THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS
Attendance monitoring –
information for research students
This is the current position as at 2013 and may be subject to changing Home Office/UK Border Agency
(UKBA) requirements.
CONTENTS
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10.
Why is it important for the University to monitor student attendance?
What are my responsibilities in relation to attendance?
What should I do if I am unable to attend University?
What happens if I do not register or collect my student ID card?
What is the ‘presumed withdrawn’ process and how will this affect me?
What do I need to do if I leave the University?
What is the consequence of unsatisfactory attendance at the University?
What is the University’s obligation to notify international students’ continuous nonattendance to UKBA?
Are there any exceptions to the process for monitoring attendance that I should be
aware of?
Where can I go for further advice or information on attendance monitoring and the
UKBA requirements in relation to this?
1. Why is it important for the University to monitor student attendance?
Monitoring of student attendance is an important element in supporting both student retention and
performance. Regular and appropriate attendance has been a University requirement for many years as
outlined in the Curricular Ordinances and Regulations1 and in the Code of Practice for Research Degree
Candidatures - Student Responsibilities. For students, failure to attend and/or absence without permission
can result in serious consequences for the student ultimately resulting in the student having to leave the
University.
For international students, the University will also be legally required under the Home Office’s Points Based
System (PBS), to notify them of international students who fail to fully register when expected or who are
absent for a prolonged period with or without authorisation, as supplementary to the normal monitoring of
the attendance of all our students (both home/EU and international).
The following guidance has been developed to give students greater transparency in relation to the
University’s expectations of an effective attendance monitoring process and our response to the Home
Office’s reporting requirements.
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Ordinance X 5(a) and 5 (b) General Academic Regulations
The following attendance sessions are suitable for monitoring purposes for research students in their
standard period of study.
Event
Formal supervision meetings
with supervisor*
Other options:
School activities associated
with registration and other
routine communication
Induction
English Language Test and
training courses
Meeting with Supervisor to
discuss and review the training
plan
SDDU courses and Faculty
Training (including Research
Seminars involving giving
presentations)
Formal review meetings
(including Transfer Panels)
Meeting with Post Graduate
Research Tutor
Attendance at External
conference/meetings
Other events at School level
Approximate Number of Events per year
10 for FT
5 for PT
1-5
1 (in 1st year)
Probable for International Students
At least 1 each year
3 – 5 (estimated)
At least 1 (2 in year 1 for FT)
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1
?
Initially, as a minimum, schools will be required to put the following procedure in place:
i)
Supervisors will be required to report to the school/faculty when there has been no contact or
missed supervision meetings with individual research students for a month or more (unless absence
has been authorised for events such as fieldwork, illness, etc), or where there is a pattern of
absences which is affecting the student’s work or causing concerns for the student’s wellbeing.
Supervisors are also advised to report when there has been a pattern of absences which is affecting
the student’s progress or causing concern for the student’ well-being.
ii)
An investigation will then be carried out which will provide an opportunity for issues to be
resolved with the student.
iii)
Where issues are not resolved, a full report will be sent by the faculty/school to RSA
indicating that the student should be required to withdraw from the University.
iv)
In the case of international students, RSA will carry out any other appropriate enquiries, and
then after further review, report the situation to the Head of Student Administration and notify
UKBA of withdrawal.
2. What are my responsibilities in relation to attendance?
The responsibilities of a research student include:
 To be familiar and comply with the regulations and procedures of the University
 To agree with the supervisor an appropriate training plan and attend relevant training
 To attend supervision meetings, submit work regularly and discuss any difficulties which have
arisen during the course of the your research
 To submit, when requested, regular written summaries of overall progress to your supervisor or,
where appropriate, Research Support Group/Postgraduate Research Tutor/Head of School
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

To take measures to attend appropriate personal development programmes and research
seminars in consultation with your supervisor
To comply with normal working arrangements in the School
3. What should I do if I am unable to attend University?
In cases where a student is ill and unable to attend University, if the absence is for less than 5 working
days, a self certification form should be completed and emailed/handed into the school administrative
office. (An on line form is being developed for this purpose.) If the student is away ill for more than 5
working days, a doctor's medical certificate should be provided to the administrative office.
