Read more if you hold a Tier 4/Student Route visa and you're studying any of the following courses:
- Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at Camberwell College of Arts
- Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at Central Saint Martins
- Certificate in Higher Education: Preparation for Design, Media and Screen
- Introduction to the Study of Design, Media and Screen
- Introduction to the Study of Fashion
- Pre-degree: Online
Learn how UAL will monitor your attendance and engagement with your course. Find out what to do if you miss a session and how to request authorised absence.
Attendance monitoring
College and course administration teams will monitor your attendance throughout the year.
Attendance on pre-degree level courses is monitored using an electronic attendance system called SEAtS. All timetabled classes are monitored, including workshop and studio-based classes.
Use your ID card to “tap in” to each session and your attendance record will be updated.
Pre-degree students are required to maintain a minimum of 85% attendance. This applies to any students on courses below degree level (RQF Level 4 and 5).
Attendance is a mandatory condition for the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted). UAL must ensure we’re compliant with this obligation.
Missed sessions
If you miss sessions and your attendance in any 1 week drops below 85%, you’ll be sent an email. This will warn you that your attendance has dropped below the required level.
If your attendance doesn't improve you’ll be invited to a meeting to discuss your attendance. If you don't go to the meeting (or your attendance doesn't improve after the meeting) you may be withdrawn from your course.
If you're withdrawn from your course, your withdrawal will be reported to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), who will be instructed to cancel your Tier 4/Student Route visa. You’ll receive an email confirming this and outlining your next steps. Upon receipt of the withdrawal email, you’ll need to prepare to leave the UK within 60 days.
Pre-degree: online
A Tier 4/Student Route visa is not required for the Pre-degree: online. Missing sessions will not result in visa cancellation but may still put you at risk of withdrawal from the course.
Authorised absence
If there’s an event that will disrupt your attendance, you must tell us. For example an appointment you cannot miss, personal circumstances, illness or a religious holiday.
Depending on your course, you’ll need to tell your personal tutor, course director or course administration team.
Requesting authorised absence
In exceptional circumstances, you may need to be absent for a longer amount of time. You can apply for an authorised absence under 3 categories:
- Extended periods of illness. You must have evidence for this. For example, a medical certificate or doctors’ note.
- Attendance at appointments or commitments that you cannot miss. For example, hospital appointments, religious requirements or court attendance.
- Mitigating circumstances. For example, bereavement, serious illness of a close family member, childcare or technical issues related to online study.
All authorised absences will be considered on an individual basis. You must give evidence if your absence is more than 10 days. All evidence should be in English, signed, officially stamped and on headed paper. If the original documents are not in English, you must get an official translation.
Requests for authorised absence will be approved by your course leader.
More than 4 weeks absence
We can only support absences for up to 4 weeks during term time. For an absence of longer than 4 weeks, you may need to consider requesting time out from your studies. If your request for time out is approved, you’ll need to leave the UK within a given timeframe and return to study with a new visa.
Contact UAL’s Student Advice Service for more information on how taking time out will affect your immigration status.