York Online Registration, Absence and Engagement Policy

The University’s policy on student registration for the York Online programmes, covering enrolment of programmes, registration on modules, student absence and academic engagement. This policy applies to all students registering on one of the York Online programmes.

Introduction
Definitions
Enrolment and registration of new starters
Re-enrolment of continuing students
Ongoing module registration
Failure to take action - unauthorised absence
Authorised Leave of Absence
Fee payment, refunds and funding
Access to study materials
Data protection and safeguarding
Appendix 1: Leave of Absence reason codes

You can also download and print a copy of the York Online Registration, Absence and Engagement Policy 2023-4 (PDF , 264kb)

1. Introduction

1.1 As part of its commitment to enabling a lifelong journey of growth and development, the University of York offers a series of 100% online programmes, known as York Online, aimed primarily at mid-career professionals seeking to enhance their careers or transition into new ones. Students on these programmes represent a distinct population within the University, with the majority being mature learners with full-time work and family commitments that may need to take precedence over their studies from time to time. The University recognises the diversity of experience and barriers to attainment that our York Online students may encounter. In response, the University aims to provide a supportive environment that enables students to respond flexibly to changes in their circumstances and manage their learning and progression on the programme.

1.2 Studying at Masters level alongside employment represents a significant commitment and can often be challenging. Students have a responsibility to manage their time and workload effectively, monitor their engagement with the programme and plan accordingly. The University expects all students to monitor their progress through the programme, consider whether they have any personal circumstances that may affect their ability to study, and inform the University of whether or not they intend to register for an upcoming module.

1.3 The University expects that all students who have registered for a module will be actively studying that module and able to engage effectively. Where work, family or other life commitments are likely to significantly impact a student’s ability to engage with their studies, the University encourages students to take an authorised break from their programme, known as a Leave of Absence. Students are expected wherever possible to plan this in advance and notify the University as soon as possible via the appropriate process.

Policy sections

3.1 Enrolment deadlines

3.1.1 Students must complete enrolment and module registration in the University’s student records system, e:vision. Enrolment and registration opens on Day 2 of the previous online learning period (usually 8 weeks minus 1 working day prior to course start) and closes at midnight on the Tuesday before the module starts. The exception to this is enrolment for new students commencing study in OL1 (September), which usually opens on the first working day in August (the date may vary each year of study). Deadlines are provided in the email that accompanies the offer letter and in the ‘University of York - joining instructions’ email. Students who fail to complete both enrolment and registration by the deadline, and who do not request to defer to a later start date, will be withdrawn in line with Regulation 6.2 (h). Students may defer their enrolment for up to six intakes within one year from their initial application date. Late enrolment is seldom permitted and usually only in exceptional cases of technical errors or delays on the part of the University. If a student is unable to meet the deadlines for other reasons, they are expected to defer to the next start.

3.2 Payment plan

3.2.1 Following enrolment and prior to registering on their first module, new students must confirm their payment plan as either:

Pay upfront (pay the whole programme fee), or
Pay as you go (pay per module).

3.2.2 This choice cannot be changed later and there are no alternative payment plans. Where a student has chosen ‘Pay upfront’ as the payment plan, they must pay for the programme before being permitted to select their first module. Where a student has selected ‘Pay as you go’, fees will be calculated for them at module level and they must pay the fee owed each time that they register for a module.

4.1 Annual re-enrolment

4.1.1 Students will be required to complete a reduced version of the enrolment task in e:vision prior to registering for their first module in the academic year, including checking their personal information is correct and accepting the University’s revised Regulations and other terms and conditions.

5.1 Notification of intention to study or take a break

5.1.1 Enrolled students are required to notify the University of whether they intend to study in each upcoming online learning period, via e:vision. Following the opening of module registration for the relevant online learning period, students must either complete the registration process by registering and paying for a module or submit a break request. The only exception to this is where a student has already had a break request approved that covers the upcoming online learning period. If a student fails to take action by the registration deadline, they will initially be placed on an unauthorised absence (see section 6). Students are expected to monitor their own progress through the programme and seek advice from their Student Success Coordinator if they are unsure whether or not to register for the next module.

5.2 Module registration deadlines

5.2.1 Module registration opens for the upcoming online learning period on Day 1 of the previous online learning period (usually eight weeks prior to module start) and closes at 23:59 UK time on the Tuesday before the module starts. Students are informed of the deadlines via email and can also check upcoming deadlines in e:vision. Payment reminders are intended to help students plan and are an opportunity to report problems with their studies to the University; it is up to the student to decide whether they are able to study. Late registration is seldom permitted and usually only in exceptional cases of technical errors or delays on the part of the University.

5.3 If there is no module available

5.3.1 Where a student has taken a break in their studies and therefore missed a module, they will have to wait for the module to be offered again to complete it. While waiting to complete the programme there are likely to be online learning periods where there is no module available to study. Unless a student wishes to request an authorised Leave of Absence for another reason (see section 7), students will automatically be put on a Leave of Absence by “default” for the duration of that online learning period, their student record will be updated and they will receive a confirmation email. Students on a “default” Leave of Absence will not have any specific conditions of return and are expected to notify the University of their intention to study as set out in section 5.1 for the following registration period.

