LEAVES OF ABSENCE AND INTERMISSIONS: Medical leave, Parental leave, and Other exceptional circumstances
This page shows information for EUI doctoral researchers, LLM and MRes students on how to request:
According to the Academic Rules and Regulations, master of research students and doctoral researchers must normally reside in Florence or its immediate surroundings while registered at the EUI.
In specific circumstances, however, researchers may request a leave of absence, which exempts them from this residency requirement.
A leave can be requested as:
- A leave of absence with grant (maintaining grant), or
- An intermission of studies (without grant).
A leave of absence maintaining grant means that the researcher may be allowed to leave Florence for an agreed period, and that the grant payments may be maintained during the period of the leave, depending on the reason for the leave.
During this type of leave:
- Registration in the doctoral programme continues.
- Academic deadlines remain unchanged.
In some exceptional cases, the leave of absence can be requested with the suspension of grant payments without suspension of registration period (see article 12.2 of the Academic Rules and Regulations).
An intermission suspends both the researcher’s registration and monthly grant payments for the duration of the absence.
When the researcher returns:
- Registration and grant payments resume.
- The current year of registration is extended proportionally to the period of intermission.
- Academic deadlines are postponed accordingly.
Some grant authorities may also provide financial support during an intermission, depending on individual circumstances. Researchers should contact the Grants and Welfare Office for further information.
For advice before submitting your request, you may contact:
MEDICAL LEAVE
Researchers may request an intermission on medical grounds, supported by a valid medical certificate.
Supervisors must be informed before submitting the request.
- How to request medical leave
- Send your medical certificate or report exclusively to the ESR medical certificate inbox.
- - Certificates must be issued by a licensed medical practitioner.
- - The certificate must specify the period of intermission requested.
- Send a formal request (without medical information) to the Entrance Board email account, copying the Departmental Coordinator (for LAW, please copy [email protected]).
- Indicate the requested period in full months (e.g. “1 June – 31 July”).
- The Department will review your request at its next meeting.
- The request will be forwarded to the Entrance Board (EB) for final decision.
- Once the EB has approved your request, you will receive a formal decision letter.
Researchers may request an intermission of studies right before and/or after the birth or adoption of a child.
Supervisors must be informed before submitting the request.
Duration
Parental or maternity leave is normally granted for up to six months. This period can be further extended for duty of care towards the child (if needed) or when the grant authority funds a longer period of leave.
- How to request parental leave
- Send your medical certificate or report exclusively to the ESR medical certificate inbox.
- Send a parental leave request (without medical information) to the Entrance Board email account, copying your Departmental Coordinator (for LAW, please copy [email protected]).
- Indicate the requested period in full months.
- The Department will review your request at its next meeting.
- The request will be forwarded to the Entrance Board for approval.
- You will receive an official letter from the EB confirming the decision.
PARENTAL ALLOWANCE
While on parental leave, researchers may be eligible for:
- National funding from their grant authority, or
- An EUI parental allowance.
Please contact the Grants and Welfare Office for details.
Researchers registered in EUI postgraduate programmes may be eligible for an allowance within:
- 12 months of registration (LL.M./MRes), or
- 48 months of registration (PhD).
Allowance amounts
- Biological mothers: up to 4 months of EUI scholarship (EUR 1,620/month in 2025; EUR 1,650/month in 2026), including family allowance(s) and health insurance if applicable.
- Second parents: up to 2 months of EUI scholarship at the same rates, with family allowance(s) and health insurance if applicable.
How to apply
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Once your parental or maternity leave has been approved by the Entrance Board, email the Grants and Welfare Office with the EB decision letter attached.
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The Grants and Welfare Officer will send you instructions on how to apply for the allowance.
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For reference, see EUI President’s Decision 32/2021.
OTHER EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES OR PERSONAL EMERGENCY
Researchers may request a leave of absence on personal grounds for reasons such as:
- Bereavement or family crisis
- Personal trauma
- Duty of care or other exceptional personal circumstances
Supervisors must be informed prior to submitting the request.
Available options
Researchers may apply for either:
- Leave of absence with grant – registration and grant continue; deadlines remain unchanged; residency requirement waived.
- Intermission of studies – registration and grant suspended; deadlines extended; residency requirement waived
- How to request leave under exceptional circumstances
- Send a reasoned request (without medical details) to the Entrance Board email account, copying your Departmental Coordinator (for LAW, please copy [email protected]).
- - Indicate the exact dates (e.g. “13 June – 28 July”) if requesting a leave of absence with grant.
- - Indicate the period in full months (e.g. “1 June – 31 July”) if requesting an intermission.
- If you are providing medical certificates, send them exclusively to the ESR medical certificate inbox.
- - Certificates must be issued by a medical practitioner and specify the period concerned.
- The Department will review your request at its next meeting.
- If endorsed, it will be forwarded to the Entrance Board for final approval.
- You will receive an official decision letter from the EB.
For advice before submitting your request, you may contact:
Note: This page summarises procedures for EUI Doctoral, LL.M., and MRes programmes.
In case of discrepancy, the Academic Rules and Regulations and the Entrance Board’s written decisions prevail.
Page last updated on 24 November 2025