Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
Academic Information
  1. Chapter 2: Classes & Syllabus

5. Class Absences (Illness or Bereavement)

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APU does not have a system for “official absences”. Students are expected to attend all of their classes. If you will be absent from class due to unavoidable reasons, such as illness or bereavement, please contact your instructors individually and explain your situation. Each professor will decide how to handle or accommodate your absence.

Eligible Reasons for Issuing the “Report of Absence from Class due to Illness or Hospitalization / Bereavement”

If a student is absent due to illness or bereavement, Office support differs depending on the reason and the length of the absence. Before inquiring, please refer to the following information.

Bereavement

  • Bereavement leave may be taken for first-degree relatives (parents and children) and second-degree relatives (grandparents and siblings). Other cases are not eligible for the procedure.
  • The applicable period is within 7 days for first-degree relatives and within 5 days for second-degree relatives, calculated from the date of passing or the date of the funeral (Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are included).
  • Please refer to “Bereavement and Short-term Absences” for details of the procedure.

Absence due to Illness or Hospitalization

【Absence due to a legally-recognized infectious disease】
【1~4 day absences due to illness, injury, hospitalization, etc.】
  • These absences are not subject to Office procedures. Please explain the situation to your professors on your own.
  • The following cases shown are not subject to Office procedures (4 class days absent):
  Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun.
Week 1 Attend Attend Attend Attend Absent①
Week 2 Absent② Absent③ Absent④ Attend Attend
【Absences of more than 5 consecutive class days ~ 3 weeks due to illness, injury, or hospitalization of the student】
  • The absence may correspond to Short-term Absences.
  • For details of the procedure, please refer to “Bereavement and Short-term Absences”.
  • Please refer to the following table for how “more than 5 consecutive class days” is determined. The absence of more than 5 days excludes Saturdays and Sundays.
  • If you meet the application requirements for long-term absence from class, you fall under the category of "long-term absence".
  Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun.
Week 1 Attend Attend Attend Absent① Absent②
Week 2 Absent③ Absent④ Absent⑤ Absent⑥ Attend

Bereavement and Short-term Absences

The office will issue a “Report of Absence from Class due to Illness or Hospitalization / Bereavement” in the following cases only. If you need an absence report in order to explain your absence to your instructors, please complete the necessary procedures.

Please note that the “Report of Absence from Class due to Illness or Hospitalization / Bereavement” does not mean that your absence will “treated as attendance”. Even if you submit the absence report, ultimately your instructors will decide how to treat your absence.

Eligible reasons for absences, application criteria, official certificates required

【Illness or Hospitalization (Short-term Absences)】
Application Criteria Absent for 1 ~ 3 weeks (at least 5 consecutive class days) due to personal illness or Hospitalization.
*This report does not apply to illnesses or injuries of family members or friends.
Applicable Period Within the period written on the medical certificate from the doctor.
*Applications cannot be made for periods outside the period stated on the medical certificate.
Official Certificates Required
  • 1A copy of the medical certificate from the doctor that specifies the name of the illness and the period the patients showed refrain from going out in public or the period of hospitalization (start date and end date)
  • 2A copy of the receipt for medical services
  • 3A copy of a valid student ID or other valid photo ID.
  • 4The “Report of Absence from Class due to Illness or Hospitalization” form with the necessary information filled in
【Bereavement】
Application Criteria Bereavement for first-degree relatives (parents and children) and second-degree relatives (grandparents and siblings)
*Third-degree relatives (such as uncles, aunts, and great-grandparents) are not covered by this leave.
Applicable Period The applicable period will be calculated from the date of passing or the date of the funeral as follows:
First-degree relatives: Within 7 days including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays
Second-degree relatives: Within 5 days including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays
*The days calculated will be the days written on the official document submitted.
Official Certificates Required
  • 1A copy of either the funeral attendance letter or official death certificate showing the date of passing
  • 2A copy of a valid student ID or other valid photo ID
  • 3The “Report of Absence from Class due to Bereavement” form with the necessary information filled in

Application Method

1. Please fill out Report of Absence form for each class.

Please download the form according to the reason for your absence. One form is required for each class. When filling out the necessary information, please fill out the form in the language that the class is offered in.

2. Please submit the required documentation to acsubmit@apu.ac.jp.

Depending on the reason for absence, please send the official certificates required by email.

3. Please wait for a reply from the Student Office.

If nothing is missing from the documents submitted, the Office will stamp its seal on the Report of Absence from Class due to Illness or Hospitalization / Report of Absence from Class due to Bereavement” form and return it to the student by email.

4. Please submit the “Report of Absence from Class due to Illness or Hospitalization / Report of Absence from Class due to Bereavement” form to each professor.

Please submit the form returned by the Office to each professor as soon as possible.