5.3.2 Students who are placed on a “default” Leave of Absence are assumed to be fit to study, as they are not on a break by choice. Consequently, they are expected to continue to monitor their University of York email address and engage with any assessments that take place during the “default” Leave of Absence. If a student is aware before commencing a “default” Leave of Absence that they will be unable to study, then they should request to take an authorised Leave of Absence for a different reason (see Appendix 1). If the student encounters unforeseen circumstances during the “default” Leave of Absence that mean they are unable to attempt their assessment, or their performance would be negatively affected, then they should request to defer the assessment using the York Online Fit to Sit / Submit policy.

5.4 Academic engagement and attendance

5.4.1 Students that are registered on a module are expected to be actively engaging with their studies. The York Online programmes are designed to offer largely self-directed learning; while modules are structured into units of learning that equate to approximately 18.75 hours of study per week, students are expected to manage their own time and commit the time necessary to succeed in their studies. With the exception of the capstone project module (CPM), students are not expected or required to attend timetabled or scheduled teaching sessions. Student engagement may be monitored through Canvas log-ins and page views to inform support calls from Student Success Coordinators. However, students are expected to monitor their own ability to engage and take action accordingly, either through this policy or through the Fit to Sit / Submit policy or the Repeat Study policy, where appropriate.

6.1 Where a student fails to take action in response to module registration and does not either select and pay for a module, or request to take or extend a break (Leave of Absence), they will initially be placed on an unauthorised absence with a duration of one online learning period. The student will receive an email explaining their status.

6.2 After the student has been placed on an unauthorised absence, the University will attempt to contact the student to discuss their intentions. Where contact is made, support will be offered to try to help the student continue with their studies. Where contact is not made, the student will be automatically placed on an unauthorised absence for a second consecutive online learning period. If the University has been unable to make contact with the student by the end of that second unauthorised absence, the student will be withdrawn from their programme and will no longer be an enrolled student of the University.

6.3 Students who have been withdrawn from the programme following failure to take action after two consecutive study breaks may appeal and request readmission by responding to the withdrawal notification email within 30 days with an explanation as to why no action was taken. If the student had good reason for not taking action sooner, is in good academic standing and is able to continue their studies for an award of the University, they will be readmitted. After 30 days a student’s IT account is withdrawn; any student who wishes to be readmitted after this point must submit a new application to study.

7.1 Purpose and eligibility

7.1.1 Leave of Absence (or break request) is intended as a time management tool to support students in their studies. Breaks may be requested on any grounds but are suitable for students who wish or need to take a break from their studies for more than two weeks. Where students experience disruption to their studies for two weeks or less, they are expected to make up for lost time through general time management techniques or, where required, through the York Online Fit to Sit / Fit to Submit policy. Students may also take a break from module study to focus on outstanding assessments from previous modules.

7.1.2 Any enrolled student may request a planned absence instead of registering for a new module. Where a student has registered on a taught module and is not able to complete the taught elements of the module as planned (i.e. weeks 1 to 7), they may request an immediate break. Students registered on the CPM module will be managed under a separate process. Registered students are not eligible to request a Leave of Absence during the first eight days of the programme; in these cases, students will be withdrawn and their start date deferred.

7.1.3 Students who have failed the programme are not eligible for Leave of Absence unless they intend to continue their studies to achieve a lower exit award. For the avoidance of doubt, students who have submitted an appeal against programme failure and are not continuing for a lower exit award will be withdrawn from the programme. If an appeal is upheld, withdrawn students will be readmitted to the programme on the advice of the Special Cases team.

7.2 Timing and permitted periods

7.2.1 Students may request a planned break starting in the next online learning period at any time when module registration is open; in such cases, the minimum break period is the entirety of that online learning period.

7.2.2 Alternatively, students may request an immediate break midway through a module, providing that the request is received prior to completion of the taught elements of the module (that is, during weeks 1 to 7). In such cases, the minimum break period is the remainder of that online learning period: students are not permitted to depart from and then return to the same online learning period. In addition, registered students submitting a break request in week 7 will not be permitted to return to studies in the next online learning period; in such cases, the minimum break period is nine weeks.

7.2.3 In some cases, a student who submits an immediate break request prior to week 7 and wants to return to the next online learning period may not be able to return at the date they have requested. This could happen if there is no module available for them to study, or their break request will require conditions of return, and the student is now too close to the deadline for meeting conditions of return for the absence to be processed with the requested return date.

7.2.4 Students are not permitted to start a Leave of Absence in the assessment period (week 8) of a taught module, or in the winter or summer break. This is because the taught elements of the student’s most recent module have been completed. The student should manage any disruptions only affecting that week through the York Online Fit to Sit / Fit to Submit policy. In cases where the student’s ability to engage with the module teaching was severely disrupted, they should also refer to the York Online Repeat Study policy.

7.2.5 Students are strongly encouraged to submit their break request prior to disengaging with their studies. Where that is not possible, students are usually expected to apply within one month of disengaging. Leave of Absence that is entirely retrospective will not be considered or approved: in these circumstances, the student should refer to the York Online Repeat Study policy.