For any other absences, students must notify their supervisors and their school administrative office, in
advance if possible or as soon as practical afterwards. Acceptable reasons for absence to be authorised
include health problems, bereavement and serious personal difficulties. Traffic delays, attending family
celebrations, paid employment or extra-curricular sports activities are normally regarded as unauthorised
absence unless this has been discussed and agreed with their supervisor. Similarly, research students
must discuss their holidays with their supervisor, and obtain prior approval.
4. What happens if I do not register or collect my student ID card?
Research students should register within 4 weeks of the start date or anniversary of their start date.
After this point students will be reminded that they have not registered via e-mail. Two weeks later
Research Student Administration will commence the non registration procedure which involves writing a
series of letters to relevant Schools and students.
If a new student is still not registered within 10 weeks of the official start date then they will be assumed to
be a “No Show” and in the case of international students, UKBA will be notified.
If a returning student is still not registered (and without good reason) after 3 months from the anniversary of
their start date, then they will be withdrawn. UKBA will be notified of International Students who have been
made withdrawn.
Prior to the final withdrawal date, a student may lose access to library and ISS facilities.
If students are present on campus they are required to obtain a Student ID card (unless they are a member
of staff and have a University of Leeds staff ID card). In order to obtain the card ID checks must be carried
out. In the case of international students this means they are required to present their passport and
Biometric Identity card, where applicable, at registration. These documents will be scanned as part of
UKBA requirements that universities must keep a copy of these documents.
If a student is registered but does not obtain a card (and they are in the categories that must obtain an ID
card) , and failed to have their photographic ID checked, then the student will be required to withdraw as
this is an essential and integral part of the registration process.
5. What is the ‘presumed withdrawn’ process and how will this affect me?
The attendance of all research students must be monitored at certain agreed stages in the research degree
candidature. The ‘presumed withdrawn’ process provides the University with a means to exclude students
who have an unsatisfactory attendance record at the University.
There are currently two circumstances in which a student may be made ‘presumed permanently
withdrawn’.
The first relates to students who are currently registered but where the University is aware that they have
failed to attend events/or for an agreed period. In this situation the school must have attempted to contact
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the student concerned on at least 2 occasions in writing before presuming the student has permanently
withdrawn.
The second relates to students who fail to re-register within one month of their annual registration date.
This includes students who are on a suspension of study and have failed to register one month after their
expected return date (and not requested a further suspension).
A series of e-mails/letters will be sent to student/school with deadlines to respond. Failure to respond or
register will result in the student being made permanently withdrawn from the University. International
Students who are “presumed withdrawn” should seek immigration advice immediately.
6. What do I need to do if I leave the University?
The student and school should complete a Leavers Form http://www.leeds.ac.uk/rsa/assets/word/Forms/Leavers_form.doc and return it immediately to Research
Student Administration (RSA). In the case of international students who are present under Tier 4 of the
UKBA visa system, RSA will submit a report to UKBA within 10 working days of being notified of the
withdrawal.
7. What is the consequence of unsatisfactory attendance at the University?
Unsatisfactory attendance can result in serious consequences for the student ultimately with the student
having to leave the University.
8. What is the University’s obligation to notify international students’ continuous non-
attendance to UKBA?
The standard attendance process will be applied to all students in relation to failure to register and non
attendance. For international students who fall into one of these categories, a final verification will be made
with the School to ensure the information to date is correct and that the student is a leaver. The University
(via Research Student Administration) has 10 days to notify the Home Office that the student has
withdrawn.
9. Are there any exceptions to the process for monitoring attendance that I should be
aware of?
In some instances, the process for monitoring attendance may need to be adapted to take account of the
student’s mode of study. The following guidance is provided in relation to these ‘exceptions’.
Research overtime writing-up period
There is no requirement for students to stay in Leeds although some students do remain here. However,
international students may be in the UK only if they hold a student visa. Their whereabouts will be of
interest to the Home Office.
Students are still expected to be in contact with the supervisory teams. The following points of contact are
considered acceptable:
- supervisor meetings/contact
- emails and phone calls to supervisor or school office
- electronic submission of work
Research students awaiting examination
Those students who have submitted their thesis and are preparing for their viva may still have contact with
their supervisor but this is at the discretion of the school, so monitoring attendance may not be practical in
all cases.
