Class Attendance

On this page:

• Common attendance expectations
• Absences due to illness
• Absences for religious accommodations 
• Absences due to official University commitments
• Who to contact

Common attendance expectations

• While there is no college-wide attendance policy, departments or individual instructors may have such policies and should describe them in their syllabi. Students should check their syllabi for each course's attendance expectations.
• Students may be dropped from a course by the department for non-attendance.
• Students who register for a course that they do not intend to keep should drop it as soon as possible so that the space is available for other students. 
• Students who register for a course after it has begun may not be held responsible for attendance prior to registration, but will be held responsible for completing any exams or assignments (homework, quizzes, projects, or papers) that occurred prior to registration.

Absences due to illness

• When a student misses class because of an illness or other circumstance (either planned or unanticipated), it is the student's responsibility to notify the instructor as soon as possible.
• LSA provides an Illness or Absence Reporting Form that notifies all of a student's instructors at once. However, submitting this form does not excuse the absence or guarantee an accommodation.
• Instructors are encouraged to accommodate students who have a documented absence, but the decision is up to the instructor.
• Instructors may ask for documentation to verify the absence.
• Students still need to contact each instructor directly about missed work.

Absences for religious accommodations 

The University of Michigan provides reasonable accommodations to students whose religious beliefs or practices conflict with course requirements. Students have the right to observe their faith traditions without academic penalty.

Requesting a religious accommodation

Students should notify their instructor in writing as early as possible, and when possible at least two weeks before the conflict.

The request should include:

• The student's name
• The course number
• The specific dates affected
• A brief explanation of how the religious belief or practice conflicts with the course requirement

The Office of the Provost provides a Student Accommodation Request Template at the bottom of this page students can use. Students and instructors are expected to work together to complete required coursework on a mutually agreed timeline.

If a student and instructor cannot agree

If a student and instructor are unable to agree on a reasonable accommodation, the department chair, director, dean, or their designee will provide an accommodation appropriate to the circumstances.

Learn more

• Religious Accommodations in the Classroom (Office of the Provost) 
• Religious, Secular, and Spiritual Life at U-M

Absences due to official University commitments

Students sometimes miss class due to their commitment to officially represent the university, such as involvement in performing arts, scientific or artistic endeavors, or intercollegiate athletics. 

• Absence from class in these instances are excused.
• Students are still responsible for any part of the course missed during their absence. 
• Within reason, instructors should make arrangements for missed work or to make up assignments.
  • Accommodations shouldn't fundamentally alter the course
  • Makeup options for exams may be limited and are at the instructor's discretion.

Who to contact

• LSA Student Records: lsa.student.records@umich.edu
• Questions about religious accommodations should go to the department chair, the dean's office, The Office of the Registrar, or RelAccommSupport@umich.edu.

Related policies

• Add / Drop