7.2.6 The maximum period of a single Leave of Absence is up to one calendar year in the first instance. There is no maximum limit on the number of periods of Leave of Absence, or the total duration of those absences. However, students who have a high number of absences from the programme may be monitored so that support can be offered to ensure they have the best chance to succeed. Where the total accrued periods of absence exceed 24 months, new break requests will require additional approval (see section 7.6.3).

7.3. Returning from a requested Leave of Absence

7.3.1 Students are required to notify the University via e:vision of their intention to return to study. This may be at their expected return date or earlier, if their circumstances change. All students on a Leave of Absence are expected to monitor their University email address within eight weeks of their expected return date and respond to communications from the University about their return. Students are required to either confirm their intention to return, or to submit a new break request. Some students will be required to fulfil conditions of return prior to returning to their studies: any conditions will be communicated to students via email when their Leave of Absence is approved.

7.3.2. Where a student has not been set any conditions of return, they are expected to either notify the University of their intention to return or to submit a new break request to extend their Leave of Absence before the next module registration deadline. If the student does not complete re-enrolment and module registration in e:vision by the module registration deadline, then they will be unable to return to studies in the next online learning period and will be placed on an unauthorised absence (see section 6).

7.3.3 Where a student has been set conditions of return, they will only be permitted to return to studies once they have demonstrated that these conditions have been fulfilled. Such conditions usually require the student to demonstrate their fitness to study, but other conditions may be imposed, for example, submitting outstanding assessments. Students on medical Leave of Absence are expected to take the necessary steps to ensure they can provide medical evidence in time to return to studies. In some circumstances, students who have taken a Leave of Absence on compassionate grounds may also be asked to provide evidence that they are fit to return. If a student is unable to meet their conditions of return by the communicated deadline they can extend their break in studies by submitting a new Leave of Absence request. Students must meet their conditions of return or submit a new Leave of Absence request by the communicated deadline; failure to take either action will result in withdrawal from studies.

7.3.4 When a student returns to a taught module that they left part-way through, they will be allowed to rejoin at the start. It is up to the student whether they choose to engage from week 1 or from the point that they departed. However, failure to engage from the beginning of the module will not be considered adequate grounds to request in-module mitigation under the Fit to Sit / Submit policy, or to request Repeat Study of the module unless there are other extenuating circumstances which impact the student’s ability to engage.

7.3.5 When a student registers for a module from which they have previously taken a Leave of Absence, they will join a new iteration of that module with a new cohort of students. The University may make reasonable changes to the course or to related educational and other services and facilities where it is necessary for the University to deliver a better quality of educational experience to students enrolled on the course. When returning to a module for which a student has previously been registered, it is the student’s responsibility to engage with all material in the new iteration of the module. Failure to engage with any changes is not grounds for mitigation under the Fit to Sit / Submit policy, or to request Repeat Study of the module unless there are other extenuating circumstances which impact the student’s ability to engage. The student will not be permitted to retain access to the earlier iteration of the module.

7.3.6 Where a student has been permitted to repeat an assessment as part of their Leave of Absence request (see section 7.4.3), they should not re-submit work previously submitted, as per section 1.3.11 of the Academic Misconduct policy.

7.3.7 A student may only return to a module twice without additional approval (ie a total of three attempts at the module, see section 7.6.4).

7.3.8 Where a student does not take action in order to return to their studies following an authorised Leave of Absence, they will be placed on an unauthorised absence, as set out in section 6.

7.4 When evidence is required

7.4.1 When requesting to take a break, evidence will not normally be required for taught modules. Exceptions to this rule are outlined in sections 7.4.2, 7.4.3 and 7.4.4 below.

7.4.2 Where a student’s total accrued periods of absence (for the current request and any previous absences) exceed 24 months, the student may be required to provide evidence/further information in support of their application, in order to demonstrate that they are likely to complete their programme of study. Failure to do so may result in the student’s break request being rejected.

7.4.3 Where a student requests an immediate break from a module that has component assessments and the assignment deadline or exam start time for one or more of those component assessments has passed, the student will be required to provide evidence in order to be permitted to repeat the component assessments when they rejoin the module. In this case, the student will need to:

explain why they believe the assessment was impacted by their circumstances, and
provide evidence that demonstrates that the timing and nature of those circumstances would have negatively affected their ability to prepare for, or attempt, the assessment.

Failure to provide the requested evidence will not lead to a rejection of the break request, but will mean that the mark previously achieved for the assessment(s) in question will stand. If the student has already submitted a claim for the affected assessment(s) under the York Online Fit to Sit / Submit Policy and that claim has been approved, then no further evidence or explanation should be required. It is up to the student to decide whether the component assessment has been affected and whether they wish to repeat it.

7.4.4 When applying for a Leave of Absence with a period of Repeat Study, evidence will be required to support the Repeat Study application. Details of this are set out in the York Online Repeat Study policy.

7.4.5 When applying to extend an existing Leave of Absence, evidence will not normally be required except in the following cases:

where the York Online Support Team is concerned about the student’s welfare or their ability to complete the programme. For example, where a student has made little progress on the programme and has repeatedly extended their Leave of Absence, evidence that the student has the potential to return and complete within a reasonable period will be requested, to ensure the best outcome for the student and the currency of learning.
where a student is moving from a Leave of Absence with medical conditions of return to a Leave of Absence to focus on assessments. In such cases, evidence will be required that the student is fit to take those assessments.

