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This is a guide to UCL’s procedures for changing your studies through interruption or withdrawal. You can find the full UCL regulations and guidance here:
The UCL regulations should be read along with UCLs guidance on their website.
What is an Interruption of Study?
If you need to take some time out from your course but intend to return to your studies later, you can take an interruption of studies. This time off may be due to a variety of reasons including health and wellbeing issues or parental and caring responsibilities.
Who can take an Interruption of Study?
Undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research students can apply to interrupt their studies. Different procedures apply depending on your programme and circumstances.
Taught students
A first interruption of up to and including 12 months normally requires approval from your Department. Some applications require Departmental and Faculty approval, including a first interruption of more than 12 months, a second interruption, and certain interruptions involving repeat tuition or flexible study. Interruptions of more than two years are not permitted.
Postgraduate research students
Postgraduate research students should follow the separate UCL Doctoral School interruption guidance. You can normally interrupt for up to one year in the first instance and up to two years in total. You cannot interrupt once you have entered Completing Research Status, although you may be able to request an extension to this status.
If your studies or assessments have already been affected by Extenuating Circumstances, you may also need to submit a separate Extenuating Circumstances claim. You should discuss this with your Department before applying.
Extenuating Circumstances before an interruption of Study
If your studies or assessments have already been affected by Extenuating Circumstances, you may also need to submit a separate Extenuating Circumstances claim. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to request a Deferral with or without Tuition. Your interruption application cannot be approved until UCL has decided any associated Extenuating Circumstances claim, so you should submit the claim and evidence as soon as possible.
How do I apply?
Taught students
Before applying, you should discuss your circumstances and options with your Department. You and your Department will need to complete a Return to Study Plan, covering your academic position, your proposed return arrangements and the support you may need while you are away and when you return.
Applications must be made through the online form in Portico in advance of the interruption. You should continue to engage with your studies until your interruption has been approved, unless UCL has agreed otherwise. Your interruption start date cannot be backdated.
If your studies have already been affected by Extenuating Circumstances, you may also need to make a separate Extenuating Circumstances claim.
Postgraduate research students
You should discuss the interruption with your Supervisor and Departmental Graduate Tutor and follow the separate Doctoral School interruption guidance. Applications must normally be made in advance and you should continue engaging with your research until the interruption is approved.
How do I return to my studies?
Taught students
UCL will normally contact you from three months before your recorded return date to begin the return process. You will be asked to confirm that you intend to return no later than one month before that date and will receive information about re-enrolment, fees, funding and, where relevant, your visa.
Your Department should review your Return to Study Plan with you and let you know about the modules and assessments you need to complete, including any relevant changes to your programme or timetable.
If a Welfare Review was made a condition of your return, UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services will contact you to arrange this. The review will consider whether returning to study would be detrimental to your health or your studies, and you may be asked to provide medical evidence. You must engage with a required Welfare Review before you can re-enrol.
If you have questions about returning or re-enrolling, you can log an enquiry through askUCL.
Postgraduate research students
Research Degrees will email you when your interruption is coming to an end and invite you to re-enrol. You must re-enrol within two weeks of your return date. If you want to return earlier than planned, speak to your Department so that it can notify Research Degrees of the revised date.
All students
Both undergraduates and postgraduates must enrol within two weeks of your expected date of return.
You will also need to have paid the appropriate tuition fees, or provided evidence of sponsorship, before you can re-enrol.
If your course has a fitness to practice or fitness to teach element, for example an MBBS or PGCE, your return to study will be handled by your department and UCL Workplace Health. This may also be the case for some research students.
How do I Withdraw from my studies?
Withdrawing means permanently ending your studies at UCL with no current plan to return. Before applying, you should discuss your options with your Personal Tutor, Programme Leader or another appropriate member of staff in your Department.
To withdraw, you must submit the online application in Portico and state the date on which you want your withdrawal to take effect. Your Department will consider the application. UCL says that taught-student withdrawal requests should normally be decided and communicated within 10 working days.
Once you have withdrawn, you will not normally be able to re-register on the same programme. In exceptional circumstances, a Faculty Tutor may allow a taught student to re-register, but the record can only be reopened within five years of being closed.
