It is a universal fact that university is one of the best times of your life – the friendships, the nightlife, moving to a new city and achieving your academic goals to name a few. However, sometimes the unexpected happens and for one reason or another, it may be necessary to press pause on academia. Based on my personal experience, here is some food for thought on the important things to consider before interrupting your studies.
Everyone’s circumstances are different, so a good place to start is by talking to someone about what your options are – perhaps a friend, a personal tutor, or a lecturer. Before I considered taking an interruption, I reached out to my personal tutor who advised that I submit a mitigating circumstances form to extend my upcoming essay deadlines. Although I was apprehensive about how ‘mitigating’ my circumstances were, my department was extremely supportive, and my extended deadlines helped alleviate the pressure I was feeling and my fear of falling behind. We often forget that our lecturers generally want us to get the most out of our studies, and in my experience they are fully supportive of any way they can help you do so. The mitigating circumstances process may differ between different faculties, but it is important to remember that the university acknowledges that unexpected circumstances can occur which impact your studies. This is why there is a system in place to lessen any burdens you might have; if you feel like you are struggling, use it!
Nevertheless, sometimes you might need more time than a few weeks to deal with the problems you may be facing, in which case it may be necessary to interrupt your studies for the medium-to-long-term. A good place to start is with your personal tutor. This is because should you decide to interrupt, the interruption form requires you to declare that you have consulted them before you submit. It is also likely that when you approach them, they will want to support you in any way they can. However, if for whatever reason your personal tutor is not available or not responsive, you can always reach out to Student Services for advice on the process of interrupting.
An awkward but necessary part of taking an interruption is the impact on your finances. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that when you take an interruption, you are no longer classed as a student until you re-enroll. This means that you are not eligible for any student finance maintenance loans, bursaries or grants. Furthermore, if you decide to interrupt during the academic year, it is likely that you will have to pay some amount of your maintenance loan back. I was receiving a maintenance loan from Student Finance England, and once the university had notified them of my interruption they contacted me to let me know of an ‘overpayment’ and it was a simple and secure process of paying them back over the phone – it is also worth mentioning that re-applying for student finance for the next academic year was just as easy! Regarding tuition fees, if like me you do not pay for your tuition fees upfront, the overpayment process is taken care of between the university and Student Finance on your behalf.
If student maintenance loans, bursaries and grants make up a large part of your finance, it is worth considering in advance how you are going to fund yourself while you are no longer studying. This is important because if you decide to interrupt during the academic year, you may still be legally obliged to pay rent and utilities for any rented accommodation. If you are living in halls, you will likely be able to negotiate with the university an adjustment to your contract and a date you wish to move out by. If you are renting privately, it is worth checking your contract which will most likely have a section dedicated to early termination of the contract. In my case, I was able to terminate my contract early by giving my landlord three weeks’ notice, but it may also be the case that your contract included a break clause halfway during the agreed tenancy. Shelter is a great website for advice regarding tenancy agreements and contracts if you need any legal advice.
While this will probably be the furthest thing from your mind when contemplating an interruption of study, it is worth having an idea of how you might fill some of your time. In my personal experience, I worked part time, but taking an interruption doesn’t have to just be about filling your time with work. It might help to see it as an opportunity to try something new; whether that’s volunteering, a new sport, learning a language or even simply being more present in your locality.
It is easy to fall into the mindset that by taking time out of university, you have failed to meet the standards of higher education and that you are falling behind your peers, but this is not the case. Whether it is due to mental or physical health, finances, or any other circumstance, it is not a sign of weakness to choose to take a break from studying.