Leave of absence

Leave of absence from your studies and annual leave.

Leave of Absence (LoA)

Definition of a Leave of Absence (LoA) - Students who are matriculated on any Informatics PGR programme are required to carry out their PG research on the UoE campus. At times, however, it may be desirable or necessary for PGR students to conduct some of their degree research elsewhere.  Any PGR student who is going to be conducting any aspect of their degree off campus must submit an application for a Leave of Absence.

Please note that whilst students have a right to request a Leave of Absence, but there is no automatic entitlement to being granted one. All Leave of Absence requests must be approved by the School and/or College, and before a student leaves campus. 

If the LoA is approved, it means that students remain fully matriculated on their PGR degree programme, access to the University's facilities is maintained, and students are still undertaking the required credit bearing research activities which contributes to their degree, but the student is not physically studying on campus. Where a student is being sponsored on a student visa, PGR supervisors must continue to ensure student engagement with the programme of study and record monthly EUCLID engagement points for the duration of the LoA. 

PGR student's who hold a student visa must contact the Student Immigration Service to find out if there proposed LoA will affect their student visa and sponsorship. Any change to a student's 'location of study' must be notified to the UKVI within 10 days.  

 Student Immigration Service | The University of Edinburgh 

Stipend payments during internships

Things to note:

  • A PGR student without an approved LoA recorded in their EUCLID record must be present and studying on campus and contactable/residing at their local term time address.  PGR students are asked to make sure their EUCLID personal contact information and term time address is up to date and correct at all times. 
  • Sometimes a student may be offered an opportunity to undertake an integral and assessed work placement which is remotely delivered from the UoE campus - in this instance, the student should submit an LoA so as to advise the School of the work placement activity and (where applicable) the activity is compliant with visa sponsorship and/or funding allocations. 
  • The University is required to report all LoAs >5 days to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), hence, it is important that PGR students notify the IGS of all LoAs, including Category 1 LoAs. 

UPDATED 09/05/2023