Attendance and absence monitoring
The University requires you to reside within a commutable distance from Manchester during your time as a registered PGR, unless you are:
- on approved fieldwork (study away from the University)
- taking a distance learning programme
- on a formal placement
- on a formal interruption
- registered for the submission pending period (students on a Student Route visa must remain in Manchester during the Submission Pending period or return home and surrender their visa, they cannot reside elsewhere in the UK)
This is to ensure that you can meet attendance expectations and participate in wider research activities within your discipline area and/or School.
Should you be unable to do this at any point during your programme, a formal case must be made to the Doctoral Academy, together with the full support of your supervisor.
The University reserves the right to reject such a request where it is considered that your residency could have a detrimental impact on the progression and engagement of your studies.
How your attendance is monitored
The University is required to monitor the attendance of all PGRs. This is done via eProg.
Your supervisor will be prompted on a monthly basis to complete an attendance form on eProg to confirm that you are engaging with your project.
See the Policies section for the relevant regulation and policy information.
Attendance monitoring of Student Route Visa students
The UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) Agency requires the attendance of PGRs studying on a Student Route visa to be monitored regularly.
Monthly attendance checks will be carried out via eProg for all PGRs and at specific additional times during the academic year via an attendance census for international PGRs who hold a Student Route visa.
View census points for international PGRs who hold a Student Route visa:
You will be contacted by the Doctoral Academy office to confirm the specific dates and location of any census meetings that you will need to attend during the above periods.
You must check your University email account regularly. Failure to check your email account is not a valid reason to be absent from an attendance census point.
For new PGRs attending the International Student Check-In, this is the first point at which you will confirm your attendance at the University.
The University must tell the UKVI if you:
- have a poor attendance record
- leave your course
- have a gap (interruption) in your studies
- complete your course earlier than expected
- change course
- switch into another immigration category, but continue studying
- are in breach of your immigration permission in some way.
Learn more about Student Route visas:
Unauthorised absence
Except for agreed holidays, PGRs are not permitted to be absent from their programme without the knowledge or prior agreement of their supervisor(s).
Unauthorised absence will be treated very seriously. Action may be taken to cancel studentship payments, without notice, if absences of more than two weeks are not supported by a sick note or a written letter explaining your absence.
The University will seek to reclaim any overpayment made to any PGR where the PGR has been deemed to have received payments to which they are not entitled.
Absence due to sickness
You must notify your supervisor and the Doctoral Academy as soon as possible if you are absent for between one and seven days due to ill health.
Please notify the Doctoral Academy PGR team by emailing FBMH.doctoralacademy.support@manchester.ac.uk
A Fitness to Work note or other medical note outlining your inability to work should be obtained from your GP, the counselling service or a hospital consultant.
Failure to submit a medical certificate or other appropriate documentation to explain your absence may result in the loss of any claim that special circumstances be taken into consideration when academic performance or progression is assessed.
Holidays
You are entitled to eight weeks of holiday per year, inclusive of public holidays and University closure days.
Note that prior agreement from your supervisor is required before taking annual leave, and your supervisor may not approve annual leave being taken in one large block due to the impact on your research and progress.