The Department of Sociology at Stockholm University

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Study break, discontinuation of studies and resumption of studies

Study break, discontinuation of studies and resumption of studies

If you are going to discontinue your studies, it is important that you notify the department. If you only want to take a temporary study break and know when you will resume studies, you should apply for a study break.

When you want to resume your studies after the study break, you will need to apply for resumption of studies. If you have any questions regarding this, please email master@sociology.su.se.

*Note that as you are not an active student during your leave of studies this can affect you current residence permit for studies, as well as future applications for residence permits for studies and extensions. Therefore, make sure to inform the Migration Agency that you are currently on an approved leave of studies and ask for guidance on what applies in your particular case.

Please see below the rules for resumptions of studies after study break.

Discontinuation of studies

If you want to discontinue studying then you are obliged to notify the department at the earliest. Discontinuation of studies begins from the date of notification. You cannot retroactively register discontinuation of studies if you cannot provide evidence of earlier notification regarding the same.

Registration of discontinuation of studies within three weeks after course start means that you have not taken the course/program at all, and you can apply again the usual way. If you register discontinuation of studies three weeks after course start then you can continue studies later depending on availability of place.

If you have not notified discontinuation of studies, or if your application for study break has been rejected and still choose to take a break, then you must apply for re-admission for each semester within the framework of the programme’s examination rights. Approval of study break and resumption of studies indicates that completion of the programme is guaranteed within the framework of the programme’s examination rights. This guarantee is only valid for the semester/semesters of your applications approval.

Discontinuing individual electives

Discontinuation from an elective has to be registered with the Assistant Director of Studies at master@sociology.su.se providing the following information:

•   Given name and surname
•   Social security number
•   Start date of discontinuation (yy-mm-dd – earliest date of registration)
•   Details of the discontinued elective/electives

If you have taken a CSN study loan then you are obliged to register with CSN, failing which you are liable to receive repayment claims. You can print out a valid study/merit certificate via the portal Ladok for students

Discontinuing programme

Discontinuation from programme has to be registered. Please email master@sociology.su.se with the following information:

•   Given name and surname
•   Social security number
•   Start date of discontinuation (yy-mm-dd – earliest date of registration)
•   Details of the discontinued program

Study breaks

Application for Leave of Studies must be completed and sent to master@sociology.su.se with the following information:

•   Given name and surname
•   Social security number
•   Reasons for study break
•   Study break start date and end date (for whole term or for specific dates)
•   Date for resuming studies (for whole term or for specific dates)
•   Details of the course/program falling within the study break.
If you are not sure how long you will be taking the study break then provide a provisional date. Study breaks are approved for a maximum of one year at a time, on the condition that we can guarantee a place in the program.

Resumption of studies

In order to ensure your study place in the programme after the study break, applications for the resumption of studies must be sent (via e-mail) latest by April 15 for the Fall Semester and October 15 for the Spring Semester. Applications sent after these dates may result in not securing a place and consequently resumption of studies not being approved.
Those who have not registered study break in advance can continue studies on return depending on availability of place.

Higher Education Act (Högskoleförordningen)

The Swedish Higher Education Act (Högskoleförordningen (1993:100)) states that in individual cases, and if there are special reasons, an institution of higher education can decide that the admitted person can continue studies after study break. The Universitets- och högskolerådets (University and Higher Education Council) ordinance clarifies:

4 § Special reasons to be able to continue studies after study break can be social, medical reasons, or o ther special circumstances like care of sick child, military or civic services, student union duties.

Special reasons can also be temporary probationary employment according to 12 § lagen (2012:332) and armed forces employment or service in the Armed Forces of the employed who periodically serves as squad leader, soldier or sailor under this ordinance (HSVFS 2012:8).

5 § The higher education institution’s decision to permit a student continue studies after study break shall be for a fixed period of time.

A decision that a student can continue studies after study break may be conditional to notification before the time when the studies shall continue.