Leave of absence
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A leave gives you the option to take a break before completing your studies. If you are enrolled ordinarily as a full-time student at Aalborg University, you can be granted leave from your programme for a shorter or longer period of time.
Leave is always granted for a certain period which, however, can be extended if you continue to be entitled to leave. You cannot apply for leave retroactively.
Leave is either granted as substantiated leave or unsubstantiated leave. Application for unsubstantiated leave does not require documentation for the grounds for leave.
If you have been on unsubstantiated leave for a period of time and are able to provide documentation that you would have had a right to substantiated leave, you can subsequently apply for a convertion of your leave period into substantiated leave.
If you are a non-EU student, you should note that the University is obligated to actively inform the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration when you are granted leave.
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You apply for leave via STADS-selfservice (Administration - Leave).
Note that you will not be eligible for SU (Danish state grants) while on leave.
Leave can be granted from a day of your choice, but no earlier than the date we receive your application for leave. Therefore, leave cannot be granted retroactively. If your application for leave is approved, Study Service will send a leave approval letter to your AAU e-mail.
When your leave ends, you are automatically and without further notice again considered an enrolled, active student in the programme from which you have been on leave. You continue studying in accordance with the rules that are in force at this time.
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You have a right to a maximum of 12 months’ unsubstantiated leave from your study programme.
These 12 months can be divided into a maximum of three leave periods of which each must meet the minimum requirement of two months leave which cannot, however, encompass the months of July and August solely.
You cannot be granted unsubstantiated leave:
- If you have exhausted your right hereto.
- If Aalborg University has given notice that the programme you are enrolled in is to be closed
- If you are enrolled in a bachelor or profession bachelor programme and you have failed to complete and pass the first year of study (the first two semesters).
- If you are enrolled in a master’s programme and you have failed to complete and pass the first semester.
- If you are enrolled in a master’s programme and you have passed all exams, except the exams, which in accordance with the given curriculum are placed in the last semester of of the master´s programme.
- If you have exhausted your right hereto.
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You can always be granted (substantiated) leave under special circumstances, including:
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While being on leave, you continue to be enrolled in your study programme. However, leave does have a series of consequences, including your opportunities to participate in activities at Aalborg University.
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If you believe that you will be unable to complete your study programme in time due to pregnancy, illness or other special circumstances, you do not necessarily have to apply for leave.
If special circumstances caused you to be delayed in your programme, you can apply for an exemption from deadlines, including submission deadlines.
Normally, special circumstances include illness, parental leave, adoption, compulsory military service, conscientious objector service, and UN service on the basis of a contract with the Danish Defence.
In some cases, special circumstances also include caretaking of close relatives, who are handicapped, critically ill or dying - and other circumstances which reasonably can be said to prevent or have prevented you involuntarily from being an active student.
DEREGISTERING
If you wish to avoid the consequences of leave, another alternative is to deregister from the programme in question and subsequently apply for re-admission.
In this case, however, you should be aware that once you deregister, you are not guaranteed a student place if you want to complete your studies later on.
Please note that you cannot be re-admitted sooner than 5 months after your deregistration, and that you can only be re-admitted at the beginning of a semester - i.e. 1 February and 1 September respectively.
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If you wish to extend your leave period or deregister from university before the end of your leave period, you must apply for leave or request withdrawal/deregistration via STADS-selfservice (Administration - Leave or Request withdrawal).
If you wish, you can end your leave before time by contacting Study Service in writing. However, your leave period can be of no less than two months, and the leave period cannot, as a result of ending before time, include only July and August. You also need to know that your leave cannot be annulled retroactively.
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Find more information about lega framwework for leave at AAU here: