Can you take a week off?!

[OuiOuiMonAmi]

Planning a family holiday in half-term - but then discovered that uni students don't get half-terms! How strict are unis about attendance - is it like school, where you can't take time off in term time unless essential?

My DD certainly couldn't have taken time off in term, and she was clear that the Xmas and Easter vacations weren't really 'holiday' ... she had loads of work and revision to do in them. And placements in the summer, though she did have the odd weeks holiday away with us which was lovely.

Yes, DD spent all but 3 days of the Christmas break catching up on lectures and revising, and the same at Easter.

Mine didn't come on holiday with us during term time,didn't really occur to us or them that it was an appropriate thing to do

Ds told me that they monitor attendance using their phones - don't ask me how but you have to be in the vicinity of the campus.

They have so much holiday there's no way you can justify a week off,they're home more than they are at uni.

It's so variable, not just by uni but by course.

At one uni (I've been to more than one) I had a break one year from December to February.

I've had practical assessments, essays, exams, and group work. Group work is hell and often happens outside lecture times so in reading weeks.

I've also been in the position where the first week of the semester was a reading week, but as you had not got your timetable or book list there wasn't a lot to do as long as you were up to date with course work.

I'm guessing DD will be in her first year?

Planning a family holiday in half-term - but then discovered that uni students don't get half-terms! How strict are unis about attendance - is it like school, where you can't take time off in term time unless essential?

Short answer - NO, of course not.

In my department a "week off" for a holiday in term-time would go on the student's record, and if there were further absences accumulated, we would start a health & welfare check to see if they were coping.

Absences have an impact on other students in terms of seminars, and team work, and on staff in terms of demands from students to catch up work they missed. And that would be a no, as well.

Just NO. They're full-time students.

Oh, and at my university, term dates are published 2 to 3 years in advance. There's no excuse for absence because "My mum booked me a holiday" or "I didn't know."