Academic engagement, attendance and progression
As a Student Sponsor, we are required to monitor the attendance, engagement and progress on their course for all our sponsored students and report those who do not attend or engage as required. If your attendance and engagement fall below expected levels or you are absent without permission for a period of time, this will be investigated by the International Services team. If your attendance, engagement or progress is unsatisfactory this is likely to impact on the University’s ability to continue to sponsor your Student immigration permission and may also prevent us from sponsoring you to apply for permission to stay in the UK in future.
If you are struggling with any aspect of your studies, the University offers a wide range of help and support to you - please see our Health, Safety and Wellbeing pages for more information.
Taught undergraduate and Masters students
You are expected to attend all in-person lectures, classes and seminars as well as all other scheduled events or meetings. Don’t forget to swipe in using your card on the Count-Me-In electronic readers. If you are going to be absent or are ill, you must seek authorisation for this by completing the notified absence from teaching form found in your myEssex current student portal.
We recommend you read the University’s detailed information about attendance, using your card and reporting an absence.
Postgraduate taught students - dissertation period
Postgraduate taught students should note that although the taught element of your course may have finished, you are still studying full-time until your CAS end date. You are required to attend regular in person meetings with your supervisor.
You are able to request, via your dissertation supervisor and department, a period of “study away” for some of the period following the completion of your taught classes and exams. You will be limited to 6 weeks as a maximum at any one time.
If you would like to complete your dissertation outside the UK and submit this remotely as a distance learner, you are required to seek authorisation from your dissertation supervisor and department.
If you choose to complete your studies from your home country, we are required to notify the Home Office and withdraw our immigration sponsorship. The Home Office will curtail (cut short) you Student immigration permission, usually within 60 days of the date we make our report, and you should receive notification of the amended expiry date from the Home Office by letter or email. You must ensure you leave the UK by the date your permission will expire and should not attempt to use your Student immigration permission to re-enter the UK as it will no longer be valid. Once we have withdrawn immigration sponsorship, you would no longer be eligible to apply to the Graduate Route.
Postgraduate research (PhD) students
As a Postgraduate research (PhD) student, please note that the Principal regulations (.pdf) for research degrees state that you are considered to be working on your PhD for 36 hours per week averaged across the year.
The University’s taught terms/vacations do not apply to PhD students. You are required to attend at least one in-person contact point with your supervisor at least once a month, if you are studying in the UK. Where in-person contact is not possible, for instance during an agreed period of study away, this can be substituted for Zoom or Skype contact. You should contact your allocated supervisor about any period of absence in the first instance.
If you are a postgraduate research student who is currently studying in the UK and you wish to undertake a period of research away from the University for data collection purposes, for longer than six weeks, you should apply for approval for this using the ‘Research Away Request’ form which is available via the Student Request Portal. If you have any queries or concerns about remote study or research away for PGR students, please contact the Postgraduate Research Education Team.
