1. An undergraduate student may be allowed to transfer between programmes within the same Faculty (subject to agreement within the Faculty), or from one Faculty to another with the agreement of the Faculties concerned. Students seeking transfer must obtain from the Faculty in which they are now (or were last) enrolled a transfer form for their Personal Academic Tutor's approval and must return this to the same Faculty Office. Students who are sponsored by the University to enter the UK under the points-based visa system and who want to transfer programmes may face visa implications (see Regulations and Definitions Applying to Progression for all Credit-Bearing Programmes). Advice should be sought from the Visa & Immigration Student Advice Service.
2. A student wishing to pause their programme of study temporarily (e.g. because of personal, medical or financial difficulties, or to facilitate a change of programme) should discuss the matter with their Personal Academic Tutor or other appropriate member of staff, or main supervisor for postgraduate research students, in the first instance and must apply in writing to the relevant Faculty Office or equivalent. Once the decision has been taken to suspend the programme of study, the student should follow the procedures required by the Faculty in which they are enrolled. A pause in study will normally be granted for a defined period not exceeding twelve months.
3. In determining the duration of any pause in study and the most appropriate time for the student to return to study, due account will be taken of the structure of the programme as well as the student's needs. Where a pause in study is agreed for medical reasons, Faculties may require a student to provide medical certification of fitness to return to study or to attend a Fitness to Practise Panel before allowing re-enrolment to occur. Students may apply to extend a period of pause of study for further periods of up to twelve months at a time; however, pauses in study covering periods greater than twenty four (24) months continuously will normally be granted only under the most exceptional circumstances. Students unable or unwilling to return to study after a pause in study of twenty four (24) months may be recommended for termination of study.
4. Termination of study on the basis of paragraph 3 above shall be notified to the student by the designated officer in the relevant Faculty. A student so recommended for termination of study will have the right of appeal as set out in paragraph 6 below. For some programmes opportunities to pause in study, and the duration of pauses permitted, will be governed by Professional or Statutory Body requirements. Where this applies students will be advised of the requirements by the relevant Faculty.
5. A student who withdraws permanently from the University not having completed their programme must inform the relevant Faculty Office or equivalent in writing. Where a student ceases without notice to attend the University or participate in scheduled learning and teaching activities, or fails to return from an approved pause in study period without notice, the Faculty shall take all reasonable steps to contact the student to confirm their intentions. Should the student fail to respond to such contact from the Faculty, the Faculty may, with reasonable notice, deem the student to have withdrawn from the University. A person deemed to have withdrawn ceases to be a student of the University.
6. Senate reserves the right to terminate at any time the programme of a student whose academic work proves unsatisfactory or whose level of attendance is unacceptable. Termination of study shall be notified to the student by the designated officer in the relevant Faculty. The student may appeal against the decision by following the procedures set out in the Regulations Governing Academic Appeals by Students.
7. No prize or other University award shall be given to any student who is not in good academic standing. Good academic standing is defined as:
- 7.1 meeting all the academic requirements to continue to study at the current year of the programme without any need to repeat any assessments or catch-up with attendance requirements for formal learning sessions (eg: hours spent on clinical placement, attendance at laboratory sessions); or
- 7.2 meeting all the academic requirements to proceed to the next year or stage of the programme of study; or
- 7.3 having satisfactorily completed the award on which the student is enrolled.
Reviewed in July 2014; no changes made
Reviewed in June 2016; changes approved by AQSC in June 2016 and by Senate in July 2016
Reviewed in June 2017; no changes made
Reviewed in June 2018; no changes made
Reviewed in June 2019; no changes made
Reviewed in June 2024; changes in terminology used throughout