Interruption of Study

Interruption of Study is for students who require taking a temporary break from their studies and plan to resume their studies at a future date.

If you are a Visa National and hold a Tier 4 (general student) visa you will be required to leave the UK for the duration of your interruption and re-apply for a new visa in order to return to UCL and continue your studies. You must also inform Student Records of the date on which you plan to leave the UK as we are required to report this to the UKBA. You must comply with this visa requirement to safeguard your immigration status and future entry to the UK. Under the Points Based Immigration System (PBIS) UCL is legally required to notify the UK Border Agency of any changes to a student's status.

Making an Application

Applications must be made in advance of the proposed interruption.

Undergraduate and Graduate Taught Students

(i) Applications for first interruptions or those less than one calendar year will require the approval of the UCL Director of Student Administration, in addition to that of the Department and Faculty.

(ii) Applications for repeat interruptions or those in excess of one calendar year will be require the approval of the Dean of Students (Academic), in addition to that of the Department and Faculty.

(iii) The Faculty must forward the form to the Student Records office within one month of effective date of interruption. If received later, the effective interruption date will be the date of receipt, not the date on the form.

(iv) Modular/Flexible programmes cannot be interrupted.

Download an application form [Word File]

Graduate Research Students

(i) Students must read and understand the regulations that can be found at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ras/acd_regs/ac_reg_pdf_docs/RD_Section_1_2011_2012.pdf before applying for an interruption.

(ii) Your supervisor must e-mail Student Records giving the following information:

- Student Number

- Effective Date of Interruption

- End Date of Interruption

- Reason for Interruption

(iii) The email must be sent within one month of the effective date of interruption. If received later, the effective interruption date will be the date of receipt of the email.

(iv) Funded research students should also refer to http://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/secure/research/res_student/rescoun_sicknessect.html

Resuming your studies after a period of interruption

Undergraduate Students

You must email your Faculty one month prior to the expected date of return to confirm that you intend to re-enrol. Your Faculty must then confirm your intention to re-enrol to the Student Records office in advance of your return date so that we can re-instate your record. You will not be able to re-enrol until we have received this confirmation from your Faculty and we have re-instated your record.

Graduate Taught and Research Students

You must email your Department and the Student Records office one month prior to the expected date of return so that we can re-instate your record. You will not be able to re-enrol until we have received this confirmation and re-instated your record.

Re-enrolling after a period of interruption

Before you can re-enrol you must have paid the appropriate fees, or provided evidence of sponsorship, to the Student Fees office (fees@ucl.ac.uk, Tel: 020 7679 4125/4128).

You must re-enrol within two weeks of your date of return. Failure to re-enrol may result in the closure of your student record.

Students re-enrolling in September and October

You will need to re-enrol on-line via PORTICO. It is your responsibility to contact Information Systems (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/) to ensure that your username and password is correct. 

Students re-enrolling during the months November to August

You will need to re-enrol in person at the Student Centre. If you are a Visa national student please bring your passport and current visa with you when you come to enrol.

Page Editor : Student Records

Page last modified on 16 feb 12 11:41