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Staff Directory Home Planning and assessment Research leave

Research leave

The Research Leave process is administered by the Research Planning Team within REO. Applications for Research Leave are to be received by the REO Research Planning Team at least two terms before the first day of the term from which research leave is requested. 

The Leave of Absence process is managed by People and Culture. Applications for leave of absence should be submitted to Employee Relations not less than six months and normally not more than 15 months before the first day of the proposed leave. 

Members of staff are reminded of the relevant provisions of Ordinance 40.

Useful forms

 

REO Deadlines for Research Leave Applications 2027/28

Research leave term commencing Final Deadline for Completed Applications to be received by REO* 
Summer 2027 1 October 2026
Autumn 2027 12 January 2027
Spring 2028 26 April 2027
Summer 2028 1 October 2027

*This is the Final deadline, completed applications can be sent to the REO earlier than this date.

REO Deadlines for Research Leave Reports 2026/27

Research leave term taken Final Deadline for Completed Research Leave reports to be received by REO* 
Summer 2026 16 November 2026
Autumn 2026 23 February 2027
Spring 2026 1 June 2027
Summer 2027 17 November 2027

*This is the final deadline for completed Research Leave reports to be received by REO

Complete forms must include the comments from either Director of Research or Head of Department/School and signatures from the Head of Department/School and Executive Dean. As the forms need to be signed off by the Executive Dean please consult your Faculty Office for their internal deadlines before setting your internal departmental deadlines.

Dates for Research Leave 2026/27

The University Ordinance 40 states:

"A term of research leave will start half-way between the end of the preceding term and the start of the term to be taken as research leave, and will end half-way between the end of the term taken as research leave and the start of the term in which duties re-commence. If more than one term of research leave is taken consecutively then the research leave will end half-way between the end of the final term and the start of the term in which duties re-commence."

Therefore, dates for research leave taken in the academic year 2026-27 would be the following.

Leave term Start  End
Autumn term 2026  10 August 2026 3 January 2027
Spring term 2027  4 January 2027  11 April 2027
Summer term 2027  12 April 2027  15 August 2027

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Contact us
REO Research Planning Team

  • University of Essex
  • Wivenhoe Park
  • Colchester CO4 3SQ

 

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