Academic leave

Application Process

1. Submit an application online through the centralised service using your student SmartPoint account.
2. Attach scanned copies of the required supporting documents depending on the grounds for leave.
3. Representatives of the Student Service Centre will review and register your application.
4. Requests for academic leave in exceptional circumstances (excluding medical grounds and military service) are forwarded to a University-wide Commission within two working days, and the Commission makes a decision within five working days.
5. Academic leave is formalised by a directive no later than 5 working days from the date of the decision.

Decisions on academic leave for medical reasons or military service are taken by the Vice-Rector.

Decisions on academic leave for other exceptional circumstances are made by the University-wide Commission.

Maternity and Childcare Leave

Applications are also submitted online through the centralised service using your student SmartPoint account.

Required documents:

• For maternity leave: a certificate of incapacity to work due to pregnancy and childbirth.

• For childcare leave: a copy of the child’s birth (or adoption) certificate, a court decision on adoption, an excerpt from a guardianship decision, or another document confirming the birth and registration of the child; and a certificate from the other parent’s place of work (service, or study*) confirming they are not on childcare leave (or, if the other parent does not work, serve, or study – a certificate from the social welfare authorities confirming that they are not receiving monthly childcare allowance).

Maternity leave is granted for the period indicated in the certificate of incapacity to work. Leave to care for a child is granted from the date of the request for any period until the child reaches the age of three. The leave is formalised by a directive.

In addition to maternity leave, HSE students may also request an individual curriculum covering the period equivalent to the total days of maternity leave. To arrange this, learners should contact their programme office.

* A certificate from the other parent’s place of study may not be required if that parent is also an HSE University student.

Early Return from Leave

A student may return before the scheduled end of leave by:

1. Submitting an application online through the centralised service using your student SmartPoint account.
2. Receiving a directive on re-admission to studies.
3. Resuming classes in accordance with their individual curriculum.

Admission to Studies After Academic Leave

Students are responsible for tracking the end date of their leave and must resume studies on time.

If, within ten calendar days after the end of leave, a student has not resumed studies, including attendance of classes in their individual curriculum, they are subject to dismissal for failure to master their degree programme diligently and follow the curriculum.