Under certain circumstances, students may be permitted to take a temporary Leave of Absence. Three types of approved temporary leave exist: medical, military, and personal.
A Medical Leave of Absence may be granted based upon a recommendation from a licensed healthcare provider who is not a close family member (e.g., parent). Students request a Medical Leave of Absence by submitting to the academic dean, or the dean's designee, a written request accompanied by a corroborating recommendation from said healthcare provider. Students who are registered at the time they seek a Medical Leave of Absence should consult the Undergraduate Catalog for the required procedure to file either a Notice of Complete Withdrawal or to file for a Medical Withdrawal depending on student circumstances and preferences.
A Military Leave of Absence is granted based upon a student's call to duty or training in the Armed Services or a Reserve Component. Students who are called to active duty or military training of any type, whether voluntary or involuntary, may request a Military Leave of Absence by submitting to the dean, or the dean's designee, a written request along with copies of their official military orders. Students who are registered at the time they seek a Military Leave of Absence should consult the Undergraduate Catalog for the required procedure to file a Notice of Complete Withdrawal for Active Duty Military Personnel. Requests for military withdrawal should be filed prior to departure but must be filed no later than 60 days following the termination of military orders. Spouses of service members called to active duty may also request a Military Leave of Absence and should follow the same procedure to request the leave.
A Personal Leave of Absence may be granted based upon any grounds other than medical reasons or military service. A maximum of three semesters of Personal Leave may be granted. A request should be filed at the time it is determined the leave is needed, since it will not be granted retroactively. Students who are registered at the time they seek a Personal Leave of Absence should consult the Undergraduate Catalog for the required procedure to file a Notice of Complete Withdrawal for the term. Requests for a Personal Leave of Absence are submitted to the designated school committee or office, which forwards a recommendation to the school Dean. The Dean makes the decision about the leave, and that decision is final.
Approved Medical, Military, and Personal Leaves of Absences do not count toward a student's statute of limitations. Students granted an approved Leave of Absence will have their time-to-degree extended by the amount of time granted by the leave. Readmission of a student following an approved Leave of Absence is granted automatically if the student was in good standing when the Leave was granted.
During an approved Leave, students are not enrolled nor do they have an active student status. Students taking an approved Leave of Absence should make every effort to resolve any grades of incomplete that are due to convert to failing grades prior to beginning a leave or should negotiate with the course instructor(s) a time line for the completion of remaining work. Any extensions of the I-to-F deadline must be approved by the course instructor(s) and communicated to the University Registrar.
Financial aid, insurance, and/or other funding may be affected by federal law and/or university policy when taking an Approved Leave of Absence and should be investigated prior to leave.
International students should consult with the Center for Global Engagement before requesting a leave of absence, since visa status and other related issues could be affected.