7.4.6 When returning from a Leave of Absence taken on medical grounds (either physical or mental health), students will be required to demonstrate that they are fit to return to their studies. In certain circumstances, students may be permitted to self-certify their return from medical Leave of Absence. This will typically be in cases where the student has a physical health issue where it is easy for the student to recognise and confirm that they are fit to study again e.g. when a student has recovered from an illness or injury and can confirm they have no lingering symptoms and/or that treatment has concluded. In other cases, evidence will be required as set out in section 7.5.

7.4.7 When returning from a Leave of Absence on compassionate grounds, students may be required to demonstrate that they are fit to return to their studies by providing evidence as set out in section 7.5.

7.4.8 Students should not wait for evidence to be available before submitting a Leave of Absence request. In cases where evidence or further information is required, students will be given four weeks from submission of the break request to submit it. Where evidence is not received by this deadline, the Leave of Absence request will be reviewed without supporting evidence.

7.5 Acceptable forms of evidence

7.5.1 Where students are required to provide independent evidence, the following principles apply:

a) The evidence should be reasonably contemporaneous to the circumstances the student describes:

Where a student wants to repeat a component assessment, then the evidence would be expected to demonstrate that their studies were disrupted shortly before the assignment deadline or exam start date, or during the exam availability period.
Where a student needs to provide evidence of fitness to return to their studies, the evidence provided would be expected to be obtained during the student’s Leave of Absence.

In all cases, where the student’s statement is supported by non-contemporaneous evidence, this may still be accepted if the decision-maker is satisfied that the student was unable to secure evidence at a more appropriate time.

b) The evidence should be independent of the student’s account:

Where a student wants to repeat a component assessment, evidence will be expected to meet the standards set out in section 11.8-11.10 of the York Online Fit to Sit / Submit policy.
Where a student needs to provide evidence of fitness to return to their studies, that evidence must be from a medical professional, or from a University of York support service, such as the Open Door Team or Disability services, and is expected to provide an independent assessment of the student’s ability to study. A letter or certificate from a medical professional that simply repeats the student’s own description of events and does not provide an independent assessment will carry less weight but may still be accepted.

c) The evidence should corroborate the student’s account. It is important that the evidence allows the decision-maker to confirm the nature and impact of the circumstances beyond the student’s statement. This means that the evidence should support the student’s account, including the nature and duration of its impact. This is to permit the decision-maker to come to a conclusion that is objective, appropriate and fair.

7.5.2 All evidence must be in English or be accompanied by an English translation; translations should preferably be provided by an independent third party. It is the student’s responsibility to source the translation.

7.5.3 Bereaved students will not be expected to provide independent evidence confirming the death of another person. Students will also not be expected to provide independent evidence confirming sexual violence or domestic or intimate partner abuse, or of a miscarriage or of an abortion, or of complications arising from a miscarriage or abortion, or of health conditions related to pregnancy. Students may still be required to provide a statement which explains the circumstances, when they occurred, and how their studies were impacted.

7.5.4 The University recognises that students may encounter circumstances where it is not possible for a student to get independent evidence. In such cases, a contemporaneous statement by the student, along with an explanation of why independent evidence cannot be obtained, may be sufficient. In such cases, consideration will be given to whether the explanation as to why evidence cannot be obtained is plausible.

7.5.5 Where a student has genuine reasons for being unable to provide evidence to support their return, and the nature of their medical condition does not permit section 7.5.4 to apply, the student may be required to attend a virtual meeting with a relevant member of University staff, such as a member of the Open Door Team or of Disability Services, or a University Health Advisor from the campus-based surgery Unity Health, to ascertain if they are fit to return to study. Where concerns are identified about the student’s welfare, and the student is considered to be at risk if they return to studies, they will not be permitted to return and instead will be required to extend their break.

7.5.6 The University reserves the right to check the authenticity of all supporting evidence submitted. Where it is suspected that a student has submitted evidence that is not genuine, or has fraudulently made a claim on grounds which require no evidence, they may be referred for consideration under the University’s Regulation 7: student discipline procedure.

7.6 Approval of Leave of Absence requests and right of appeal

7.6.1 Break requests will be automatically triaged. Where a student’s proposed break meets specific criteria, their request will be approved automatically. Criteria for automatic approval are based on: the total accrued periods of absence (including the new request); the timing of the request; the student’s reason for requesting a break; and whether the student’s request includes Repeat Study of previous modules or an immediate break from a module with component assessments. Automatically approved requests will not be reviewed by University staff.

7.6.2 Other break requests will be checked and approved by the York Online Support Team. Academic staff from the student’s department may be consulted on any academic conditions of return. Academic staff may also be consulted where a student has had multiple absences that are likely to affect their ability to complete the programme, where the total accrued periods of absence exceed 24 months, or where a student is requesting to return to a module for the third time (i.e. it will be their fourth attempt at that module). No student will be refused a Leave of Absence from a taught module unless there are serious concerns about their ability to complete the programme.

