Authorised Absence for Student Visa holders

Aberystwyth University is required to monitor engagement and attendance during term time.

You must request authorised absence if you are going to be absent outside of recognised vacation periods.

PLEASE NOTE:

Undergraduate and taught postgraduate students (during the teaching period) need to request authorised absence if the proposed absence will mean that they will be missing classes or examinations/assessments. Students who have attended all teaching and assessments for the year do not need permission to return home at the conclusion of the session. Authorised absence is required if UG/PGT students will be missing contact points.

Please ensure that authorised absence requests have been submitted and approved before finalising your travel arrangements. 

Unauthorised absences will count as missed contact points and could lead to your exclusion from the University and the curtailment of your visa. Retrospective permission will not normally be granted. 

This process safeguards you and your visa as you will be able to prove to border officials that you have permission to be away from the University during term time.  

Authorised Absence for Postgraduate Taught (PGT) and Undergraduate (UG) Students plus IEC Students

1. Student

You need to email your Departmental Compliance Contacts to make a request for authorised absence.  Please provide the following information:

  • Start and end of absence;
  • The reason for the requested period of absence;
  • Where you will be travelling to / your destination during the period of absence.

Please note that verbal authorisation or an informal agreement is not acceptable.  You must make a request in writing.

PGT students (who commenced their course in September) are expected to be in Aberystwyth from June to September.  This is not a vacation period.  Any requests to take authorised absence during this period need to be sent directly to your dissertation supervisor.  Supervisors do not have to agree to any requests during this period. 

If you are unwell, you need to submit a medical note, or any other evidence as requested by your department. 

2. Departmental Compliance Contact

Your Departmental Compliance Contact will forward the request to the relevant member of staff in the department for approval.  They will then send this onto the Compliance Office (compliance@aber.ac.uk).

3. Compliance Office

The Compliance Office will assess and authorise your request and update your attendance record.

If you are travelling outside of the UK, you will be issued with a letter that will outline your travel details. You should travel with a copy of this letter when you are returning to the UK as you may be asked by UK border control to provide evidence that you have authorisation to be away from the University during term time.

Authorised Absence for Postgraduate Research (PGR) Students

1. Student

You need to email your academic supervisor to request an authorised absence and send a copy that request and approval to your Departmental Compliance Contacts.

Please note that verbal authorisation or an informal agreement is not acceptable. You must make a request in writing.

You must include where you are going, how long you are going for, and why you are going.

2. Academic Supervisor

Your supervisor will assess your request.

If they are happy to authorise your absence, they must state it in writing i.e. e-mail, that they "approve the absence and that this absence will not impact on your current latest submission date". They will then need to forward their authorisation via email to the departmental contact who will send it on to the compliance team.

3. Departmental Compliance Contact

Your Departmental Compliance Contact will forward the request to the Compliance Office (compliance@aber.ac.uk).

4. Compliance Office

The Compliance Office will assess and authorise your request.

If you are traveling outside of the UK, you will be issued with a letter which will outline your travel details. You should travel with a copy of this letter when you are returning to the UK as you may be asked by UK border control to provide evidence that you have authorisation to be away from the University during term time.

Please ensure that authorised absence requests have been submitted and approved before finalising your travel arrangements. The Compliance Office will need a couple of days to issue the letter, but will normally turn these around within 48 hours of receiving the approval of your supervisor. If you have not received your letter please contact us to ask about the status of your request.

Requests for authorised absence should be made in writing via email. Verbal/informal approval is not acceptable.

Note: If you are travelling outside of the UK, you must follow the authorised absence process in order to be issued with a letter to be used when travelling and to avoid putting your visa at risk.

If you are travelling within the UK, you must follow the authorised absence procedure to avoid putting your visa at risk.