Approved by:  Office of the Registrar

History:  N/A

Related Policies: 

Related Forms, Procedures and References:  Academic Calendars | Tuition Refund Schedules

For Questions Contact:  Office of the Registrar | 651.690.6531

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Leave of Absence

Students who need to take a semester off or withdraw from all courses in a given term must request a leave of absence from the University. Taking a leave of absence may be necessary for a variety of reasons and should be discussed with a staff member before making a final decision. 

Students who are pursuing a bachelor's degree, either in the College for Women or College for Adults, must contact the Office of Student Affairs to request a leave. Students who are pursuing a certificate, associates or graduate degree should contact their program directors to request a leave.

Students will be required to meet with a staff member to fill out paperwork and provide information regarding their leave status, its impact on academic progression and potential impact on student aid. Students should also contact the office of Financial Aid when considering a leave of absence to learn more about lengths of leaves and repayment needs.

It is important to note that the timing of a leave will be taken into consideration when meeting to discuss a leave of absence. The academic calendar contains important deadlines for the impact of dropping or withdrawing from a course. Courses are dropped without notation on the transcript until the “Last day to drop a course without a W.” Courses dropped between this date and the “Last day to withdraw” result in a W (Withdrawal) notation on the transcript, which does not affect GPA.1 Courses dropped after the “Last day to withdraw” automatically receive a grade of F, which does affect GPA. Refunds are determined by the Refund Calendar. Excessive withdrawals or failing grades may affect a student’s financial aid eligibility or academic standing.

Students on a leave of absence are not permitted to live in University residence halls. Upon completing the University's Leave of Absence/Withdrawal process, the student’s Housing & Dining Agreement is canceled. Any refund is determined by the student’s move out date.

Students on a leave of absence are allowed to use University services such as the Butler Center, Career Development, Student Accessibility and Accommodations as well as others. Students on a leave may use health and mental health services offered by the University on a limited basis. Students looking to establish care may use the Health and Wellness Clinic and/or Counseling Center for referrals but not continuous care. Students with previously established care at either office will have a limit of no more than 3 appointments before being directed to outside care.

Notes: A leave of absence may not exceed three (3) consecutive terms. Students who do not begin classes within three consecutive terms following their leave of absence will be administratively withdrawn. Students who have been away from the University more than three consecutive semesters but apply for re-enrollment through the applicable college.

In the event that a student does not respond to outreach after requesting a leave of absence, a leave will be processed two weeks after the initial request to remain in line with federal financial requirements.

Associate Program specifics

Associate program students enrolled in programs that follow the standard calendar who are away from the University for more than three consecutive terms (including summer) must re-enroll through the Admissions Office when they return from leave and prior to registering for courses.

Associate program students enrolled in the OTA Online program who are away from the University for 2 consecutive semesters must get program director approval before going on leave and must re-enroll through the Admissions Office when they return from leave and prior to registering for courses.

Refunds are made on a prorated basis according to the schedules published in the Summary of Financial Procedures, posted on the Student Accounts website.