There are several reasons why students decide to take a semester off: mental health concerns, finances, embarking on business ventures, internships, self-discovery… Whatever the reason, if you’re on the fence about taking a break from university, read on!
How to apply for a leave of absence in NTU
NTU offers two options for leaving university for a period of time :
1.Short-term leave during the semester
A short leave, usually lasting from one to several weeks, is granted for two cases: medical leave, and compassionate leave (in the event of the demise of an immediate family member).
Medical leave
The application process is rather easy to complete. You have to submit the supporting documents within seven working days. So if you’ve received your medical certificate today, you have to apply for the leave within the next seven working days. No more than that.
Compassionate leave
Similar to applying for a medical leave, compassionate leave applicants are to apply within seven days. Take note, these seven days are inclusive of weekends, public holidays, and the day of the funeral.
When applying, you have to download and complete a short leave form and submit it along with supporting documents in the aforementioned time frame. The Student Intranet would provide you with more detailed information on the application process.
After submitting the form, you’ll still have to contact your tutors or professors to keep up with classes and course requirements and access your NTU email and NTULearn for important announcements, meaning that although you’re on leave, you’re still required to be ‘present’ for your classes. Any missed assessments and examinations would also require a make-up date.
If you desire a ‘hands-off’ break from school, the next option will be what you’re looking for, which is:
2. Leave of Absence for an Entire Semester
A leave of absence (LOA) grants up to a year of leave (exciting!). If you’d like to extend your leave after one year, you must submit another form (subject to approval). Similar to the short-term leave, a LOA is granted for medical leave and personal leave: to participate in sporting competitions, work, or to attend to personal matters.
You can apply for your leave online via Student Link > Administrative Matters > Semester Leave of Absence. Note that for students applying for medical leave, you are required to submit all supporting documents within five days of application.
Once your leave is approved, all registered courses for the semester will be dropped immediately. You also have to pay the full course fees if you apply for leave after Teaching Week 2. On top of that, you have to pay $53.50 per semester (for personal leave applicants) to retain your name and matriculation number in the registrar.
What to expect while taking a semester off
It does seem ironic that I’m writing about taking a LOA when I’ve never taken one myself, so I sought the help of a friend to share her experience.
She took a semester off during AY20/21 Semester 2 to clear a compulsory internship unit. She had a couple of concerns before she applied — she had already confirmed her modules for the semester, and there was a chance her LOA may not be approved before her internship started. As it turned out, the odds were in her favour. During her LOA, she worked as a Public Relations Intern, doing media monitoring, undertaking research in various industries, drafting presentation decks, etc.
She warns, however, that you should not take an LOA if it was a spur of the moment to clear internship requirements earlier. But, if you’re passionate about the industry of work, go ahead! She adds that you need to keep in mind to shape up your knowledge for the coming semester. She lost quite a bit of knowledge that was needed once she got back to school and it was a hindrance as one falls behind on classes easily this way. So, no slacking off during your LOA.
Moving forward
Apart from internships, you should make a clear plan of your LOA if you foresee yourself sinking into an abyss, awkwardly navigating through each day as you deal with the impulse plan you got yourself into. While there’s no need to come up with an A2 sized timetable, meticulously detailing everything you’ll be doing each day, you should set clear goals you wish to achieve during and at the end of your LOA.
Going bonkers this semester? Remember, you deserve a break. Depending on how you’re feeling, you may want to take short, miniscule breaks every day, or set days aside for unwinding, or take some weeks off — or even months. Take things at your own pace. It doesn’t matter if he is finishing his final year at university, or if she’s breezing through her third year. You’re not them. If you really feel like taking a breather, do it!