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Attendance policy

Attendance is a key contributor to successful studies and we'd like to ensure you get the most out of your time at UAL.

Our attendance policy explains our expectations of student attendance and our approach to monitoring attendance of face-to-face, online and low residency courses. It aims to ensure the student experience is:

  • Consistent – each student has a similar experience, options and outcomes.
  • Responsive and supportive – the quick identification of students with issues to ensure they are contacted and offered support.
  • Transparent – the potential outcomes and consequences should be clear. Student choices should be clear.

Download the UAL Attendance policy (Word 60KB).

Who is covered by this policy

This policy covers students studying on Undergraduate and Postgraduate taught courses.

For students on Pre-degree (PD) courses, your attendance policy is published in your course handbook.

Postgraduate Research (PhD) students, the UAL research office will organise and communicate your attendance policy. Speak to your supervisors if you have questions.

All students who are visa-holders

If you have applied for or received your Student visa then as your sponsor we are required by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to monitor your engagement with your course.

This guidance for Tier 4/Student Route visa holders explains what course engagement is required from you and how this will be monitored at UAL.

If you don't meet the requirements, you may be withdrawn from your course and your Student visa sponsorship removed.

Attendance requirements

As a student you're required to attend scheduled taught activities, such as:

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Tutorials
  • Technical workshops
  • Briefings and demonstrations
  • Supervised studios
  • Any other staff-led course activity (on-site if the delivery mode is face-to-face)
  • Assessment submissions.

If a course is online only, an online version of the above sessions would be used. For low residency delivery the session may be online or face-to-face.

Course teams will identify attendance requirements for you at the start of the year, with clearly identified points in a week where attendance is required.

Your attendance will be captured a minimum of once per week. See Attendance Monitoring – registering your attendance for information on how to check-in to sessions.

How to request Authorised Absence

If there's an event that's going to disrupt your attendance, talk to your course team. Read the UAL Attendance policy (Word 60KB) to find out if you can apply for an Authorised Absence.

You can request Authorised Absence for the following reasons:

  • Illness. Extended periods of illness (more than 5 working days) must be accompanied by evidence e.g. medical certificate, doctors’ note.
  • Attendance at appointments/commitments considered inflexible e.g. hospital appointments, religious requirements, court attendance.
  • Mitigating circumstances e.g. bereavements, serious illness of a close family member, childcare and other caring responsibilities, technical issues related to online study.
  • If you have an Individual Support agreement or Parent and Carer Support agreement that includes attendance adjustments and you are absent for this reason.

Where absence is more than 10 workings days (or 5  working days for illness), evidence will be required. You can take no more than 4 weeks (pro rata) Authorised Absence in an academic year.

If you need adjustments to your attendance because of disability, parenthood or caring responsibilities, contact the Disability Service or Health Advice Service.

You can apply for an Authorised Absence in 2 ways:

  1. Log onto the SEAtS website and use the 'Add Absence' icon.
  2. Download the SEAtS app. Use 'Requests' to apply for Authorised Absence.

All students can use SEAtS to request Authorised Absence, but not all courses will use it to record your attendance. Your course team will let you know how to register your attendance.

Download the UAL Attendance policy 2024-25 (Word 60KB)

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