7.6.3 Where the total accrued periods of absence exceed 24 months, absences will require additional approval from the Department’s Chair of Board of Studies. The total accrued periods of absence includes any unauthorised absences or “default” Leave of Absences that are on the student’s record. Where the student’s likelihood of successfully completing their programme is called into question, the student may be referred to the University's Support to Study Process or the application may be rejected.

7.6.4 Approval will also be required from the Department’s Chair of Board of Studies and from Special Cases where a student is requesting to return to a module for the third time (ie it will be their fourth attempt at that module).

7.6.5 Students will receive an email stating whether their request has been approved, and outlining any conditions of return. Where a claim is rejected or partially rejected, the student will be notified by email that their request has not been upheld, provided with the reason for the decision, and informed of their right to appeal (see section 7.6.6).

7.6.6 Where a Leave of Absence request is rejected or partially rejected, the student may submit a Formal Stage Academic Appeal to the Special Cases team. The student will be informed of their right to appeal the decision and any deadline for doing so when they receive the outcome for their request.

7.7. Impact on programme end dates

7.7.1 When a student takes a break from studies, the programme end date on their student record will be automatically updated to include the period of absence. The updated programme end date will not reflect any additional breaks from study that may be required in future in order to wait for modules to be offered again. Students will be able to see their original expected end date and new expected end date in their break request in e:vision in order to help them assess the impact that the requested break will have on their end date. However, students should also refer to the module schedule in the Orientation Module to determine whether they may need additional breaks from the programme in the future.

7.8 Assessments scheduled for the period of absence

7.8.1 In most cases students are not permitted to engage with their studies or to attempt any assessments for the duration of their absence; any assessments taken will be considered null and void and the student will need to attempt them again after they have returned to study. Exceptions to this rule are outlined in sections 7.8.2 and 7.8.3.

7.8.2 Students are expected to continue to engage with their studies and attempt scheduled assessments if they are on a Leave of Absence and any of the following are true:

the student requested a Leave of Absence in order to “focus on assessments”;
the student was automatically placed on a “default” Leave of Absence because there were no modules available to study;
the student is required to take one or more outstanding assessments as part of their conditions of return.

In these cases, the student is expected to know whether they have an assessment scheduled during their Leave of Absence. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor their University email address and ensure that they understand the assessment requirements.

7.8.3 Enrolled students who submit a Leave of Absence request in week 8 of their current module are expected to complete all of the remaining summative assessments for that module, including any deadline extensions. This is because they have completed the teaching for that module and cannot use a Leave of Absence to request mitigation for an assessment only. If the student is unable to sit the exam or submit their assignment by the advertised deadline, they need to request a deferral or sit-as-if-for-the-first-time using the York Online Fit to Sit / Submit policy.

7.8.4 Where a student meets the criteria outlined in 7.8.2 or 7.8.3 but is unable to complete assessments during a Leave of Absence, they should follow the York Online Fit to Sit / Submit policy. Students who do not attempt the assessment, and do not inform the University that they were not fit to do so, will fail the assessment and the standard rules for non-submission will apply, as set out in the Guide to Assessment, Standards, Marking and Feedback. Missing an email which notifies a student of the scheduling of their assessment is not considered grounds to mitigate failure.

7.8.5 In all cases except for those outlined in 7.8.2 and 7.8.3, assessments that are scheduled to take place during the student’s Leave of Absence will be automatically deferred. These assessments will be rescheduled to take place at the next available opportunity after the student has returned to active study.

7.8.6 Requesting a Leave of Absence does not permit the student to repeat assessments that have already taken place. Consequently, an assessment that was scheduled to take place before the student’s Leave of Absence start date will not be automatically deferred.

Where a student requests to take an immediate break midway through a module and wishes to repeat a component assessment that has already taken place, they will be required to meet the evidence requirements as set out in section 7.4.3.
Where a student wishes to repeat an assessment from an earlier module (for example, an extension, reassessment or ‘sit as is for the first time’), they will need to submit this request via the York Online Fit to Sit / Submit policy.

8.1 Paying fees

8.1.1 All payments, regardless of the payment plan selected or sponsor arrangements, must be paid by the student via the module registration process (in the “Your Study” section of e:vision), using a credit or debit card accepted by the University. No alternative payment methods will be accepted.

8.1.2 At this time, all students are classed as self-funding and we do not currently offer the facility for a sponsor or other third party to make payment direct to the University on a student’s behalf or for a sponsor or other third party to be invoiced for fees. If a student has a sponsor arrangement agreed they need to make individual payment arrangements directly with their sponsor so that they are able to pay the University directly. Invoices and receipts will be issued in the name of the student and will not be amended. Invoices and receipts are available for students to view in the ‘Your Finance’ section of e:vision.

8.1.3 The only exception to the above is in the small number of recurrent funding arrangements with established loans procedures, such as Student Finance Northern Ireland or Sallie Mae student loans. Such exceptions will be agreed on a case-by-case basis by the Head of Online Partnerships, in consultation with the Fees Office.

