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Attendance means being present for the full duration of your scheduled teaching or learning sessions, whether these take place on campus or online.

You are expected to attend all scheduled teaching sessions, clinical skills classes, and other required learning activities.

Please ensure you are seated and ready to participate before the scheduled start time and remain for the entire session. Arriving late or leaving early can disrupt other students’ learning.

The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ records attendance across a wide range of scheduled academic activities, including:

• Lectures, seminars, tutorials, and laboratory or studio‑based sessions
• Practical classes, demonstrations, and workshops
• Presentations and performances
• Pre‑sessional English classes
• Scheduled examinations and assessment activities
• Project and dissertation supervision meetings
• Clinical placements and work‑based learning sessions
• External visits that form part of your course

Expectations for students on a Student visa

If you are studying at the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ on a Student visa, the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ is required to monitor your attendance and engagement in line with the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ International Attendance Monitoring Policy [PDF] as per UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) regulations.

Maintaining regular, on‑campus engagement is a condition of your visa and essential to retaining visa sponsorship.

If you hold a Student visa, you are expected to:

• Attend all scheduled face‑to‑face teaching sessions that form part of your course
• Be on campus regularly and engage actively with your studies
• Record your attendance using the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s QR code attendance monitoring system
• Attend required placements, supervisory meetings, or academic contact points
• Request permission in advance for any term‑time absence and provide evidence where required

Please visit the Student Visa Responsibility webpage for more details.

Students studying taught units

For students on taught unit for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, attendance is reviewed over twelve‑week period.

• If you miss a week of face‑to‑face teaching, you will be contacted by the Student Attendance Tracking Team.
• Continued absences that last four weeks (consecutive/ non-consecutive) over a twelve week period, may result in your case being escalated to the Visa and Compliance Team where you will recieve a formal warning.
• If you dont reply to the formal warning this may result in termination of studies and withdrawal of visa sponsorship.

If you are studying a Master’s dissertation

If you are studying a Master’s dissertation on a Student visa, you are expected to remain in the UK for the duration of your dissertation period.

• You must attend a supervisory meeting face to face on campus each month, recorded through the QR attendance system.
• Missing a supervisory meeting in consecutive monitoring periods may result in termination of studies and withdrawal of visa sponsorship.

PhD/MRes students

If you are on a PhD/MRes programme and hold a Student visa:

• You are expected to be based in the UK and attend face to face supervisory meetings each month
• Missing a supervisory meeting in consecutive monitoring periods may result in termination of studies and withdrawal of visa sponsorship.

Absence

If you are unable to attend due to illness or unforeseen circumstances, you must notify the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ by emailing [email protected] and your tutor to explain your absence.

If your studies are at risk

You will be given a final opportunity to provide evidence of mitigating circumstances before any decision is taken to withdraw sponsorship. If visa sponsorship is withdrawn, this will be reported to UK Visas and Immigration.

Expectations

If you are studying at the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and you are not a student visa, the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ is still obligated to monitor your attendance and engagement in line with the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Student Success Through Engagement Policy [PDF] as per SFE/SLC requirements.

This process applies to students studying at the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s main campuses (Luton, Bedford, Aylesbury and Milton Keynes).

What happens if your engagement levels are low

When the Student Attendance Tracking Team becomes involved

If concerns about your attendance or engagement continue and you do not respond to communications from academic staff, your case may be referred to the Student Attendance Tracking Team.

These communications are intended to:

• Make sure you are aware of the situation
• Encourage you to get back in touch
• Give you opportunities to explain your circumstances and seek support

You can respond to these communications and may contact:

• Student Attendance Tracking Team ([email protected]),
• Academic Success Tutors/Coaches
• Personal Academic Tutor,
• Student Support for advice.

Response & re-engagement

If you re‑engage with your studies:

• If you begin attending and engaging again, and this is confirmed by your academic team, no further attendance action will normally be taken. Your support will continue to be managed at School or Faculty level.

If there is no response or ongoing non‑engagement:

• If you do not respond to repeated communications and there is clear evidence that you are no longer engaging with your studies, your registration may be withdrawn.

If your registration is withdrawn:

• Your status as an active student will end
• Where applicable, this will be reported to external organisations such as the Student Loans Company, an employer or sponsor, or a Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body
• You will be informed in writing if a decision is made to withdraw your registration.
• If your registration is withdrawn due to non‑engagement, you have the right to appeal the decision.