Sick notes
For Students
Guidance from University of Edinburgh is that a student, who is a University Health Service patient, should obtain a sick note if:
1) They have been absent from the University due to ill health for 7 days or more. (For less than 7 days a student MUST self certify).
2) They have missed a degree or equivalent examination due to ill health.
3) They have a chronic (long term) illness and has missed classes intermittently as a result.
For Non Students
If you’re off work sick for 7 days or less, your employer should not ask for medical evidence that you’ve been ill. Instead, they can ask you to confirm that you’ve been ill. You can do this by filling in a form yourself when you return to work. We call this self-certification.
Find out more about sick notes on the NHS Inform.
Page created: 05 November 2026