Absences during studies for international students with a student visa

What is an absence?

Student visa holders are expected to live within the Dundee area during study periods. This is defined as anywhere within a 90-minute commute of campus. Study periods include teaching, examinations, resit periods, and times when you are working on assignments. You are not required to remain in Dundee over the weekend. If you will be absent from your course during a study period, this is an absence. 

Requesting an absence and absence letters

You can request an absence using the online absence request form. This can be found in the ‘International Student’ container in eVision. Absence requests are reviewed by your School Office and you will be emailed with the outcome.

If you need a letter confirming an approved absence you must have an approved eVision request. Absence letters will not be issued for general travel; they are only issued if you need one to apply for a visa for your travel. You can request a letter from the Student Records team. 

Holiday – Taught Programmes

Absences during study periods will only be approved for genuinely exceptional circumstances. You can see undergraduate semester dates advertised on the website. Reading weeks are not considered vacation time. The semester dates advertised on the website do not apply to postgraduate students who have studies over the summer. Easter and Christmas are vacation periods for most postgraduate students  but you will still need an approved absence request if you need an absence letter. 

Note: any course-specific timetabling information provided by your School overrides this general information.

Holiday – Research Programmes

Postgraduate research students have 30 days of annual leave each year as per the Research Degrees Quality Code. You should discuss leave with you supervisor before submitting an absence request. Postgraduate research students request annual leave via the eVision absence request task. 

The time between thesis submission and viva is automatically considered a holiday period. 

Study Related Absences

A Student visa requires that study should take place on University premises. There are exceptions for in-person work placements that are part of studies and temporary study locations. These must be approved and reported to UKVI by the Immigration Compliance team in advance. 

Some courses may offer a work placement or internship module. This is permitted to be off campus if it is an “integral and assessed” element of your course. For information on work placements please visit our  Working during study as a Student visa holder guide.

You may need to spend time away from campus for research purposes, such as data collection or attending a conference. This is mostly applicable to PhD students but may also apply to some masters students. To request time away from campus for research purposes you must complete an off-campus study form (linked below). Your supervisor will need to sign the form to confirm the genuine academic need for the absence. This form cannot be used to approve remote study in any other circumstance. 

Master’s students may have a choice to return home to complete the final pary of their degree online. This will lead to the cancellation of your Student visa, removing its restrictions. The cancellation of your Student visa will mean you are not eligible for the Graduate Route. This is most likely to be an option for September entry master’s students and PhD students. You can request permission to complete your studies from home using the early departure form (below). Your school will need to sign the form to confirm your course can be completed from home and will submit this to the Immigration Compliance team. The team will contact you about the Student visa cancellation process. 

Exceptional Circumstances

If you request an absence during your studies for reasons such as health problems, bereavement or pregnancy your visa could be affected. If you request an absence for exceptional circumstances your School will advise on how this will impact your studies. Periods of remote study are not allowed on a Student visa, unless this is a reasonable adjustment in a support plan from Disability Services. If an absence will be disruptive to studies the Immigration Compliance team will provide advice on options. This may include continuing studies with support in place, a short break, or taking a longer break.