Circumstances Affecting Your Studies
During your studies, you may experience circumstances which can have a significant impact, such as illness, personal or family problems.
We’re here to support you if you need to change your study arrangements on a temporary or permanent basis, for example, changing or leaving your course.
This information is for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students only. Postgraduate research students should consult the Change of Circumstances page for PGR students.
Advice and guidance
As a first step, we would encourage you to liaise with your school/tutor/degree programme director (DPD) about any change, so that all of your options can be discussed before a decision is made. You can also get support from the Student Wellbeing Service. The Careers Service can provide impartial and confidential advice if you are thinking about transferring or leaving your course.
Circumstances covered and what to do
If you have been ill or unable to study for more than three working days, you should complete an Absence Request Form and return the completed form to your academic unit or tutor / supervisor as soon as you can return to your studies.
The Absence Request Form should also be used for other absences, eg time away from the University for personal reasons.
If your studies or ability to complete assessments is being seriously affected by unforeseen and unavoidable personal extenuating circumstances, including illness, you should advise your academic unit by completing the Personal Extenuating Circumstances (PEC) Form so that appropriate adjustments can be considered.
Please see the PEC webpage for more information and the PEC forms.
If you have a disability or long term illness that requires adjustments, please contact the Student Wellbeing Service. They will be able to assess your needs and recommend appropriate support
To get in touch with the Student Wellbeing Service, please email:
- Specialist Learning Team: specialistlearning@newcastle.ac.uk
- Disability: disabilityadvisor@newcastle.ac.uk
- Mental Health: MentalHealthAdvisor@newcastle.ac.uk
If you have a temporary disability that you believe will impact on your performance in your exams, you can apply for a short-term adjustment for the exam period.
You can find more information on the Exams web page.
If you decide to change your degree course at Newcastle University, please speak to your Tutor/Degree Programme Director first.
You’ll need to complete a DPD Request Form . Please see the Programme Transfer Procedure for more details.
If you want to leave the University on a temporary basis and you intend to return to the same or alternative degree programme, please speak to your Tutor/Degree Programme Director about interrupting your studies before completing a DPD Request Form .
Prior to making your decision, please visit the Tuition Fees website at: Suspensions and Withdrawals | Tuition Fees | Newcastle University in order to check what the fee implications of your decision would be. If you require further information, please contact the Tuition Fees team at tuition-fees@ncl.ac.uk or 0191 208 5520.
Please note that if your tuition fees are being funded by a 3rd party, for example Student Finance, it is your responsibility to ensure that funding will still be available if you choose to suspend or withdraw from your studies.
For more information about the implications to your student loan if you interrupt your studies, please visit the Student Financial Support website.
During your studies, you may need to travel outside the UK to complete fieldwork or to undertake a placement as part of their programme of study.
Please refer to the specific travel policies that have been created for undergraduate and postgraduate students:
- Guidance for Student Travel on Taught Programmes
- Travel and Outside Study (off-campus and overseas) Guidance for Postgraduate Research students
To request a period of outside study, please speak to your Degree Programme Director first, before completing a DPD Request Form . If you are a Doctoral or MPhil student please refer to the PGR Outside Study Process
If you’re an international taught postgraduate student, please see our information for advice on what will happen to your visa if you need to change your circumstances.
You should also see the University’s Travel Insurance Cover for Undergraduates or Postgraduates, as appropriate, prior to travelling.
Information for postgraduate research students can be found at Change of Circumstances in Guidance for PGR students.
If you’re absent from your course and haven’t informed your school that you will be absent, you may be classed as ‘Presumed Withdrawn’ and your school may begin the Presumed Withdrawn Procedure.
For further information about attendance please see our Attendance webpage.
If you decide to withdraw from the University on a permanent basis, please complete the Student Withdrawal Questionnaire (online form), with your personal tutor where possible.
Prior to making your decision, please visit the Tuition Fees website at: Suspensions and Withdrawals | Tuition Fees | Newcastle University in order to check what the fee implications of your decision would be. If you require further information, please contact the Tuition Fees team at tuition-fees@ncl.ac.uk or 0191 208 5520.
Please note that if your tuition fees are being funded by a 3rd party, for example Student Finance, it is your responsibility to ensure that funding will still be available if you choose to suspend or withdraw from your studies.
For information on the implications of withdrawing from your studies for your student loan, please visit the Student Financial Support website.
In exceptional circumstances it may be necessary for programmes of study to be suspended, discontinued or combined with other programmes. If such changes are made to your programme of study after you have accepted your offer, the University will try to notify you as early as possible and will take reasonable steps to minimise the impact by offering suitable alternative arrangements. Please see the University Terms and Conditions for more information.