Registrar's Office

Leave of Absence Policy

If it becomes necessary for a student to stop attending classes, the student must request and be approved for a Leave of Absence (LOA), or the student will be considered Withdrawn. Leaves of Absence must be pre-approved unless an unforeseen circumstance prevents the student from doing so. If the student’s LOA is not approved, the student will be treated as a Withdrawal for financial aid purposes. A LOA request will be considered for approval only if:

• The student has completed a minimum of one (1) course.
  
• The LOA is requested in writing and signed and dated.
  
• The LOA request includes the reason for the leave.
  
• There is a reasonable expectation that the student will return after the LOA.
  
• On a subsequent LOA request, the cumulative number of days on leave does not exceed 180 days per 12-month period; and
  
• Prior arrangements have been made for the student to be able to continue his or her academic coursework upon return from the LOA.

The student must notify the University if he or she intends to return from the LOA early. A student with extenuating circumstances may be granted a subsequent Leave(s) of Absence not to exceed 180 days of leave within a 12-month period, this is typically 1 term for the 2 Year Track. Supporting documentation must be provided for a subsequent LOA request(s). The number of days of a LOA is counted beginning with the first day of the student’s initial LOA. If the student is unable to provide a written LOA request for pre-approval due to unexpected, extenuating circumstances, such as a car accident, the University will accept a verbal LOA request. The student must subsequently provide a written LOA request, along with supporting documentation within 14 days. If the student is unable to provide the subsequent written LOA request within 14 days, the University will assume that there is not a reasonable expectation that the student will return from LOA and the student will be Withdrawn from the program. 

The student will not be charged any fee or additional tuition as a result from taking an LOA. The student will not be eligible for additional financial aid as a result of taking an LOA. However, the student’s financial aid package may change. The student will be charged a fee to retake the course, when the student fails or withdraws from a course and subsequently requests an LOA. 

Failure to return on the expected LOA return date will result in immediate Withdrawal from the University per the University’s Withdrawal Policy. Withdrawal from the University places the student in his or her student loan grace period starting at the first day of the LOA. For example, if a student is on LOA for 60 days and does not return, the 2 months on LOA will be deducted from the student’s 6- month grace period. The student’s loan repayment will begin four (4) months after Withdrawal instead of six (6) months.