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Split site PhD programmes
Students registered for these programmes will normally only be in Leeds for certain specified periods of
time. Therefore they may apply for a visiting student visa (valid for under 6 months) or the general student
visa. If a general student visa has been issued attendance will be monitored.
Suspensions
Students are required, in accordance with the University’s Code of Practice for Research Degree
Candidatures, to promptly draw to the attention of their supervisor(s) or Postgraduate Research Tutor,
when there is a situation where it may be necessary to request a period of suspended study. Appropriate
documentary evidence should be provided (eg medical certificate).
The Postgraduate Research Tutor is required to submit requests for suspensions of study in a timely
manner to Research Student Administration (for consideration by the Graduate Board). The student will be
informed in writing, by Research Student Administration, of any approved period(s) of suspended study.

Normally suspensions of study will only be granted at the point the difficulties arise or, if the
situations if foreseeable, in advance of the difficulties arising. Requests for retrospective
suspensions of study will only be considered in the most exceptional cases.

If the suspension is over 60 calendar days the Home Office will expect international students on a
Tier 4 visa to leave the UK. The University must inform the Home Office of the suspension.
Please contact Research Student Administration for further advice.
International students (in the UK with permission as a student) are advised to contact the International
Student Office for immigration advice on the implications of a suspension or extension of their research
degree candidature to their visa status.
The International Student Office can be contacted at: Tel: +44 (0)113 343 3930 or Email:
internationalstudents@leeds.ac.uk
Please see http://www.internationalstudentsupport.leeds.ac.uk/
Extensions
If an extension is granted to a student it occurs at the end of the writing up period.
Referrals
Referred candidates are entitled to six supervision meetings a year and to receive comments from the
supervisor upon the revised thesis (the student has to initiate these meetings and provide re-drafts).
There is no requirement for students to stay in Leeds during their period of referral although some students
may choose to do so to make use of the University facilities – in which case they must re-register (there is
no charge for this).
Where an International student is in the UK under a student visa, the University is still the academic
sponsor under Tier 4 of the Points Based System (PBS) for immigration. As the academic sponsor, the
University is obliged to meet the expectations of the UKBA in terms of reporting non registration, non
attendance and/or if a student ceases his/her study.
This means that if the option to register as a student of the University is taken up, and the student is
remaining in the UK during their period of referral, the University’s attendance monitoring procedures must
apply. The Supervisor will be required to report to the school/faculty when there has been no contact with
individual research students within any 2 month period (unless absence has been authorised for events
such as fieldwork, illness, etc), or where there is a pattern of absences which is affecting the student’s work
or causing concerns for the student’s wellbeing. Points of contact which would be considered acceptable
include Supervisor meetings/contact, emails and phone calls to supervisor or school office and electronic
submission of work.
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Visiting students
Visiting students who intend to study at the University for under 6 months and enter the UK with a ‘student
visitor’ status should be monitored as part of the school’s general duty of care. They do not come under the
requirements of the Points Based System and there is no requirement to report to UK BA.
Students visiting for more than 6 months should have monitoring procedures in place but this is to be
defined/awaiting further advice from UKBA. Some miscellaneous research students may have supervision
meetings but this is not uniform across all faculties/schools.
10. Where can I go for further advice or information on attendance monitoring and the
UKBA requirements in relation to this?
Web links
If you require any further guidance about how to respond to UKBA’s requirements in relation to PBS, the
following web links may be useful:
UKBA website
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/managingborders/managingmigration/apointsbasedsystem/
Immigration advice for international students
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/international/visa.htm
UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA)
http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/immigration.php
University services
Research Student Administration
If you have a query about non attendance and withdrawal process for research students, please contact
rp_student@adm.leeds.ac.uk
International Student Office
If you have a specific enquiry related to student immigration under PBS, please contact
internationalstudents@leeds.ac.uk or call 0113 343 3930.
Leeds University Union – Student Advice Centre
For advice on disciplinary procedures, please contact advice@luu.leeds.ac.uk or call 0113 3801 300. You
can also visit http://www.luuonline.com/help or the Advice Centre within the Student Union building.
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