BREAK IN STUDY POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Mitigating impact on your study and assessment by halting your studies

Policy

1. In this document 'we', 'our' and 'us' refer to Sheffield Hallam University. 'You' and 'your' refer to all taught students of Sheffield Hallam University who are studying for a Sheffield Hallam academic award either at the University or a partner organisation.

2. Once you enrol on a course at the University you are expected to complete the course in one continuous period of uninterrupted study. However, we recognise that there are some situations where you want to take a year out to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity (either employment or vocational), or need to halt your studies due to exceptional circumstances (i.e. health issues, personal issues or a change in caring responsibilities which have occurred suddenly and unexpectedly). This policy explains the implications of taking a break in study.

If you are a student on a Degree Apprenticeship course, please also see Annex A.

If you are a student on a course delivered fully Online, please see Annex B.

3. A break in study means that you are temporarily halting your studies with the intention of resuming your studies in the next academic year. The maximum length of suspension which we will initially agree to is one calendar year. After this period, you may apply again for a further break, but before we can agree to this we will need to ensure that it is practical and sensible to do so. If your circumstances are likely to last more than 2 years, you are advised to withdraw from your course and re-apply by using the normal Admissions process when you feel able to engage in your studies.

4. Any request to take a break should be made before the start of the next academic year which means that you will not re-enrol onto that year. Exceptionally, you can request a break in study part way through an academic year with the intention of returning at the beginning of the next academic year, or the beginning of a semester/trimester, whichever is appropriate. A break in study part way through an academic year would only be permitted if you have exceptional circumstances supported by evidence or a long-term condition supported by a Learning Contract. Taking a break mid-year does have financial implications (see points 15-18) so you need to think carefully about whether a break in study or a withdrawal is the most sensible option for you.

5. We will agree a return date which maps on to a good point on your course. This agreed date will ensure that you are able to attend any teaching you have missed whilst on a break and submit all your outstanding assessments.

6. You cannot take a break from your studies within the final four weeks of the teaching/planned delivery of a course in an academic year (please note that this includes placement activity). This is because the majority of the teaching/planned schedule for the year has been delivered to you and it is expected you will be in a position to make an attempt at the assessments. At this point you are expected to manage your assessments using the Extensions and Exceptional Circumstances processes outlined in the Extensions and Exceptional Circumstances Policy and Procedure.

7. The length of your break in study is included in the calculation of the number of years you study on the course. Regulation 1 of the Standard Assessment Regulations explains the normal and maximum durations permitted for each award.

8. If your course is about to close or be substantially redesigned, the current version of the course may not be available on your return. You will be notified of any changes during the period of your break in study.

9. We will always support your request to take a break wherever possible. There are some situations, however, where a request cannot be approved. These include:

• Where a break in study would take you beyond the maximum duration for your course (see point 7). Where maximum duration permits, it may be possible to take more than one break in study within the duration of your course.
• For in-year requests only, where the circumstances reported do not meet our definition of exceptional circumstances, or where you have not provided any supporting evidence.

10. There are some situations where the University will automatically record you as taking a break in study. These are:

• Where you have not secured a placement for your sandwich year, and you have indicated that you want to take a year out so you can resume your studies with the rest of your cohort.
• Where you stop studying on your course pending a transfer to a different course at the beginning of the next academic year.
• Where you are due to undertake repeat modules which do not start teaching until later in the academic year. (This may affect your student finance and funding allowance.)
• Where Professional and Statutory Body Requirements (PSRB) require you take a break pending return at a later date (usually when you can start a placement).
• Where you have a Student (or other international) visa and must return home to renew your visa, to return to study at a later date.
• Where you have been detained under the Mental Health Act (1983).
• Where you have been remanded in custody pending a criminal trial or sentenced to a period in prison.
• Where the break is deemed essential as part of a support plan approved by the Director of Student Services and the Director of Academic Services.

11. If you are pregnant and are planning to take maternity absence, you must contact a Student Support Adviser in good time to arrange your studies around your maternity absence. See Student Pregnancy and Maternity Policy.

12. If you are an international student attending on a Student visa, you must ensure that you understand what a break in study means for your visa. For example, the University must report the details of your break in study to UK Visas and Immigration and cease sponsorship of your current visa. You will need to return home to apply for a new Student visa to return to study. You must also be aware of the Student Visa Time Limits on study in the UK. Further advice for Student visa students taking a break in study is available from the International Experience Team.

13. If you are taking a break in study part way through an academic year, any assessment already submitted, or exams already taken will be marked and considered by a Department Assessment Board. If modules are passed, the marks stand. If modules are not passed, you can choose to retain individual task marks or to void them. We retain the right to void individual task marks if the module is not being delivered in the next academic year or has been modified.

14. You will not normally be permitted to engage in any outstanding assessments from your previous year unless you are taking a break in study due to non-medical reasons. This will be confirmed to you if your request to take a break in study is approved.

15. No tuition fee is payable from the date of your break in study being approved to the date you return to your studies. If you take a break in study part way through an academic year, we will recalculate the tuition fee for that year based on the time between your enrolment and the break in study start date, and issue a credit note to you as follows:
• For self-financing students, if the amount of tuition fees paid is greater than the revised tuition fees then we will refund the overpayment upon request. If you have not paid sufficient fees by the time of the break in study, then you must arrange payment. You will not be able to re-enrol onto the course if you have outstanding tuition fee debt.
• For students funded by Student Loans Company (SLC), you will be charged in accordance with the liability dates from SLC as dates vary depending on individual courses.

16. When you resume your studies in the next academic year, we will calculate the tuition fee for that year as follows:

• For self-financing students, the fee will be calculated based on the amount of credit you are studying in that year. Fees for any modules you are not studying in their entirety may be charged pro rata to the number of weeks you are studying.
• For students funded by Student Loans Company (SLC) or a similar funding body, the fee will be calculated based on the amount of credit you are studying in that year. Fees for any modules you are not studying in their entirety may be charged pro rata to the number of weeks you are studying. The fee charged will take account of the SLC liability dates.