Graduate, Leave of Absence

A student who is a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S. and who intends to stop taking courses for a period of time may request a leave of absence from the program in which he or she is enrolled. Due to strict immigration laws, international students are not permitted to apply for a leave of absence status.

Such requests must be made in advance of leaving the university, and programs and departments may set their own additional requirements for granting a leave of absence. If the program and department recommend a leave of absence, the request is then forwarded to the dean of the Graduate School who approves or denies it. Leave of absence will be automatically granted to students who apply within the first eight weeks of the current semester.

Students who are on leave of absence do not have access to university resources and faculty time and are not required to pay for continuous enrollment during the period that the leave of absence is in effect. The length of time on the leave of absence does not count toward the maximum number of years allowed for completion of a degree.

Students on leave of absence are not enrolled at the university and must return to the university by the date specified on the leave of absence contract. Otherwise, they will be dropped from student status and will have to reapply for readmission.

The registrar reserves the right to verify all information provided on the leave of absence contract. The registrar will send an information packet to you prior to your expected date of return. Contact the registrar’s office if you have any questions or have a change of address.

The actual length of time permitted for the leave of absence is determined by the department. However, the leave of absence may not exceed four semesters (including summer). If a student is granted a leave of absence before the semester ends, that semester will count as one of the semesters.

Students who plan to return to the University must notify the Department, the dean of the Graduate School, and the registrar’s office by the date determined at the time the leave of absence was granted. The department and the dean must approve the return before the registrar will permit the student to register. If the student does not notify these three offices by the agreed date, the student will be automatically dropped from student status and will have to reapply for readmission.

If a student receives any form of financial assistance, it is that student’s responsibility to notify sources about the leave of absence status. The University is not in any way responsible for this. The office of the dean of the Graduate School reserves the right to verify all information provided on the leave of absence contract.