Interruption of Study Procedure

Section 5: Interrupting, Withdrawing or Transferring from Studies Procedure

 

5.8 Procedural Introduction

Despite your best plans, there may be a time when you will need to interrupt your studies. The following offers guidance on how to do this and the implications that it will have on your studies. We also advise that you read the Interruption of Study Regulations in full.

It is important that you let us know as soon as you are experiencing any difficulties that are affecting your progress, and that you discuss your options with your supervisor. If you try to apply for a retrospective interruption due to circumstances that happened earlier in your studies, we will not be able to approve your request.

 

Grounds for interruption

5.8.1 Examples of where an interruption of study may be appropriate include, but are not limited to:

  • Pregnancy or new parenthood (see also the Policy on Support for Pregnant Students and New Parents)
  • Health reasons
  • Bereavement
  • Family commitments
  • Financial commitments
  • An exceptional and unexpected change in work commitments (for part-time candidates only)
  • Participation in a short-term professional placement/internship that directly correlates with the student’s research (for full-time candidates only)
  • Public duties (such as jury service)
  • Competing in national or international sporting events, or other similarly high profile events
  • Religious events, such as a pilgrimage

 

5.8.2 The following are not appropriate grounds for requesting a period of interruption:

  • To gain extra time to complete your work before submission.
  • To take extended annual leave.
  • To undertake a long period of paid employment or alternative study.

 

5.9 How to Apply

5.9.1 You will need to complete an Application for an Interruption of Studies and ask your supervisor to fill in the relevant section to confirm their support of your request. You should email the completed form to pgrinterruptions@hud.ac.uk. All applications must be supported by independent evidence. Please see our Supporting Evidence Guidance for PGRs for information about appropriate standards of evidence.

 

5.9.2 Please be aware that when considering your interruption request we may also look at your past interruption applications (if applicable), look at your student file and/or liaise with your supervisor. 

 

5.9.3 We will treat all interruption requests and supporting evidence as confidentially as possible. However, your application and evidence may be shared with your School PGR Admin Team. This is to allow them to carry out administrative tasks connected with pausing your registration, and to ensure that they are aware of any support needs or issues arising from the application. Your School and Main Supervisor will receive a copy of the letter that confirms the outcome of the interruption application.

 

5.10 Conditions of an interruption

  • If we approve your interruption, you will retain access to your student email account and we will continue to use to communicate with you, so please make sure that you continue to regularly check your University emails.
  • You will not retain access to your library account.
  • You are not expected to work on your research during your interruption period and you will not be entitled to supervision in this time.
  • If your interruption is due to wellbeing or health issues, you can still access support from our Wellbeingand Disability Services whilst you are on a study break.
  • Your research timeline will re-start from the date your interruption ends, regardless of how long it takes you to complete your registration in full.

 

5.10.1 If your annual re-registration is due upon your return from interruption, you must re-register within three weeks of your date of resumption or you risk being administratively withdrawn from your course.

 

5.11 Contact during your interruption

5.11.1 During your interruption, you may find it helpful to stay in contact with your supervisors. This is not compulsory, but it can help you with re-engaging more quickly when you return to your studies.

 

5.11.2 We will contact you two weeks prior to your return date, to discuss practical details of your resumption and to put in place any additional support that we agreed as part of the interruption approval.

 

5.11.3 If you are unable to return to your studies at the end of your period of interruption then you must notify us of this as soon as possible and commence the process of submitting a new interruption application, with new supporting evidence.

 

5.12 Returning to your studies

5.12.1 If you are returning from a period of interruption that was taken for health and wellbeing reasons, we may make it a requirement for your resumption that you must provide medical evidence that confirms you are well enough to return to your studies. Where we need this assurance that your studies will not be detrimental to your health, we will clearly explain this in your interruption outcome letter. You may also be required to make and attend an appointment with Wellbeing or Disability Services before you will be allowed to re-enrol.

 

5.12.2 When your period of interruption ends you will be required to re-engage with your programme. If your annual re-registration is due upon your return, and you fail to re-register within three weeks of the interruption endings, then you risk being administratively withdrawn from your course.

 

5.12.3 If you do not intend to resume your studies following your interruption, you must contact your School to discuss your options. 

 

5.13 Information for international students

5.13.1 If you are an international student with a Student Visa then an interruption of your studies could have serious implications for your immigration status. If you do interrupt, the University is required to inform the Home Office and your visa to study in the UK may be curtailed. In this situation, you will be required to return home and you will have to apply for a new visa. If your visa is curtailed, you will need to consider the terms of your tenancy agreement and what this means for you given that you will not be able to remain in the UK.

 

5.13.2 You should read the advice on the Immigration & Compliance Team’s website and discuss with them the implications this interruption of study may have on your Visa. If you wish to proceed with your application then you should send your completed interruption form to Immigration@hud.ac.uk for their signature.

 

5.13.3 In preparing to recommence your studies after an interruption, you will need to make a new Student Visa application. You should ask the International Office for a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) before you apply. The Visa Application process can be quite lengthy, so please ensure that you start this process with enough time for your application to be approved by the time your interruption ends.  

