When you become a parent, you are permitted to take a period of parent-related absence following the birth of your child. Before you go on "parental leave", you must apply to The Academic Study Board for dispensation from the study activity requirements. This exempts you from having to complete and pass courses for a period of time.
You also have the option of applying for an extension of the submission deadline for your final project if it has a time overlap with the pregnancy / parental leave. In this case, be aware that you are not entitled to counselling during the period you are inactive.
You can also choose to apply for leave of absence due to parental leave. You can read more about this on this webpage.
You are, as a basic rule, permitted to take a period of maternity-related absence (parental leave) corresponding to two semesters, beginning either from the semester in which the birth takes place or from the immediately following semester. Your pregnancy may also justify a cancellation of the exam in the semester of your due date. If you are starting your degree finishing project or are already working on it, you can apply for an extension of the submission deadline.
In planning your parental leave, we encourage you to:
- Apply The Academic Study Board for dispensation from the study activity rules BEFORE your leave starts, or when the child is born, at the very latest.
- Contact the SU office (https://mitsdu.dk/da/mit_studie/bachelor/bygningsteknik_bachelor/vejledning/su) for information about your SU during pregnancy / after the birth. The Academic Study Board does not take the SU grant or your residence permit into consideration when processing your application of inactivity due to parental leave. It is your responsibility to see to it that your study activity is sufficient for receiving the SU Grant or the residence permit.
- Contact your programme coordinator in connection with the resumption of your studies in order to discuss possible changes to your curriculum.
Example of a course of maternity-related absence
You are due on 4 June 2023 (ie the spring semester 2023). You can therefore either
- Apply for maternity-related absence starting in the spring semester 2023 and the following semester, ie the autumn semester 2023; or
- apply for maternity-related absence starting in the autumn semester 2023 and the following semester, ie the spring semester 2024.
If your partner is pregnant, you are, as a basic rule, entitled up two semesters of inactivity, beginning either from the semester in which the birth takes place, or from the immediately following semester. If you are starting your degree finishing project or are already working on it, you can apply for an extension of the submission deadline.
In planning your parental leave, we encourage you to:
- Apply to The Academic Study Board for dispensation from the activity rules BEFORE your parental leave starts, or when the child is born, at the very latest
- Contact the SU office for information about your SU before your parental leave starts. The Academic Study Board does not take the SU grant or your residence permit into consideration when processing your application of inactivity due to parental leave. It is your responsibility to see to it that your study activity is sufficient for receiving the SU Grant or the residence permit.
- Contact your programme coordinator who can provide counselling regarding your options and possible changes to your curriculum.
Example of a course of parental leave
Your partner is due 4 June 2023 (ie. the spring semester 2023). You can therefore either
- Apply for parental leave starting in the spring semester 2023; and/or the following semester, ie the autumn semester 2023; or
- apply for parental leave starting in the autumn semester 2023 and/or the following semester, ie the spring semester 2024.
When something unexpected occurs in connection to the pregnancy, birth or immediately thereafter, you have the opportunity to apply to The Academic Study Board for dispensation.
Please contact your programme coordinator for counselling regarding what exemptions you need. It is a good idea to apply to The Academic Study Board as soon as possible so that you can get clarification of your situation.
The decision of The Academic Study Board is always based on a concrete, individual assessment of your situation.
Fill in the following application form in SPOC: TECH Application of Exemption from the Deadlines on Your Study Programme (https://spoc.sdu.dk -> Study Board -> Dispensation).
In your application to The Academic Study Board, you must attach either a birth certificate, maternity journal and / or other medical documentation. The Academic Study Board only need information about the due date, name and social security number; additional information may be obscured.
When you apply for inactivity in connection with parental leave, you must state in which semesters you wish to be inactive, ie. when you plan to start your parental leave and when you expect to resume your studies.
If you apply for an extension of the submission deadline of your degree finishing project, please fill in the following application form in SPOC: TECH Other amendments of Final Project Contract, Bachelor Project Contract or Master's Thesis Contract (https://spoc.sdu.dk -> Study Board -> Dispensation).
If you apply for an extension of the submission deadline, please do not attach documentation of the pregnancy or birth (either in the form of a birth certificate, maternity journal and / or other medical documentation) to your application, but send it by your SDU-mail to studienaevn@tek.sdu.dk.