Leave of Absence

Personal Leave of Absence:

Registration for Continuous Enrollment and payment of a Program Fee does not constitute a leave of absence. A student must formally request a leave of absence by petitioning their Graduate Program Director who, in turn, provides justification for the request to the Graduate Dean. If the Dean grants a leave of absence, the student's statute of limitations will be appropriately increased. Graduate students on a leave of absence must maintain continuous enrollment by registering for the Continuous Enrollment course and paying the program fee every semester during their leave. A student on a leave of absence is not considered to be actively completing a degree program; therefore, loan deferments cannot be signed during this period of time.

Health Leave of Absence/Withdrawal:

When a student's physical health or mental health precludes successful completion of their academic course work, the student may receive a health leave of absence or withdrawal from the University, upon recommendation by the appropriate physician or therapist of the University Health Services. Normally, the leave of absence/withdrawal will result from the student's voluntary efforts. In exceptional circumstances involving life-threatening behaviors, a student may be asked to leave the university involuntarily until those serious circumstances have been controlled. During the period of a health leave of absence, the student must maintain their status by registering for Continuous Enrollment and paying the program fee. Accordingly, the Graduate School will adjust the student's statute of limitations for the duration of the leave of absence. The full policy is available in the Graduate School Bulletin and from the Office of the Graduate Dean or the Graduate Student Service Center.