Pausing your studies

Some students may decide (for personal, medical or financial reasons) to take a temporary break in their studies.

At Imperial, this is called an Interruption of Studies (IoS). If you need to take a break in your studies, your request will need to be considered and approved by your department’s Senior Tutor.

Before you apply to take an interruption, it is vital that you talk to your Supervisor(s), so that they can provide you with the best possible guidance. Alternatively, you can also talk to your Senior Tutor who can support you. Either way, it is important that you work with your department to make sure that you are clear about any potential impact your break could have on your future research and importantly, to make a plan for when you return. You can read the Guidelines for interruption of studies for research students, detailing all principles, advice and conditions you need to know.

There is a complete guide on applying for an interruption of studies, through MyImperial, prepared by the Student Support Zone.

International students

If you are an international student and you are in the UK on a Tier 4/student visa, you need to be aware that any change to your circumstances might impact on your visa and your ability to remain in the UK.

If you interrupt your studies for any reason, the College is legally obliged to inform the UK Home Office that you are no longer studying, and they may take action to cancel your visa. You should make sure you seek advice from the International Student Support Office before making any changes to your circumstances. You can contact the team by email on international@imperial.ac.uk.