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If you need to stay at home due to illness, it is important to understand what steps to take for your health and for your academic studies.
On this page:
Continuing with your studies whilst staying at home
If you feel unwell, even if it's 'just' a cold or sore throat, we strongly encourage you to stay at home if you can. This helps avoid passing on infections to others in the community.
If you are staying at home, you should continue to study to the extent that you can, by completing required readings, following online lectures, etc. You will not be penalised in any way if you miss face-to-face sessions due to respiratory infections, including COVID-related illness. Please ensure you speak to your module tutor as they may be able to signpost online materials, so you can continue following your studies.
If you're unable to attend teaching due to illness, please report this to your department as soon as possible - more information can be found on the Attendance at UCL pages and Student Engagement Monitoring Policy 2022-23. International students should familiarise themselves with the Student visa engagement monitoring and guidelines.
We recognise that being unwell may be a difficult time for you, so if you feel that you are unable to engage fully with your studies whilst staying at home – whether this is due to health matters or the emotional impacts – we strongly encourage you to speak to your department about the options available to you, including our Extenuating Circumstances procedure.
If you feel you can no longer engage with your studies in the longer term due to illness, remember that you have the option to take a formal break from your studies through interruption. It is important to think carefully about this and speak with your department first to decide on the best option for you.
Read our Extenuating Circumstances policy.
Find out about interrupting or withdrawing from your studies.
Food and shopping whilst staying at home
If you need to stay at home because you are unwell, you should arrange your own food deliveries. Many of the main supermarkets in the UK have online shopping and delivery options, including:
The main food delivery companies are Deliveroo, UberEats and JustEat, and you are also able to order basic grocery deliveries, including from Co-op, through these. You can also get groceries delivered directly to you through companies such as Weezy or Jiffy - make sure to look out for discount codes for all of these to save yourself some pennies. Some local restaurants may also deliver to you – look on Google Maps for places near where you live.