 

5.14 UKRI funded studentships

5.14.1 UKRI rarely allow interruptions of study. If you are studying with us under a UKRI funded studentship and wish to interrupt your studies, you will need to check the terms of your contract. For further advice, please contact your School PGR Admin Team. 

 

5.15 Funding and Student Finance

5.15.1 If you are receiving a Postgraduate Loan from Student Finance and take an interruption of study, no further loan payments will be given to you during your period of interruption.

 

5.15.2 If you resume your studies from the point you left in the previous academic year, your funding will restart and you will have your remaining entitlement intact. You cannot receive Postgraduate Master’s Loan or Postgraduate Doctoral Loan funding for any repeat periods of study. If you have any queries about how your loan will be affected, please contact the Student Finance Office. 

 

5.16 Accommodation and Council Tax for interrupting students

5.16.1 Managing your tenancy agreement and council tax can be complex and confusing when dealing with an interruption of study, so we strongly recommend you seek advice from the Students’ Union Advice Centre and the Student Finance Team.

 

5.16.2 The implications of your interruption will depend on your accommodation provider and your immigration status.

 

5.16.3 If you are in private student accommodation, you will need to review your tenancy agreement and discuss your circumstances with your landlord or an appropriate staff member at your accommodation.

 

5.16.4 If you live in private accommodation, it is unlikely there will be an obligation for you to leave following a change to your student status, unless you are an international student studying on a Student Visa. However, you may choose to leave and return home, in which case, you must consider the terms of your tenancy agreement and what this means for you. If you decide to stay in your private accommodation, it is important to note that you are no longer a full-time student and you may be required to pay Council Tax.

 

5.17 Additional Support

5.17.1 Depending upon the nature of the circumstances that have resulted in your interruption request, you may wish to seek some help or advice from the University’s support services. Options available to you include:

  • Registering with Disability Services – depending upon your needs, Disability Services can put a range of support in place to help you throughout your studies, including the implementation of a Personal Learning Support Plan. Every student registered with the service is assigned a dedicated disability adviser who will support you through to graduation.
  • Wellbeing appointments and counselling – PGRs can book one-to-one appointments with a Wellbeing Adviser to discuss any difficulties impacting your mental health and wellbeing. All students are also able to access Counselling, a talking therapy that helps you understand yourself and any problems you are experiencing in greater detail.
  • Accessing online resources – there are a host of online services and resources that you can access 24/7, which may be of benefit to you.

 

5.17.2 There are also a wide range of external organisations who may be able to provide you with support or advice, please see the University’s Support Services Directory for more details. 

 

5.18 Submitting a fraudulent request

5.18.1 The submission of a fraudulent interruption request or fraudulent supporting evidence would breach the University's Community Code of Conduct, which specifies that fraud, deceit, deception and dishonesty are unacceptable behaviours within our community. 

5.18.2 Should you be found to have submitted a fraudulent application or evidence then we will instigate our Student Disciplinary Procedure. 

 

5.19 Appealing an interruption decision

5.19.1 If you are unhappy with the decision that has been made about your application for an interruption of studies, you may decide to submit an appeal. We would strongly recommend that you seek impartial advice and support from the Students’ Union Advice Centre. 

 

5.19.2 For your appeal to be successful, you must provide independent evidence to demonstrate at least one of the following grounds:

  • There was a procedural irregularity in the way your original claim was handled and it affected the outcome; and/or
  • You have submitted new evidence that - for a good reason - could not have been provided for your original claim and it would have materially affected the outcome. Please see our Supporting Evidence Guidance for PGRs for information about appropriate standards of evidence. 

 

5.19.3 The burden of proof in substantiating your appeal arguments rests with you.

 

5.20 How to submit an interruption appeal

5.20.1 If you wish to appeal, you must complete the PGR Interruption and Extension Appeal Form and submit it to pgrinterruptions@hud.ac.uk no later than 10 working the outcome.

 

5.20.2 You must submit independent evidence to support your appeal. If there is a delay in obtaining the evidence, you should still submit the appeal form no later than 10 working days from the date of the outcome and tell us what your evidence will consist of and when you expect to provide it to us.

 

5.20.3 If you submit your appeal later than 10 working days after the date your outcome was sent to you, you will need to provide independent evidence to explain why you could not have submitted your appeal to us any sooner. This is in addition to the evidence required to support your case for an appeal. If you do not send us appropriate independent evidence to corroborate why your late appeal should be considered then your appeal will be rejected on the basis that it was submitted late, and no further details of your appeal will be considered. 

 

5.20.4 A member of Registry staff who was not involved in the consideration of your application to interrupt will consider your appeal. We will issue a Completion of Procedures letter to you, normally within 20 working days of the date you submitted the appeal. You should read the content of the letter carefully and, if appropriate, discuss the outcome with your School. 

 

5.20.5 If your appeal is successful, we will confirm details of the approved interruption, which may have supplementary conditions.

 

5.20.6 If your appeal is rejected, you may wish to discuss the outcome with the Students’ Union Advice Centre who can independently guide you through the decision. This decision will be final and will bring to an end the University’s internal procedure. 

 

5.21 OIA: Independent review of the appeal decision

5.21.1 Our appeal decision is final and there are no further appeal stages within the University. If you wish to request an external, independent review of our final decision, you should contact the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) within 12 months of the date of the Completion of Procedures letter.