Withdrawal / Leave of Absence

Withdrawal from the University

Students may withdraw from the University at any time by following established procedures. Undergraduate students contact the Office of Academic Advising. Graduate students contact their program office. In all cases, the effective date of withdrawal is the date on which the student contacts the advising or program office.

No refunds of tuition are given unless the student officially withdraws. Refunds are made on a prorated basis according to the schedules published in the Summary of Financial Procedures, posted on the Student Accounts website.

Leave of Absence

Students wishing to take a semester off or withdraw from all courses in a given term must request a leave of absence from the University. Students must contact the Office of Student Affairs or their program office before taking a leave of absence to discuss the impact on progression in their program. Students must also meet with their financial aid counselor to discuss the effect their failure to return from a leave of absence may have on their loan repayments terms and grace period.

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. 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.

Note: A leave of absence may not exceed 180 days. Students who do not begin classes within the 180 period are administratively withdrawn. Students who have been away from the University more than 180 days – but only one fall or spring semester – should contact the Office of the Registrar prior to registration. Re-enrollment through the admissions office is not required in this circumstance.

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

Baccalaureate program students who are away from the University for more than one semester should contact the following offices for information on re-enrolling:

Policy on Reservists Called to Active Duty

In the event that a registered student of St. Catherine University is called to active duty in the service of the armed forces of the United States, the following policy regarding the student’s registration and accounts will be in effect:

  1. The student’s official status will be leave of absence.
  2. Tuition and fees will be reduced to zero.
  3. Room and board accounts will be prorated to reflect the exact date of withdrawal.
  4. Bookstore accounts and any outstanding library fines will be the responsibility of the student.
  5. Financial aid will be applied to whatever balance remains on the account, with the remainder of the aid remitted to the federal, state or university accounts from which it came.
  6. If the call for active duty occurs after the 10th week of classes, students may consider arranging for incompletes with the instructor, in which case the student would be responsible for all tuition and fees connected with the class.

Students who are called to active duty should contact the Office of the Registrar to initiate this process.

Re-Enrollment to the University

Associate Degree Programs

Students who are away from the University for more than one semester (excluding summer), or those who discontinue work for one semester (excluding summer) without applying for a leave of absence, apply for re-enrollment through the Office of Admission for the College for Adults. Program completion time limits apply to re-enrolled students; time away from the University is counted toward the seven-year maximum (and the program’s maximum for major course work). Students who return to the University after an absence of more than one year will be required to meet the same degree requirements as newly admitted students. For more information, see the Applicable Catalog policy.

Petitions for re-enrollment after academic suspension must be addressed to the program director or the director of academic advising.

Baccalaureate Program

Students who have been away from the University more than one semester (excluding summer) apply for re-enrollment through the Office of Admission for the College for Women (CFW) or the College for Adults (CFA). An additional application fee is not charged.

Typically, program requirements established at the time of admission do not change for students who leave the University and return to the same college (CFW or CFA) within two years to complete their programs. Students whose absence from the University extends two or more years are subject to the academic requirements in effect at the time of re-entry. Students who are in programs that lead to licensure are responsible for meeting current licensure standards. For more information, see the Applicable Catalog policy.

Petitions for readmission after academic suspension must be addressed to the director of academic advising.