  • *Please refer to the syllabus and office hours for the professors’ email addresses.
  • *If you do not know a professor’s email address, please confirm it in class.
  • *There may be cases in which the University requests original copies of the documents. Please store the original documents safely even after you have applied.

Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted by 16:30 on the last class day (excluding final examination periods, Back-up class days and make-up class days) of the relevant subject.

  • *Late applications will not be accepted.

【AY 2024 Spring Semester Courses】

  • 1st Quarter Subjects: Friday, May 24, 2024, 16:30
  • 2nd Quarter and Semester Subjects: Tuesday, July 23, 2024, 16:30
  • Session Subjects: Monday, August 5, 2024, 16:30

【AY 2024 Fall Semester Courses】

  • 1st Quarter Subjects: Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 16:30
  • 2nd Quarter and Semester Subjects: Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 16:30
  • Session Subjects: Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 16:30

If you have any questions about Class Absences, please contact the Student Office (acsubimt@apu.ac.jp).

Class Absences due to Infectious Disease

Students who contract an infectious disease recognized by Japan’s School Health and Safety Act will have their attendance “suspended” for the period indicated by their doctor to prevent the spread of disease on campus. If your attendance is “suspended”, you are not allowed to come to APU until the period of suspended attendance ends. If you contract a legally-recognized infectious disease, the Student Office will only notify your professors that your attendance has been suspended if you complete the necessary procedures. If you are unable to attend classes due to your attendance being “suspended”, completing all the necessary procedures with the office does not mean that your absence will automatically be “treated as attendance” instead. Your professors will decide how to treat any class absences during your period of suspended attendance. Please make sure you contact your professors about catching up on any class content and assignments you missed during your period of suspended attendance.

Infectious diseases treated as suspended attendance at APU:
Class Name of Disease
Class1 エボラ出血熱、クリミア・コンゴ出血熱、痘そう、南米出血熱、ペスト、マールブルグ病、
ラッサ熱、急性灰白髄炎(ポリオ)、ジフテリア、重症急性呼吸器症候群、中東呼吸器症候群、
特定鳥インフルエンザ、新型インフルエンザ等感染症
Ebola virus disease, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Smallpox,
South American Hemorrhagic Fevers, Plague, Marburg Disease,
Lassa fever, Poliomyelitis, Diphtheria, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome,
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Specified Avian Influenza, Novel Influenza
Class2 インフルエンザ(特定鳥インフルエンザ及び新型インフルエンザ等感染症を除く)
/Influenza (excluding specific avian influenza and novel influenza)
百日咳 / Pertussis (whooping cough)
麻しん(はしか) / Measles
流行性耳下腺炎(おたくふかぜ) / Mumps
風しん(三日はしか) / Rubella (three-day measles)
水痘(みずぼうそう) / Varicella (Chicken pox)
咽頭結膜熱(プール熱) / Pharyngoconjunctival fever (PCF)
新型コロナウイルス感染症 / COVID-19
結核 / Tuberculosis (TB)
髄膜炎菌性髄膜炎 / Meningococcal meningitis
Class3 コレラ / Cholera
細菌性赤痢 / Shigellosis
腸管出血性大腸菌感染症 / Enterohemorrhagic E.coli
腸チフス / Typhoid
パラチフス / Paratyphoid
流行性角結膜炎 / Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis
急性出血性結膜炎 / Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis
ノロウイルス感染症 / Norovirus infection
ロタウイルス感染症 / Rotavirus infection

Application Method

*You cannot apply using the results of a self-test kit. Please make sure to visit a medical institution.

1. Visit a medical institution.

Visit a medical institution to get a diagnosis, then ask the doctor to fill in the “Certificate of Recovery from Infectious Disease”. (Please save your receipts.) You need to submit this certificate in Step 3. Print the “Certificate of Recovery from Infectious Disease” and take it to the medical institution. If you forget to take the “Certificate of Recovery from Infectious Disease” when you go to the doctor, ask your doctor to fill in the “Certificate of Recovery from Infectious Disease” at a later date.

2. Rest and recuperate for the period indicated by your doctor.

Please focus on recovering from your illness at home for the period indicated by your doctor. If you catch a legally-recognized infectious disease, your absence from class will be excused and treated as a suspension of attendance. The office will notify your professors about your illness after you complete Step 3. If you need to notify your professors of your absence before then, please contact them yourself.

3. Complete the online class absence procedures after you recover.

Please complete the absence procedures before the deadline using the “Absence Notification Form due to Infectious Disease”.
You need to upload the following two documents to the application form.

[Required Documents]

4. If there are no problems with your documentation, the Office will share the absence information with your professors.

Please note that you will receive an email from the office titled “Absences due to Legal Infectious Disease” after the information is shared with your professors.

Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted by 16:30 on the last class day (excluding final examination periods, Back-up class days and make-up class days) of the relevant subject.

