National Tsing Hua University Regulations for Student Leave of Absence

Approved by the Student Affairs Council on Jun. 5, 2023

Amended by the Student Affairs Council on Jan. 10, 2024

Verified for the Administrative Council on Mar. 5, 2024 

Article 1: Student shall request leave in accordance with the regulations set forth below. Academic issues shall be handled according to the National Tsing Hua University Academic Regulations and relevant regulations on grades.

Article 2: Students may apply for the following eight types of leaves: personal leave, sick leave, psychological leave, menstrual leave, bereavement leave, maternity leave, indigenous ritual leave, and official leave.

Article 3: Students who are unable to attend class other than psychological leave, menstrual leave, and maternity leave should inform the course instructors in advance. Applications for leave of absence shall be processed as follows:

1. Personal leave: For more than three days, certificates are required.
2. Sick leave: For more than three days, medical certificates from legal medical institutions or physicians are required.
3. Psychological leave: Students who have difficulty attending classes due to psychological or mental reasons may submit applications for leave to the course instructors on the same day. For a maximum of five days in a semester and no relevant certificates are required. However, if unable to apply for leave on the same day due to special circumstances, after stating the reasons, proceed with the supplementary application process. Amounts to three accumulated days in a semester, the advisor and department counselor should be notified to provide priority care, and will refer the applicant to the Counseling Center if necessary.
4. Menstrual leave: Students who are uncomfortable during their menstrual period may submit applications for leave to the course instructors on the same day. For a maximum of one day per month and no relevant certificates are required.
5. Bereavement leave: Students may submit an application for leave for a maximum of seven days due to the passing away/funeral service of their spouse, the student’s or their spouse’s immediate family members, siblings. Applicants are required to submit an obituary or a certificate of death.
6. Maternity leave: Pregnant students are granted eight weeks (including holidays) of maternity leave starting from the day after delivery, certificates from legal medical institutions or physicians are required. In addition, pregnant students have seven days of prenatal leave before childbirth, which can apply for multiple times and cannot reserve after giving birth.
7. Indigenous ritual leave: Indigenous students may take a day off during ritual festival for each ethnic group announced by the Council of Indigenous Peoples, with certificates of indigenous status such as household registration transcripts, household registers, or government-issued documents certifying their ethnicity.
8. Official leave: Prior application is required. In any of the following circumstances, shall grant official leave:

1. Applicants as a representative to participate in international events and are required to submit relevant documents issued by government agencies or office concerned.
2. Applicants as a representative to participate in internal or external events on behalf of NTHU are required to submit relevant documents issued by office concerned.
3. Applicants assigned to be responsible for official duties are required to submit relevant documents issued by the chief administrator of the unit concerned.
4. Applicants involved in military service are required to submit certificates from the conscription agencies.
5. Applicants legally obligated to testify based on statutory obligations or as a criminal defendant are required to submit the certificates issued by the relevant agencies.
6. Applicants participating in extracurricular activities are required to submit certificates issued by the organizer and approval from the supervisor of the first-level unit.
7. Applicants who are granted other types of official leave pursuant to laws.

In special circumstances, if unable to apply in person due to severe illness, or unforeseen contingencies, leave may be reported to the course instructors by phone, email, or through an entrusted person. Students may complete the application within seven days (including holidays) from the last day of absence with certificates, overdue applications will not be accepted.

Those who fail to receive approval for their application or to complete their leave application will be considered absenteeism.

Article 4: Applications for leave of absence shall not be submitted during the midterm and final exam periods of the semester. However, for official affairs, acute illness, childbirth, bereavement of close relatives, unforeseen force majeure, or factors not attributable to the applicants, relevant certificates are required and approved by the course instructors. Exceptions may be made if specified by the course instructors.

Article 5: Delegation of authority:

1. Personal, sick, bereavement, and maternity leave: Leave of absence for within two days, applications shall be approved by the course instructors. Leave of absence amounts to more than three days, applications shall be approved by the course instructors, and submitted to the department/program director for reference.
2. Psychological and menstrual leave: Applications shall be submitted to the course instructors for reference.
3. Indigenous ritual leave: Applications shall be submitted to the course instructors for reference after the Indigenous Student Resource Center confirms the student’s identity and the date of the ritual festival for each ethnic group announced by the Council of Indigenous Peoples.
4. Official leave: Student associations or varsity teams require the approval of the administrator, director, and dean of the Student Affairs Division; departmental activities, military service, or other unclassifiable activities require the approval of the administrator, director, and dean of the department/program; students assigned by an administrative unit to be responsible for official duties require the approval of the administrator, second-level, and first-level supervisor of the administrative agency. Applications approved shall be submitted to the course instructors for reference.

Article 6: These regulations shall be implemented after approved by the Student Affairs Council and submitted to the Administrative Council for administrative verification.