If you have been ill for 7 days or less you don’t need to see a Doctor. You can complete a Self-Certification form yourself. However some employers insist on a Doctor’s note regardless. A Doctors note under these circumstances involves a charge of £30.

Many employers have their own self-certification forms. If your employer doesn’t have its own form you can download the Self Certification Form. Please print it, fill it in and hand it in to your employer. You do not need to see a Doctor.

Birmingham University has a system of medical certification for students.

This is primarily based upon the assumption that minor illnesses and occasional periods of sick leave should not require a doctor’s note.

A standard form has been designed to be completed by the student, followed by their doctor, for any period of absence due to illness at exam or significant assessment times or for significant medical problems.

You can download the certificate by clicking University Medical-Certificate.

You should bring a completed certificate with you to your appointment otherwise an unnecessary delay will occur.

A certificate will only be issued if the doctor thinks that the condition merits it and a charge of £15.00 will be made for it’s completion.

The form may be signed by a GP, hospital doctor or relevant nurse or counsellor, who has been involved in your care.

Please note: A medical certificate is never required urgently.  Please book a routine appointment with your doctor.  

Categories of Certification

Category 1

Significant medical problem.  eg: glandular fever, hospital admission or illness lasting more than 7 days.

Category 1r

As 1 but retrospective eg: applied for after the illness has ended or late in the course of the condition.  This will carry significantly less weight with the University.

 Category 2

On-going or chronic, significant illnesses e.g. diabetes, severe asthma, CFS etc. You will also need to book an appointment at Student Support Services at 3 Elms Road on North Campus to complete a Student Support Advice Form for forwarding to your department. In addition a letter may well be required by your department from the doctor completing the medical certificate outlining the effect of your illness on your studies.

 Category 3

Sudden disruptive illness (only at exam time or during assessments counting towards your degree).

Students must make their personal tutor/supervisor/mitigations officer aware of the impact which they believe that this illness has had on their performance in the assessment. This information should be provided as soon as possible and certainly before the meeting of the relevant Board of Examiners.

Mitigation Letters

You may be required to obtain a more detailed mitigation letter from your doctor, to provide the University with more information about any specific health problems you have.  In this instance you will be charged a fee of £15.00.

We may require up to 10 working days to complete a mitigation letter.