8.1.4 Exceptions will not be made for individual students sponsored by their employers. Students are also reminded of Regulation 11.3 which prohibits them sharing their University IT account password with anyone.

8.2 Refunds

8.2.1 Where a student has paid for a module and then applies for a Leave of Absence within the refund period, their period of absence will cover the whole of that online learning period and they will receive a refund. The money will be refunded to the payment card used if a student is on the Pay as you go payment plan and students will be expected to pay for the module when they next register for it. If a student is on the Pay upfront payment plan, the money will be held by the University as a credit for future modules. Applications for Leave of Absence received outside of the refund period will not result in a refund. Instead the fee for that module will be retained and re-applied when the student studies the same module at a later date.

8.2.2 Where a student withdraws from the programme, and ceases to be an enrolled student of the University, any refund will be applied in line with the University’s Student Tuition Fee Refund Policy.

8.3 Funded students and Leave of Absence

8.3.1 Where a student has financial support from a UK regional government funding body, such as Student Finance England, the University is obliged to inform the funding body of any break in their studies. Payments will be suspended during the period of absence. Depending on the date of the Leave of Absence and when students receive their student finance, a student may have an overpayment and be required to repay immediately, or have the overpayment deducted from future instalments. Students who are unsure of the impact of taking a break on their funding arrangements should contact the Student Hub.

8.3.2 When a student returns from Leave of Absence, the University will inform the funding body and payments will resume. Funding body rules require that students be actively studying before payments can resume. This means that students in England, Scotland and Wales are likely to have to pay for their next module before they receive their next loan payment (1). The exceptions to this are students who have paid in full for their programme and students returning to a module they have already paid for.

8.3.4 Where students are in receipt of other types of funding, it is their responsibility to ensure that the proposed period of absence is compatible with the regulations of any granting agency from which funding would normally be received, and that such agencies are informed of the proposed leave.

Note 1: Student Finance Northern Ireland pays the funding directly to the University so a different process is in place for these students.

9.1 Once the module registration and payment process is complete, students will be granted access to the module in Canvas at 9am UK time on the start date for teaching for that module.

9.2 If a student takes an immediate Leave of Absence part way through a module (i.e. between weeks 1 and 7 of that module), the student’s access to that module on the Learning Management System will be removed. Upon returning to studies, the student will not be permitted to regain access to the affected module, but will be returned to a new iteration of the module as set out in 7.3.5. For all students, access to completed modules, including modules with outstanding reassessments or sits-as-if-for-the-first-time, will remain throughout the period of absence.

9.3 Students on a Leave of Absence will retain full borrowing rights from the University Library and are permitted to access IT facilities.

10.1 Information and documents provided by students under this policy will be treated confidentially in line with the University of York Data Protection Policy and the University’s privacy notice for students.

10.2 The York Online Support Team typically obtains personal information directly from students e.g. when they contact us by email, telephone or video call, when they enrol on the programme or select and pay for a module, or when they submit an online Exceptional Circumstances claim form, a request to take a break or a request for Repeat Study in e:vision. We may also receive information or data from the student’s academic department, their Student Success Coordinator or Disability Services.

10.3 Students’ personal information is used to plan for and support a student’s trajectory (e.g. to advise them on module registration); to respond to registration and payment queries; to terminate a student’s enrolment (e.g. in the case of consecutive unauthorised absences); to prepare and process Leave of Absence requests, inform outcomes (e.g. to establish conditions of return) and process those outcomes (e.g. to ensure students are able to return at the appropriate time and that their assessments are scheduled appropriately); to update the student record; and to establish whether students may benefit from additional support or signposting to other University services. Anonymised collated data on student module registration will be shared with academic departments to enable them to plan teaching workload.

10.4 Personal information will be available to the York Online Support Team, and may be discussed within the team and with the Student Success Coordinators in order to support the student journey and provide services to students. Special Category data may be discussed within the team when one student case falls under multiple different processes (e.g. the Fit to Sit / Submit process; the Leave of Absence process; the Repeat Study process; or the appeals process). Evidence, which may include special category data, provided under one process may be used in support of a claim submitted through a different process, where applicable, with the student’s permission (e.g. evidence submitted in support of a Fit to Sit /Submit claim may be used if a student submits a Leave of Absence request on the same grounds, but provides no evidence).

10.5 Where a team member believes a student may benefit from, or requires, additional information or support, personal information, including special category data, will be shared within the York Online Support Team in order to facilitate the provision of appropriate support (e.g. advising a student about other policies that help them in their circumstances or checking in on a student’s welfare).

10.6 Outcomes from Leave of Absence requests made under this policy, including whether or not a student has conditions of return, will be shared with a student’s academic supervisor and / or their Student Success Coordinator to enable them to provide advice about progress and trajectory through the programme, and with other relevant members of academic staff where a student needs assessments to be rescheduled. Details of the claim itself (i.e. the reason for it and evidence submitted) will not be shared.

10.7 Personal information will be shared with relevant academic staff in the Department, if a Leave of Absence request or its outcome requires consultation. Personal information will also be shared with the Chair of the Department’s Board of Studies, or their deputy, or with the Special Cases team, where approval is required from them. This may include special category data.

