are eligible for full student support during this period.
There is also discretion for LA/SFE to decide that all or part of the support due is payable when you are absent from the course for reasons other than illness, or where the illness exceeds 60 days.
In deciding whether it would be appropriate to pay all or part of the support, consideration should be given to:
the reasons for your absence;
the length of the absence; and
the financial hardship caused by not paying all or part of the support.
The lack of financial support has often led to financial hardship and to some students withdrawing from their courses. Clearly, it is not in the public interest for students to withdraw from their courses in these circumstances so LA/SFE are asked to use their discretion and are told that the list “ is neither prescriptive nor exhaustive.” They are advised to be particularly sympathetic towards those students who have dependants.
5. Repeating part or all of a year.
Home undergraduates are able to get one extra year of funding if it is needed to complete their course. If more additional years are needed, they have to be almost entirely paid for by you, the student. There will be no tuition fee loan and no grant. The only support available would be supplementary grants (which mainly apply to student parents) and living cost loans for those students. Exceptions may be made for students who have ‘compelling personal reasons’.
6. Tuition fees.
► fee loans
If you take LOA in September, October or November of the academic year and you do not return to study for the remainder of the academic year, no tuition fee loan will be paid to Aston by the Student Loans Company. If you take LOA on or after 1 December or you return to study after 1 December, the tuition fee loan will be paid (providing you applied for it).
► fee policy at Aston University
●If you take LOA before 9 October 2009 no tuition fees are payable.
●If you take LOA between 10 October 2009 and 31 October 2009, no tuition fees are payable and you will receive a refund of any already paid less an administration fee of £200
●If you take LOA between 1 November 2009 and 15 January 2010, you will be required to pay one third of your tuition fees. If you have already paid more than one third, Aston will refund the difference.
If you take LOA after 1 December 2009 and have applied for a student loan to pay your tuition fee, you will receive a refund between the amount paid by the SLC and the amount you owe the university.
● If you take LOA between 16 January 2010 and 21 April 2010, you will be asked to pay two thirds of the fees. If you or the SLC have paid more than two thirds, you will receive a refund for the difference.
● If you take LOA after 21 April 2010, you are liable to pay the full tuition fee for the year.
7. Aston Bursaries, Subject Specific Awards, Placement Allowances and Placement Bursaries
● If you take LOA before 31 October 2009, you will not be entitled to any of the above money.
●If you take LOA between 1 November 2009 and 15 January 2010, you will receive one third of any of the above money to which you are entitled.
●If you take LOA between 16 January 2010 and 21 April 2010, you will receive two thirds of any of the above money to which you are entitled.
●If you take LOA after 21 April 2010, you will receive the full amount of any of the above money to which you are entitled.
8. Access to Learning fund
(administered by Student Support at Aston) You may be able to get a grant from the Access to Learning Fund during LOA.
9. State benefits.
All students on LOA are exempt from council tax.
Single parents and income support
Phase 1 – youngest child aged 11–15 For lone parents who started a full-time course before 24 November 2008, their entitlement will end when they stop attending their course or their youngest child reaches age 16, whichever comes first;
Phase 2 – youngest child aged 9–11 • For lone parents who start a full-time course before 25 October 2009, their entitlement will end when they stop attending their course or their youngest child reaches age 12 whichever comes first;
Phase 3 – youngest child aged 6–9 • For lone parents who start a full-time course before 24 October 2010, their entitlement will end when they stop attending their course or their youngest child reaches age 10 whichever comes first; and• after 25 October 2010 will be subject to the same rules as other lone parents and their entitlement will end when their youngest child reaches age 7.
Students who are ill : Once you have been ill for 28 weeks, and submitting sick notes, you are classed as "disabled" and disabled students can claim social security benefits. Your student loan will probably be taken into account for the period for which it has been paid, as will any extra LA financial support unless you have repaid it under the overpayment provisions. Once your illness or absence due to caring duties ends, you may continue to claim benefits if there is a gap before you can rejoin your course. Other students can not claim benefits whilst on LOA and therefore have to rely on the discretion that an LA may exercise.
Students without entitlement to benefit
Although amendments to Social Security (Students) Regulations allow students who have suspended their studies to claim Job Seekers’ Allowance (JSA) once they have recovered or ceased caring duties, there are other students who do not qualify for JSA and may be left without any source of financial support. These may include:
Students waiting to rejoin their course after the expiry of one year since suspension;
Sick students waiting 28 weeks to receive Income Support. LA/SFE can use discretion to support these students via student support.
10. Residences.
You need to be a full time student in attendance at Aston in order to live in Residences. If you take LOA, ask your School to confirm the last date of attendance with Residences and return your key. Your bill will then be adjusted accordingly, even if you have already paid.
11. Library and Computers
You are still enrolled whilst on LOA and therefore able to continue to use the library. However, if you were a finalist when you took LOA, check that Registry have taken your name off the ‘clearance lists’ for the post graduation period to avoid your library use being voided.
Whilst you are on LOA your department should automatically re-enrol you for the following academic year (if you are not due to attend from the beginning). You will need to contact ISA to update your student card.
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