Session Break Policy

Visa Required and Visa Waiver (permission to stay) students:

• In line with EC policy

Plus

• On enrolment, students will be provided with a written timetable outlining the daily and weekly tuition times and dates.
• The programme schedule, including holiday periods, will be outlined on student letters, provided in advance of immigration registration.
  o  Letters can be requested through EC Online and collected at EC Dublin reception within 24-48 hours of request.
  o  Emergency letters can be provided on demand.
• Holiday periods must be booked in advance of immigration registration via EC Online or email:
  o  If possible, holiday periods should be booked during enrolment
  o  Holiday periods not booked during enrolment must be confirmed by email or EC Online request prior to collection of INIS registration documentation.
  o   Holiday requests will be approved by the Director of Studies or Centre Director in compliance with INIS requirements.

• Holidays cannot be booked within the first 8 weeks of the programme. 
• The holiday period cannot exceed 1/3 of the total weeks elapsed:
  o  E.g. 10 weeks studied = 3 weeks’ holiday permitted.
  o  12 weeks = 4 weeks’ holiday permitted.
• Any timetable changes will be agreed with students in advance.
• No unscheduled breaks will be permitted except in documented cases of illness or close family bereavement and in accordance with GNIB rules. 
  o  Circumstances under which these requests may be considered can be found in the Sick Policy.
  o  The criteria for accepting or refusing a request will be documented, including the decision-making process.
  o  The name of the person responsible for making such decisions will be documented and made publicly available. 

The holiday break information above has been written in compliance with INIS requirements and will supersede school policy in the case of Visa-required and Visa Waiver students. 

Students studying at EC US centres on an F-1 Student Visa:

• Students must be booked for a 12 week course or longer in order to qualify for a session break.
• Students are allowed to take up to a two week session break after they have completed 12 weeks of consecutive study. Breaks cannot be combined and should a student choose not to take the full 2 weeks available, the second week will be lost. 
• Students must have at least 4 weeks of courses booked and paid for upon returning from their break.
• Students must have overall attendance of 80% or higher to qualify for a session break.
• Students cannot take the session break period during exam preparations.
• Students transferring from one EC Center to another without a break between locations, may count the weeks at their first center towards their 12 weeks of continuous study. If a student chooses to take a break between locations, they must do 12 weeks of continuos study at their new center before being eligible for a session break.
• Students are requested to give a 2 week period of notice before taking a session break.
• Students who are planning to leave the country during their break, will require the signature of the school DSO to travel.
• Students who are planning to leave the country, and have less than 80% attendance are permitted to depart, as long as we terminate current I-20, and issue an I-20 for their return. Attendance calculation will start over once they re-enter on the new I-20.
• Students who need to return to their home country for a family/medical emergency may take a leave of absence up to 5 months outside US. All leaves of absence must be approved by the DSO and are handled on a case by case basis. Students on a leave for more than 6 weeks, may be required re-take the placement test and could be considered a new booking upon return.