Thinking of Intermitting?

What does ‘intermission’ mean?

Intermission (temporary withdrawal/leave of absence) provides you with the opportunity to take a break from your studies if you have compelling evidence of medical and/or compassionate circumstances affecting your performance, and if your Course Leader supports the application.

Intermission may be necessary when, for example, students are experiencing persistent problems with health or personal circumstances, which results in a significant adverse effect upon their performance. Where issues can be resolved more quickly, a student should follow the procedures for mitigation or seek alternative action following advice from Student Support and their Course Leader.

Get Support

In cases of illness or if you feel you have a genuine need to take a break from your studies, you can apply to interrupt your registration as a student, normally for a period of not more than one year at a time. UCP does not encourage students to take longer than normal to complete their studies but is willing to discuss this with you when there is good reason to consider an intermission.

Before deciding to intermit, please discuss your decision with a Student Advisor. A Student Advisor is a designated point of contact who is trained to provide professional help with your enquiry. It is important that you make an appointment with a Student Advisor as early as possible. Make an appointment through UCP Reception or by contacting them by email or telephone (their details are listed below). Where possible, we will try and give you the advice and support you need to help you stay and carry on with your studies.

Things to consider

We look for evidence of genuine need before granting intermissions. Intermission is granted for exceptional and/or unforeseen circumstances only. The purpose of intermission is to allow you the necessary time away from your studies to seek any necessary support, recuperate (in the case of ill health to alleviate any academic disadvantage caused to you as a result). Intermitting is intended to relieve you of a disadvantage, not put you at an advantage to other students.

If you are employer sponsored / sponsored by another organisation you must have agreement from your employer before you request to intermit.. They will need to agree your intermission and understand any difference in fees, study mode and duration of course. We are happy to provide this information but it is the student’s responsibility to seek agreement from their employer or sponsor.

IMPACT ON YOUR ACADEMIC STUDIES

You should discuss your plans to intermit with your Course Leader before completing the Intermission form.

• You should be aware that courses may change from year to year. This may affect the modules that are available to you when you return. It is your responsibility to stay up to date with information about your course, and the best way to do so is to keep in contact with your Course Leader.
• Depending on the structure of your course, and the point in the year at which you intermit, it may be necessary to repeat a period of study in the year in which you return.
• You are not normally permitted to attend classes during your period of intermission.
• Your access to learning resources (Library and CANVAS access) are suspended during the period of your intermission.

IMPACT ON YOUR UCP REGISTRATION

• Undergraduate students should consider the impact on the maximum period (see the Academic Regulations) that you have to complete your award.
• If you are an international student under a Tier 4 visa and you intermit from your studies for a period longer than 60 days you will not be permitted to remain in the UK.

IMPACT ON YOUR FINANCES

There are complicated rules surrounding future student loan or local authority funding, so it is best to consider all of your options and any financial implications beforehand.

• Students receiving Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) will have this funding withdrawn for the period of your intermission. You will not generally be entitled to welfare benefits.
• If you are considering moving out of your rented property when you intermit, we strongly recommend that you take advice before making your final decision. A tenancy agreement is legally binding and it is rarely possible to leave the property without the agreement of the landlord.
• You will have to speak to your funding body to ensure that any funding you receive is not affected by your intermission. It is your responsibility to check with your funding body (i.e. Student Finance England) what proportion of tuition fees will be charged and whether you are liable to make any repayment. If you receive Student Finance you will not be eligible for funding during your period of intermission. Website: www.gov.uk/student-finance Telephone: 0300 100 0607
• Please note that if you have not had permission to intermit, your fees will not be adjusted, and you will be charged full fees for tuition.
• When you return to study, the tuition fees are likely to have increased by a small amount and you will be liable to pay tuition fees at the current rate in the year in which you return.

What are the regulations for intermitting?

Please see the Academic Regulations and refer to section 3.42-3.48 for intermission information.

For independent advice about leaving, the Student Officer is available to any student for information, support and advice relating to any aspect of their time at UCP. If you need to talk to someone, contact studentofficer@ucp.ac.uk for an appointment.

Deadlines for intermitting

Normally no intermissions will be granted after the deadline for student examination registration (week 15 of the academic year).

Still wish to Intermit?

After taking all this into consideration, if you feel you still need to intermit from your course, you are advised to book an appointment with a Student Advisor to complete an Intermission Form giving your details and the reason(s) why you wish to leave. When the reason for intermitting is medical, you might be required to provide medical evidence.

Your Course Leader must approve your intermission. A Student Advisor will record the decision and inform you of the outcome within five working days in writing stating the point at which you recommence your studies. In a case where your Course Leader does not support the application, you may appeal in writing within 10 working days to a HE Manager stating the grounds for the appeal.

Students who have obtained agreement for intermission normally recommence their course at the start of the next academic year or, where the requirements of the first semester at that level have been completed satisfactorily, at the start of the next semester.

Intermission is granted for a period of up to one year in the first instance. A second application may be made to extend this period by up to one year if the evidence, medical or other, indicates that the student would benefit from a further period of intermission.

The minimum and maximum periods of registration for a course are detailed in the Academic Regulations. Intermission periods do not prolong the maximum period which is allowed between initial registration on a course and its completion.

Preparing for your return

The Course Leader and/or Admissions will contact you in writing a month prior to the start of your return date. You will be invited to re-enrol at a meeting or enrolment session.

Students who are taking a period of intermission are invited to opt into the ‘Keep in Touch’ strategy. Keeping in touch activities should be mutually agreed by the student and Student Support in advance of any activity taking place. A plan should be agreed in writing before the intermission period commences.

Activities can comprise of telephone calls, 1-1 meetings, invitation to tutorials of the new cohort of which the student will be entering, outreach events and/or email communication. Any student who is undertaking an activity on campus during their period of intermission will need to signed in as a visitor and abide by all UCP policies.

Students will continue to have access to their student e-mail account and staff should use this to stay in contact with them during this period.

What if changes were made to my course during intermission?

If changes are made to your course during your intermission period, they are likely to be small and beneficial, for example, a new module may become available. However, it is your responsibility to stay up to date with information about your course, and the best way to do so is to keep in contact with your Course Leader. They can inform you of any changes to modules, assessments, course titles or awards.