  • *Late applications will not be accepted.

【AY 2024 Spring Semester Courses】

  • 1st Quarter Subjects: Friday, May 24, 2024, 16:30
  • 2nd Quarter and Semester Subjects: Tuesday, July 23, 2024, 16:30
  • Session Subjects: Monday, August 5, 2024, 16:30

【AY 2024 Fall Semester Courses】

  • 1st Quarter Subjects: Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 16:30
  • 2nd Quarter and Semester Subjects: Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 16:30
  • Session Subjects: Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 16:30

If you have any questions about Class Absences, please contact the Student Office (acsubimt@apu.ac.jp).

Long-term Absences

If a student is absent for more than half the lessons of a course (or more than a quarter of Language subjects, Student Success Workshop, or Multicultural Cooperative Workshop) due to illness or Hospitalization, removal of registration in that course may be approved upon application.
Please note that if this cancellation is approved, all courses in the affected semester, quarter or session will be cancelled. You may not cancel only specific subjects.

Eligible reasons for absence, application criteria, official certificates required

Application Criteria
  • Absence for more than half the lessons of a course (or more than a quarter of Language subjects, Student Success Workshop, or Multicultural Cooperative Workshop) due to illness or Hospitalization
  • The absence must have been unforeseen during the registration correction period.
  • The reason for the absence cannot be the result of actions willfully taken by the student.
Applicable Period The applicable quarter, semester, or session
Official Certificates Required
  • 1A copy of the medical certificate from the doctor that specifies the name of the illness and the period the patients showed refrain from going out in public or the period of hospitalization (start date and end date)
  • 2A copy of the receipt for medical services
  • 3A copy of a valid student ID or other valid photo ID

Notes

  • The illness or Hospitalization must be of the individual. Absences resulting from the illness or Hospitalization of a family member or friend will not be approved.
  • If the student wishes to cancel their registration in a session course due to reasons other than those above such as extracurricular activities or job hunting, they should consult the Student Office no later than one day before classes start.
  • If your course registration for Student Success Workshop (below, SSW) is approved for cancellation in your first semester due to a long-term absence, SSW will be automatically registered again in your second semester. 
    * For students who enroll in the Fall Semester, if your course registration for SSW and Multicultural Cooperative Workshop (below, MCW) is approved for cancellation in your first semester due to a long-term absence, only SSW will be automatically registered again in the Spring Semester.
    Furthermore, SSW and MCW are subjects with required registration for first-year students, and students in their second-year and above will not be registered for these subjects even in cases where their course registration was approved for cancellation due to a long-term absence. 

Application Method

1. Please consult the Office as soon as a situation occurs that prevents you from attending class.

As soon as a situation occurs that requires a Long-term Absence, a student should apply to acsubmit@apu.ac.jp as soon as possible.

2. Following the instructions of the Office, please proceed with the application.

Please prepare the necessary documents and apply to the Student Office by the application deadline.

3. The Office will carry out the procedure for removing the course.

If nothing is missing from the documentation, the Student Office will remove the course.

4. Please confirm that the course has been removed on Campusmate.

When you have received a notice from the Office that the course has been removed, the process is complete. Please also confirm whether the course has been removed from Campusmate.

Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted by 16:30 on the last class day (excluding final examination periods, Back-up class days and make-up class days) of the relevant subject.

【AY 2024 Spring Semester Courses】 *Late applications will not be accepted.

  • 1st Quarter Subjects: Friday, May 24, 2024, 16:30
  • 2nd Quarter and Semester Subjects: Tuesday, July 23, 2024, 16:30
  • Session Subjects: Monday, August 5, 2024, 16:30

【AY 2024 Fall Semester Courses】

  • 1st Quarter Subjects: Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 16:30
  • 2nd Quarter and Semester Subjects: Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 16:30
  • Session Subjects: Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 16:30

If you have any questions about Class Absences, please contact the Student Office (acsubimt@apu.ac.jp).

Important points for absence procedures

  • Please note that forging documents is a serious offense and may result in disciplinary measures under Article 5 of the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University Regulations on Punitive Measures for Students.
  • Applications will not be accepted after the deadline.
  • Class absences only apply to reasons related to the student. Family illnesses and caregiving will not be approved.
  • Please confirm the handling of absences for the "Off-campus Programs" in the respective application guidelines.

Other Reasons for Absences

  • Absence due to job-hunting activities: Please consult with the Student Office.
  • Absence due to extracurricular activities: Please consult with the Outreach and Research Office.
  • Absence due to Japan's lay judge system or other trial-related reasons: Please consult with the Student Office (acsubimt@apu.ac.jp) beforehand.

Tardiness

There are no Office procedures.
In you are late due to a public transportation scheduling delay or disruption, the transportation company will issue official delay certificates if requested. Show this certificate to your instructor and they will determine how to handle your tardiness.

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