10.8 In the event that an appeal is submitted regarding a Leave of Absence outcome or a withdrawal, personal information will be shared with members of the Special Cases team considering the appeal; the Chair of Board of Studies who will approve recommendations about the appeal; and occasionally members of the Standing Committee on Assessment, in order to respond to an appeal. To investigate an appeal, the York Online Support Team may need to request relevant information from module tutors, academic supervisors or Student Success Coordinators; in such cases, the staff concerned will be aware that an appeal has been submitted but will not be provided with personal information.

10.9 In the event that a student submits a complaint about their experience of this policy, the associated processes, any evidence and the outcome will be reviewed as needed by the Head of Online Partnerships, or their deputy, in order to investigate the complaint and provide a response.

10.10 Where the York Online Support Team has a concern regarding the welfare of a student they may seek advice from the Open Door Team or Disability Services, and may share personal information where it is deemed necessary.

10.11 Where the York Online Support Team has a concern regarding the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult they will seek advice from a Safeguarding Designated Contact, and may submit a safeguarding report containing a student’s personal information. Please see the University’s Safeguarding Framework on the University website.

Appendix

When applying for a Leave of Absence, students are required to provide a reason for why they want to take a break. Reason codes are used to determine whether the student is permitted to engage in their studies during the period of absence and whether any conditions of return are required.

Students who request a Leave of Absence will be asked to select one of the following reasons for absence. The examples provided in each case are intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive. If a student feels that multiple reason codes apply to their situation, they should select the reason that has most directly contributed to their decision to take a break in their studies. If a student is unsure which absence reason best fits their circumstances, they should ask their Student Success Coordinator for guidance.

Where the student provides information or evidence that suggests the primary reason for the Leave of Absence is different to that stated by the student, the York Online Support Team reserves the right to amend the LoA reason code to better reflect the information that has been submitted. This is in order to ensure accurate data for reporting purposes and that the University is fully able to meet its duty of care.

Caring responsibilities

Caring responsibilities refers to unpaid care of a family member, partner or friend. This may be due to a long-term illness, disability, a mental health condition, or an addiction. A caring responsibility may be short-term (eg to support recovery following an accident) or long-term (e.g. supporting a relative with a chronic health condition). Caring responsibilities might include physical care (eg helping someone out of bed), personal care (eg helping someone wash), emotional support, collecting prescriptions and helping to give medicine, and providing emergency care (2).

A common example of caring responsibilities is childcare.

Students who request a Leave of Absence on the grounds of caring responsibilities are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Compassionate

An absence on compassionate grounds refers to cases when a student is experiencing emotional distress due to circumstances that have impacted a family member, partner, colleague or friend. The student does not necessarily have to have directly witnessed the incident or be impacted themselves in order to experience emotional distress. If the most significant result of the circumstances is that the student is required to provide aftercare to the affected person, then “caring responsibilities” may be more appropriate. If the distress that the student experiences is long-lasting and interferes with the student’s ability to function in their daily life, studies or relationships, or leads to long term changes to mood, physical symptoms or changes in behaviour, then “Health (mental)” may be more appropriate.

Examples of compassionate grounds include bereavement, and cases where someone close to the student has suffered an illness or injury (for example, a cancer diagnosis or an accident).

Students who request a Leave of Absence on compassionate grounds are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Employment / Placement

Employment / placement refers to cases where the student’s job or professional development opportunity is impacting their ability to study.

Examples of employment / placement grounds include: where the student is working increased hours; is currently seeking new employment; is starting a new job; has been required to undertake intensive work-related training; has been offered a secondment, internship or other professional development opportunity. In cases where changes to a student’s employment are permanent or open-ended and likely to continue for a considerable period of time, the student should consider if and how they will be able to manage their studies at the end of their Leave of Absence.

Students who request a Leave of Absence on employment / placement grounds are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Financial

An absence on financial grounds refers to when a change in the student’s financial situation prevents them from being able to study (usually because they are unable to register and pay for new modules). This could be for a range of reasons, including new financial obligations (e.g. childcare costs, changes in mortgage rates) or a change in income. If the student is facing a change in employment but the primary impact is that they are unable to spend as much time studying, or are too tired to study, then “Employment / Placement” may be more appropriate.

Students who request a Leave of Absence on financial grounds are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Flexible break in study

A flexible break in study refers to cases where a student wants to take advantage of the flexible design of their programme in order to proactively manage their studies. This kind of absence cannot be selected if the student wishes to stop mid-module: students can only begin a flexible break in study at the start of a new online learning period.

Examples of taking a flexible break in study include: deciding not to begin a new module that would coincide with an upcoming holiday, family event or religious festival; awaiting results for an assessment before proceeding to a new module; or deciding to complete the programme at a slower pace (for example, studying for four online learning periods per year rather than six).

Students who take a flexible break in study are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Focus on Assessments

Taking a break to focus on assessments is a distinct kind of Leave of Absence. It is designed for students who want to prepare to sit / submit upcoming assessments but do not want to study a new module at the same time. This kind of absence cannot be selected if the student wishes to stop mid-module: students can only begin a Leave of Absence to focus on assessments at the start of a new online learning period.