You should get advice about the possible impact on your fees, funding, visa and accommodation before submitting your application.
How does it affect my fees and funding?
Fees - Academic Year Non-Affiliate students (includes most undergraduate programmes)
Your fee liability will depend on your programme, mode of attendance and the effective date of your interruption or withdrawal. The information below provides a general overview, but you should check UCL’s current fee-liability guidance and speak to the UCL Student Fees and Student Funding teams before making a decision.
| Interruption or Withdrawal Date | Fee Liability |
|---|---|
| In the first 2 weeks of Term 1 | No fees |
| In Term 1, excluding the first 2 weeks | 25% of your fees for the year |
| In Term 2 | 50% of your fees for the year |
| In Term 3 | 100% of your fees for the year |
Fees - Academic Year Affiliate Undergraduate and Affiliate Postgraduate students
| Interruption or Withdrawal Date | Fee Liability |
|---|---|
| In the first 2 weeks of Term 1 | No fees |
| In Term 1, excluding the first 2 weeks | 45% of your fees for the year |
| In Term 2 | 90% of your fees for the year |
| In Term 3 | 100% of your fees for the year |
Fees - Calendar Year programmes (Postgraduate full-time and part-time)
Postgraduate Taught, Postgraduate Affiliate and Research. Fees are charged on a pro-rata daily basis for the period enrolled in each academic year. If you interrupt or withdraw in the first 2 weeks of Term 1, you won’t pay any fees.
Where your programme has an uneven split of credits and/or fees between the years of study, you may be charged for the number of credits on your record, instead of a daily rate.
Fees - Modular programmes (Postgraduate Taught only)
Fees are charged for the modules registered on your Portico account. If you interrupt or withdraw in the first 2 weeks of Term 1, you won’t pay a fee.
Funding - all students
We would strongly encourage you to contact UCL’s Student Funding team to discuss your circumstances, including the impact on student finance or research funding. You should understand the financial implications before deciding to interrupt or withdraw.
How does it affect my visa?
If you hold a Student visa, an interruption or withdrawal is likely to affect your immigration status. Students interrupting their studies will normally need to leave the UK for the period of interruption and apply for a new visa before returning to UCL.
You should read UCL’s current visa and immigration guidance before making a decision. If your question is not answered there, log an enquiry through askUCL and select the Visa Advice or CAS category.
You should read UCL’s current visa and immigration guidance before making a decision. If your question isn't answered there, log an enquiry through askUCL.
How will it affect my accommodation?
If you are in UCL Halls: taking an interruption or withdrawal will mean you will be required to leave your room, as you are no longer enrolled as a student at UCL.
You will be given at least 14 days’ written notice, and need to pay your licence fees until both your interruption or withdrawal or officially processed, and you leave your room and return your keys.
Find out more on the UCL Accommodation webpages. If you have a query about UCL Accommodation, please contact the UCL Accommodation office.
If you are in Private Halls: you will need to check your agreement and discuss your decision to leave with your Halls Provider. You may be required to leave the accommodation if you are not a registered student, and you may be liable for finding a replacement or for some of your fees. If you are in this situation we recommend contacting us for advice on your situation.
If you are in Private Rented Housing: you will not usually have to leave a private rented house just because you have interrupted or withdrawan from your studies.
If you want to move out of your house, for example if you need to return to your home country, or want to move out of London to your parental home for a while, then you will need to check the terms of your agreement, and what your options are.
As this can be complex, we recommend that you contact us for advice on your situation, and provide us with a copy of your tenancy agreement.
Find out more detail on this on our Advice for Renters page.
What about Council Tax?
Withdrawing will mean you are no longer registered as a student, so you may become liable to pay Council Tax. If you are the only tenant who is liable for Council Tax then you would get a single occupant discount, so you would usually only be liable for 75% of the Council Tax bill, however you would be legally responsible for this amount yourself so we recommend that you contact us for advice on your situation if you're unsure.
Interrupting your studies should not change your liability for council tax, as you should still be treated as a full time student. However, we are aware that local councils approach this differently. We recommend that you contact us for advice on your situation if you're unsure.