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Attendance policy

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 – quick identification of students with issues to ensure they are contacted and offered support
  • transparent – potential outcomes and consequences should be clear. Student choices should be clear.

Download the UAL Attendance Policy 2025-26 (PDF 290KB).

How to request Authorised Absence

We understand that you may need a short period of absence from your scheduled studies due to circumstances outside of your control.

You can apply for an Authorised Absence in 2 ways:

1. Download the SEAtS Mobile phone app. Use 'Requests' to apply for Authorised Absence:

2. Log onto the SEAtS website. Use the 'Add Absence' icon.

When you can request Authorised Absence

You can request Authorised Absence for the following reasons:

  • Extended periods of illness (more than 5 working days). Applications must be accompanied by evidence. For example: medical certificate, doctors’ note.
  • Attendance at appointments/commitments considered inflexible. For example: hospital appointments, religious requirements, court attendance. Applications of more than 10 working days must be accompanied by evidence.
  • Mitigating circumstances. For example: bereavements, serious illness of a close family member, childcare and other caring responsibilities, technical issues related to online study. Applications of more than 10 working days must be accompanied by evidence.
  • If you have an Individual Support agreement or Parent and Carer Support agreement that includes attendance adjustments and you are absent for this reason.

You can take no more than 4 weeks (pro rata) Authorised Absence in an academic year. This is so you don’t miss core teaching which may impact on your outcomes. All applications are subject to approval by your Programme Administration team.

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

Please refer to UAL Attendance Policy 2025-26 (PDF 52KB) for full details. If you need any further information, please contact your Programme Administrator.

Who’s covered by the UAL Attendance Policy?

This policy covers students studying on Pre-Degree, Undergraduate and Postgraduate taught courses.

  • This includes Student Route/Tier 4 visa holders, Study Abroad students and Exchange students visiting UAL.
  • If you're a student on a Pre-Degree (PD) course, details of your attendance policy are outlined in the appendices of the Attendance Policy
  • If you're a Postgraduate Research (PhD) student, the UAL research office will communicate your attendance policy. Speak to your supervisors if you have questions.

Students who are visa-holders

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

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

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 for information on how to check-in to classes.

Download the UAL Attendance policy 2025-26 (PDF 290KB)

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