Can you take days off University?

I was just Wondering wheather or not it is acceptable to take a short time off uni, lets say a couple of odd days.

BTW, im going to WARWICK university.

Reply 1

an Siarach

karan

I was just Wondering wheather or not it is acceptable to take a short time off uni, lets say a couple of odd days.

BTW, im going to WARWICK university.

Depends if the courses youre sitting take registration. Only one of mine during the first term did, the other two i could attend at whim. In the 2nd and 3rd terms there was no registration for any of my lectures (although labs+tutorials always have them.) Its easy enough to take days off.

University of Warwick

Coventry

Reply 2

karan

if you miss the registration (lets say twice) what are the consequences?
in the first year

Reply 3

DenverDiva

Each university has its own rules but most require residency during term-time. Having said that, most will also not mind if you are away for a couple of days with good reason. Some departments take a register at the beginning of each lecture but even if yours doesn't then you should get permission from your lecturers (who may not grant it if they feel the reasons are spurious) if you are going to miss close contact hours (seminars, tutorials).

If you need to be absent for medical or family reasons then you will need to inform your faculty adviser/welfare office who can contact individual lecturers for you.

Academics are human (some even have the paperwork to prove it) but they are also deeply aware of the advanced degree of procrastination attributable to the average student. After all, they were students once and they've had a lot more practice at it than you!

Reply 4

DenverDiva

karan

if you miss the registration (lets say twice) what are the consequences?
in the first year

This is a question best discussed with your specific department/course leader. Usually it would depend on the reason:

Granny's funeral (max 2 per course) - Acceptable, though poss a bit drastic unless true.

Couldn't be bothered - Unacceptable - even if true you will lose more marks for lack of imagination then you will gain for honesty.

The best excuse I ever heard was "we were at home in Bavaria and the castle drawbridge iced shut" - bizarrely true.

Reply 5

karan

what about a day off for the religious festival of Diwali, it only happens once a year in October-November?

Reply 6

DenverDiva

karan

what about a day off for the religious festival of Diwali, it only happens once a year in October-November?

You are unlikely to be the only student who will need this day off but you should still alert your lecturers to your expected absence as they won't know whether you are celebrating Diwali or lazing about in bed. Some universities have very few non-Christian religious students so don't assume that the staff will be familiar with the timing of non-Christian religious holidays.

many thanks

Don't know what course you're doing but I do go to Warwick :smile:

There is no register taken at lectures (too many people - would take too much time!) so it is up to you whether you go or not. If you know in advance you're going to miss one, you will probably find a friendly person on your course is willing to pick up notes for you or let you borrow theirs afterwards. If you have seminars or labs or something similar (i.e. where there is a small group) it may or may not be acceptable to miss them. I know that in Engineering and Computer Science, it is not acceptable to miss lab sessions but if you have a good reason (and I imagine a religious festival is probably a good reason) and you speak to the class organiser or the Undergraduate Office of your department, they may be able to put you in another group for that week (most seminars and labs will be held over several days as it would be difficult to accomodate the whole year group in one seminar or lab). If you miss a session due to illness, you are supposed to provide a doctor's note and, if you're lucky, you may be able to do the work with another group.
If you miss a class, your tutor will be notified. If you miss several classes, your tutor will want to know why and they can throw you off the course if they feel you aren't making an effort. Though I don't know of anyone who that's happened to...!
Hope that helps.
Jenn xx