Student Absence Notifications
If you are studying on an undergraduate or postgraduate Higher Education (HE) degree course, you'll find information on these pages which will help you understand the University's policy and system for you to notify us about absences from taught sessions. Please familiarise yourself with the policy before completing and submitting a form.
We've recently changed the form that you need to complete to notify us about your absence. We've changed it so that we can get information from you that makes it clearer which academic members of staff need to be informed about your absence. It will help us to help you if you complete this form as fully as possible. We realise that sometimes you'll need to fill this form in retrospectively for illness.
However, if you're filling it in for other reasons, the fact that you've submitted it does not mean that your absence has been authorised. Missing buses, car break downs or getting up late aren't the sort of things that you should complete an absence notification form for. In those instances, you should aim to be in class at the next session, and should catch up on any of sessions you might have missed by checking your Course Resources on UDo.
The form you need to complete to let us know about your absence can be found here.
Over the next couple of months we'll be working on getting this form onto UDo, and once we've been able to do that, we'll automatically capture some of the information we're asking for now like your name, date of birth, unimail and programme.
» Higher Education Student Absence Notification Form
The form you need to complete to let us know about your absence can be found here. Please also familiarise yourself with the absence notification information on these web pages.
Over the next couple of months we'll be working on getting this form onto UDo, and once we've been able to do that, we'll automatically capture some of the information we're asking for now like your name, date of birth, unimail and programme.
» What is the Student Absence Notification Form for?
The university has an attendance monitoring policy, so it's important that we know when and why you've not been able to attend taught sessions. To help you notify us about your absences and the reasons for them, we have a form that you can complete. By completing the form as fully as possible, you'll be helping us to let the right people know about your absence.
The form is in place so that we can keep complete attendance records for you, and more importantly, so that we can help you find the support you might need if your reason for absence is something that might affect your study over a longer period of time.
» What if my absence means I can't meet assignment deadlines or miss exams?
If your absence means that you won't be able to submit assignments on time or sit an exam, you need to complete an exceptional extenuating circumstances form. Please carefully read the accompanying notes to check if this is the correct process for you.
» Can I get help if I have a long term illness or disability?
If a long term illness or disability is likely to affect your studies, there may be support we can provide. Please contact the Student Wellbeing Service at your campus to see how we can help you:
» Is this form just to let you know that I'm ill, or can it be used for other absences?
We've recently amended this form so that you can let us know about absences for reasons other than illness too. However, letting us know that you're not able to attend, doesn't automatically make your absence authorised.
If you can, you should manage your time and plan in advance for non-sickness related absences. So, if you have to make a doctor or dentist appointment in advance, you should try to make it outside the times that you're expected to be in lectures or tutorials.
You are also expected to make yourself aware of the university's teaching calendar so that you are not booking holidays during teaching term times.
» Do I still need to let my tutors know that I'll be absent?
If you use this form, we will let any tutors/lecturers or staff that you list on the form know that you've submitted it and the reasons that you've given for your absence. However this information may not be relayed to them immediately.
You do not need to contact them separately, unless your absences means that you will not be able to take part in scheduled activity that may affect the taught session (for example you're meant to be giving a presentation or it's an individual 1-2-1 tutorial that only you will be attending).
You are expected to catch up on any learning that you may have missed because of your absence through checking UDo Course Resources and looking at lecture notes and reading lists.
» Do I need to fill out a form for each day I'm absent?
You should fill out a form for each instance of absence, but not every day if you know you're going to be absent for longer than a day.
The form asks you for an expected date of return to study if you're able to provide it. If you're going to be absent for a week if you're ill, we only expect you to complete the form and submit it once.
» I'm pregnant, do I still need to complete this form?
You can still fill out this form to let us know about absences that are related to your pregnancy. The university has a policy for dealing with pregnant students which means that we can support you through your pregnancy and assess whether there are any adjustments that many need to be made for you. Please contact our University Nurses to find out more.
» Returning From Sickness
Our academic staff generally scan student id cards to record attendance. When you return to study, your presence in class should be recorded through this. However, if you want to formally record your return to study, you can complete a short form which is available at any of the Student Centres.
If you're based at Buxton, you'll can speak to your
Student Liaison Officer to formally record your return to study.
» Studying at Buxton College on a Further Education (FE) course?
If you study on a Further Education (FE) course, either the Access course at Derby or any of the Buxton FE courses, the policy and system for notifying us about your absence is different for you, and you'll find the form you need to complete here.