Examples of when a student may wish to take a Leave of Absence to focus on assessments include: when they are preparing for a scheduled assessment and do not have time to balance this work alongside learning new module content; when the student is unwilling to proceed ‘at risk’ to a new module without attempting an outstanding assessment; or when a student has decided that they would like to withdraw from the programme early, but wish to complete outstanding assessments for modules for which they have already paid. This type of Leave of Absence is therefore potentially useful for students who have failed a previous module and are required to attempt the module reassessment; or who have been granted deferrals or to sit assessments ‘as-if-for-the-first-time’ (SAIFFT) via the York Online Fit to Sit / Submit policy.

Please note that students will be invited to attempt outstanding assessments at the next available opportunity; it is not possible for the University to offer assessment opportunities on an individual basis.

Students who take a Leave of Absence in order to focus on assessments are assumed to be fit to sit, and are therefore expected to engage with their studies (particularly preparing for and sitting assessments) during the absence. See section 7.8 for further information about assessments scheduled during a period of absence.

Health

There are three health-related reasons: Health (mental); Health (physical); or Health (physical & mental). These three reasons cover any kind of health condition that impacts the student’s ability to study. An absence on health grounds may be for a short term illness (e.g. an infection like covid-19) or for a long-term health condition (e.g. depression, a cancer diagnosis, or long Covid).

If the student’s health condition is likely to require ongoing medical attention or otherwise affect the student’s ability to study for over twelve months, the student should contact Disability Services prior to their return to studies. Disability Services will assess whether the student requires reasonable adjustments, which may be provided in a Student Support Plan.

Students who request a Leave of Absence on any kind of health grounds are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Motivational

Motivational refers to cases when a student is struggling to engage with the course content, and there is no externally-driven cause for their lack of engagement.

Examples could include when a student has found the course material less relevant or interesting than they expected, or they simply don’t want to engage in their studies at this moment in time.

Students who request a Leave of Absence on motivational grounds are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Other

If none of the reasons for absence outlined in this appendix fit the student’s circumstances, then they should select that they have “other” grounds for the absence. Leave of Absence requests that use this reason code will always be reviewed and checked by a member of the York Online Support Team, and may be assigned a different code if one of the other reasons for absence is found to be appropriate.

Students who request a Leave of Absence on these grounds are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Parental Leave

Parental Leave refers to any disruption in studies due to maternity, paternity, or adoption. If a student receives funding from the Student Loan Company and intends to submit a Leave of Absence request due to pregnancy-related health issues, they should select ‘Health (physical)’ as grounds for the absence, in order to ensure they receive all funding they are entitled to. They will not be required to provide medical evidence in order to return to their studies. If a student is requesting a Leave of Absence in order to provide on-going childcare, then “caring responsibilities” may be more appropriate.

Students who request a Leave of Absence on grounds of parental leave are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Personal Reasons

Personal reasons refers to any disruption to a student’s studies that is personal and does not fit into any of the other categories.

Examples of personal grounds include: going through a divorce or the breakdown of a long-term relationship; buying or selling a house; house repairs or renovations; relocating to a new country; or direct involvement in legal disputes.

Students who request a Leave of Absence on grounds of personal reasons are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Technical/Academic skill development

Technical or academic skill development refers to cases where a student decides that they require additional preparatory study of, or training in, a specific skill before they feel they are ready to succeed in their studies. However, students are reminded that they are not permitted to be enrolled simultaneously on a York Online programme and for another qualification at this University or any other institution (see Regulation 6.2.d). Therefore in cases where a student has decided that they need to complete another qualification before continuing with the current level of studies, they will be required to withdraw from their programme.

Examples of this could include taking time away from the programme in order to develop core skills in topics such as maths, statistics, or academic writing. This could include self-directed study, relevant work experience, or study on a skills course, providing that course is not working towards a different qualification.

Students who request a Leave of Absence on grounds of technical or academic skill development are not permitted to engage with their studies (including sitting assessments) during the absence.

Non-selectable absence reasons

If a student is put on an absence by the University, then they may be given one of the following reasons for absence:

No modules available to study. This means that the student has been placed on a “default” Leave of Absence because they are unable to register for any of the modules that are being offered in the next online learning period. Students who are placed on a Leave of Absence on the grounds that there are no modules available to study are assumed to be fit to sit, and are therefore expected to engage with their studies during the absence. See section 5.3 for more information regarding this kind of absence.
Unauthorised absence. This means that the student has not informed the University of their intentions to study in advance of the module registration deadline and has therefore been placed on an unauthorised absence. Students who are placed on an unauthorised absence are not expected to engage with their studies during the absence. See section 6 for more information regarding this kind of absence.

Note 2: Students with Caring Responsibilities. UCAS. Available at: https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/individual-needs/students-caring-responsibilities [Accessed 4 January 2024].

Policy archive

This section contains links to our previous policies. Please note that these policies are superseded by the York Online Registration, Absence and Engagement Policy for this academic year:

LOA Policy 2022-23 (PDF , 158kb)

LOA Policy 2023-24 (PDF , 220kb)

If you're looking for the current York Online Registration, Absence and Engagement Policy, please refer to the text on this webpage, or download the PDF attached at the top of this page.