Student Leave of Absence

A student in good standing with the University may be granted a leave of absence for specific vocational, military, educational, or personal circumstances (financial, medical, mental health, etc.) of up to one semester (maximum of 180 days in a 12-month period). The purpose of a Leave of Absence is to request a preplanned separation from the university during a future term with the intent to return. A student who wishes to apply for such a leave must apply in writing to their academic advisor by submitting the required form and supporting documentation no later than one month prior to the start of the requested term of leave. The academic advisor will instruct the student to visit Financial Aid, if applicable, to verify their financial aid account status, as well as the Registrar’s Office to confirm the leave of absence procedural operations. The Registrar will forward the leave of absence request to the academic dean for final approval.

An approved leave of absence guarantees a student’s readmission at the end of the specified leave term. If a student does not return to the University by the end of the approved leave of absence, then the student’s readmission status will be rescinded and the student will be withdrawn from the University with a withdrawal status date of the student’s last date of academic activity. If the student wishes to return after being withdrawn, then the student will be required to re-apply for admission to the University.

All requests to study at another institution during the leave of absence must be approved in advance by the Registrar. Financial aid recipients should check with the Financial Aid Office as federal guidelines do not allow for more than a 180-day leave of absence without impacting aid. All students should check their student account with the Business Office prior to taking a leave of absence and before registering upon return. A student may not be able to register depending on their financial balance.