A student may request an interruption of studies in accordance with Article 13 of the Masaryk University Study and Examination Regulations (SaER). In two cases, the interruption is "claimable" (the dean will grant it if the conditions are met):
- if the student has fulfilled the requirements for enrolment in the following semester and has successfully completed at least one semester of study;
- if the period covered by the application is part of the student's recognised period of parenthood.
In other cases, the interruption is non-claimable and must be justified by exceptional circumstances. There must always be objective reasons why studies cannot be continued for a certain period of time, e.g. serious injury with long-term consequences, conscription and military service, etc. Interruption, on the other hand, does not serve as a tool for dealing with non-fulfilment of study obligations (e.g. failure to obtain credits) - in such cases, the exception for enrolment in the next semester is aimed at these cases, after which the study is not interrupted, but on the contrary should be intensified so that the obligations are fulfilled as soon as possible.
It cannot be accepted that a request for interruption of studies, submitted in the last weeks of the semester in which the student has not fulfilled the credit obligation, is a tool for circumventing the study obligations and, above all, a tool for avoiding the consequences that the SaER associates with their non-fulfilment. If a student fails to complete a course of study, he/she must re-enrol and is obliged to take it in the next term. Failure to do so does not entitle the student to enrol in the next semester in accordance with Articles 12 and 30 of the SaER and in principle leads to termination of studies. Also, if a student fails to fulfil the credit obligation required by Articles 12 and 30 of the SaER, he/she is not entitled to enrol in the next semester, and this leads to termination of studies. These consequences cannot be circumvented by interruption of studies at the end of the semester. If the reasons for the interruption of studies arose during the semester, they should have been applied during the semester, not at the end of it. Granting the request without more would be contrary to the purpose and intent of the regulation of interruption of studies in the context of the other mechanisms provided for in the Study and Examination Regulations. It is therefore not possible to achieve the continuation of studies through interruption, which should no longer continue because of the failure to meet the conditions according to the SaER, unless there are exceptional circumstances - the reasons for granting the Dean's exception would have to be met at the same time. In addition, upon return from such an exceptional interruption, all incomplete courses of the semester would subsequently be registered as repeated courses, in accordance with the actual situation. It should also be noted that according to the SaER, in the case of a non-claimable interruption, the dean sets the start and end date of the interruption and may also set other conditions for enrolment in the semester immediately following re-enrolment.
In general, studies are otherwise interrupted for full semesters plus the remainder of the semester in which the application is made. In connection with the application for the state final, state rigorous (in the field of general medicine and dentistry) or state doctoral examination or its last part and the obligations that the student must fulfil before submitting this application, the date of the end of the interruption of studies may be set at the beginning of the examination period of the last semester of the interruption period.
In the case of a non-claimable interruption, the dean sets the start and end date of the interruption and may also set other conditions for enrolment in the semester immediately following re-enrolment.
In general, study is interrupted for full semesters plus the remainder of the semester in which the application is made. In connection with the application for the state examination, the state rigorosum examination (in the field of general medicine and dentistry) or the state doctoral examination or the last part of it and the obligations that the student must fulfil before submitting the application, the date of the end of the interruption of studies may be set at the beginning of the examination period of the last semester of the interruption period.
On the date of interruption of studies, a person ceases to be an MU student and acquires the status of a student only after re-enrolment in studies in accordance with Article 10 of the SaER.
A person who, after interrupting his/her studies, fails to complete his/her enrolment by the deadline set in the timetable or by an alternative deadline, and who fails to demonstrate within five working days serious reasons for failing to complete his/her enrolment, shall have his/her studies terminated pursuant to Section 56(1)(b) of the Higher Education Act and Article 15(1)(b) of the SaER. In accordance with Section 68(4) of the Higher Education Act, an appeal may be lodged within 30 days of receipt of the decision to terminate studies (the request must be submitted to the authority that issued the decision).
According to Article 13(3) of the SaER, the sum of the total period of study and the period of interruption of such study in a doctoral study programme may not exceed twice the standard period set for such study in the programme.
The total period of study does not include the period of interruption of studies after the first unsuccessful state doctoral examination or dissertation defence or for serious health reasons or for maternity or parental leave.