Intercalation (university administration)

Intercalation, in the context of university administration, is a period when a student is officially suspended from studying for an academic degree.

When a university or similar institution allows a student to intercalate, it is usually for one of the following reasons:

• on medical or compassionate grounds, so that the student can take a break from his or her studies and return later^[1]
• to allow the student to gain work experience in a field related to his or her field of study^[2]
• for medical, dental and veterinary students in the UK, to allow the student to pursue a separate but related research degree (normally for one year) and then return to the main medical, dental or veterinary degree^[3]

References

1. Guidance from the University of Hull on compassionate or medical intercalation
2. Guidance from the University of Warwick on an intercalated year in industry
3. List of UK intercalated degrees for medical students