Voluntary interruption of study

Students may, for a variety of reasons, want to interrupt their studies. Voluntary Interruption of study is one of the ways the University can support students through personal difficulty and can also be used in other time-limited circumstances (for example, by SU sabbatical officers).

Students should make their request to their school, and it is for the school to decide whether or not to recommend the interruption, taking into account the guidance in other sections.

In the case of research students who have already had an interruption of a year, any further extension will only be approved in exceptional circumstances to ensure that registration on the programme of study is not protracted over a lengthy period of time. 

UK campus

• Request to interrupt study (UK campus – taught students)  
• Request to interrupt study (UK campus – research students)  
• Return from interruption of study (UK campus – taught students) 
• Amendment to agreed interruption of study (UK campus – taught students) 

University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM)

• Request to interrupt study (UNM campus – taught and research students)  

University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC)

• Request to interrupt study (UNNC campus – taught students)  
• Request to interrupt study (UNNC campus – research students)  

Applicable to all campuses

• Notification of withdrawal (from the University)  

When a student interrupts their study, their registration with the University will be temporarily suspended and all relevant authorities (where known) will be informed.

For apprentices, the Professional and Work-based Learning team will oversee the funding and contractual process. For apprentices, an interruption may require a change in the contracted agreement with the University and employer. 

A student whose registration is suspended because of voluntary interruption of study is not entitled to attend any teaching or take any assessments and will not pay tuition fees in accordance with the University’s fee schedule. However, they are still subject to other, relevant regulations of the University, such as the Traffic Regulations, the Regulations for Library and Computer Use and the University’s Code of Discipline for Students.

The relevant Student Service Centre in the UK – or the equivalent office on University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) or University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) should be informed as soon as an interruption has been recommended, in order that in can be approved on behalf of Quality and Standards Committee (QSC) and will confirm the approval and terms of the interruption in writing to the student.

Requests to interrupt should be made in advance of the interruption. Retrospective interruptions of study will only be granted in exceptional circumstances (or with regard to apprenticeships please see below).

The considerations to be applied by the school in making this decision should include: 

• Whether interruption is inevitable owing to extenuating circumstances such as injury, illness, or unavoidable family commitments; or

• The reasons cited by the student indicate that it would genuinely be in their best academic, financial, or personal interest to interrupt their studies; and

• Significant curriculum changes are not likely to occur during the period of interruption such as to make it difficult for the student to resume their studies. 
• For apprentices, consideration may also be made where situations, such as work-based commitments, are affecting the ability to meet the required off-the-job training hours for study over a period of longer than four weeks.

Schools may wish to consider or request supporting evidence (for example, from medical or counselling services) before agreeing to an interruption. For more information, please consult the following:

Extenuating circumstances

In addition, students who wish to take time out of their course to undertake a placement should consult the following:

Optional placement year

Students who are considering an interruption of study or who are advised to interrupt should be advised to consult the Visa and Immigration Team for immigration advice before submitting their interruption request to the Student Service Centre or equivalent office. The request to interrupt study form also ensures that relevant students are in receipt of immigration advice before proceeding with any change of circumstances.

A student's ability to repeat modules in attendance, as detailed in the 'Return to study' section below, may be restricted by the University's limitations on immigration sponsorhip policy and this should be taken into account when considering a request for interruption.

Schools should always remind students of the need to consult their funding body before interrupting their study, and remind them that the University is not able to guarantee the resumption of any external grant or loan.

Postgraduate students with a research council or other funding award

For postgraduate students in the UK with a research council or other funding award, Schools and students will need to ensure that they have prior permission in writing from their funding body before informing the Student Service Centre or appropriate office of the interruption and will be required to enclose copies of the related correspondence with the interruption form in confirmation of this.

UKRI funded students can contact: BR-RA-DTP-funding@nottingham.ac.uk  . Other funders need to be contacted directly. 

Students holding an award under the University's Postgraduate Studentship scheme

Where students hold an award under the University’s Postgraduate Studentship scheme, the appropriate forms should also be completed and sent to the Finance Department. In the UK where a student is supported through research council funding the School should ensure that the appropriate information is submitted to the relevant council and that the Finance Department is informed about any suspension of the stipend.

During the period of interruption

During the period of interruption, students in the UK will not normally receive any statutory student support from the Government (for example, student loans) or any University bursary or scholarship (such as Core Bursary). Students should be advised to contact the Financial Support Team within Student Services for advice on the financial implications of interrupting their studies. For more information, please consult the following:

Funding and financial support

Apprenticeships

For apprentices, interruption of study (Break in Learning) will be managed and reported to the Education and Skills Funding Agency by the Professional and Work-based Learning team. Due to the nature of Break in Learning protocol, retrospective applications to schools, supported by the employer, may be necessary.

An interruption of study may begin immediately in cases where a student’s absence from the University is unavoidable or urgently required. In all other cases, the interruption of study of taught course students must begin from the end of a semester (that is, after the end of the examinations attached to that semester) so that there is a clearly identifiable point at which a return to studies should occur.

The interruption of a research student’s study will usually commence at the beginning of a month.

Interruptions should not be granted just before the start of examinations simply as a means of allowing students to avoid (or postpone) failure in a number of modules, as this would provide these students with an unmerited advantage. 

Students who have an agreed interruption of study and wish to request an amendment to the previously agreed interruption of study should consult with their personal tutor and/or course director who will be able to decide if an extended interruption of study is the appropriate course of action before completing the request an amendment to agreed interruption of study form.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that any sponsor or legal requirements are complied with when amending the interruption of study. Students whose nationality is non-British/non-Irish will need to seek approval from the Visa and Immigration team before submitting the amendment to agreed interruption of study form.

An interruption should, wherever possible, be for a definite period. Where it would seem insensitive to designate a date of return to studies, the student may be informed that the interruption is for an indefinite period but subject to review and the review date will be entered into relevant systems. In this case, the Student Service Centre or equivalent should be informed by the school annually whether the interruption is continuing. In some cases, it may be appropriate for the school to require a student to provide medical certification of fitness to return to study before allowing re-registration to occur.

The University requires all students to complete their programme within a set period after initial registration regardless of individual circumstances. These are laid down in the guidelines on Maximum periods from initial registration. For more information, please consult the following:

Maximum period from initial registration

A School should refuse to allow a student to interrupt their study if that would result in it being impossible for that student to complete their studies within the defined time frames or those imposed by external requirements or individual programme specifications.

Where an interruption is granted, the School may require the student (on their return) to repeat modules already passed where the syllabus for that module has been updated, or to take new modules to replace outdated modules previously passed. In these cases, the marks from the repeated or new modules will replace the marks gained from the outdated modules.

Where a student is on an accredited degree or a programme leading to professional registration and their normal period of study has been extended it may be necessary for them to undertake additional assessment in order to prove competency prior to conferral of their award.

A student who has interrupted their study will change cohort on their return to study and the regulations applying to the cohort they have joined will be applicable, which may have implications for their progression or final award for the programme. Undergraduate and postgraduate taught students will be sent a return to study form at least one month prior to returning from an interruption of study requesting confirmation of the return to study details.

For apprentices, the School will agree with the employer and apprentices the most appropriate point for return to study which would usually be expected to be up to 12 months. Funding rules prevent apprentices from undertaking repeat learning. Adjustment of the apprentice’s individual learning plan will be undertaken.

In circumstances where the Voluntary Interruption of Study comes as the result of the informal or formal stages of the Fitness to Study policy, the University reserves the right to request specific forms of evidence or assessment from a named body or clinician before return to study is approved.

For more information on the Fitness to Study policy, please consult the following:

Fitness to Study policy