Withdrawal vs. Leave of Absence

Related Pages

Contact My School
Withdraw or Request a Leave of Absence
Financial Implications of Leaving School
Request Assistance With the Form
Provide a Wet-signed Form
University Voluntary/Medical Leave of Absence Policy
University Military Leave of Absence Policy
University Involuntary Leave of Absence Policy
Consumer Information
Policy for Students With Military-Related Withdrawals

Take Me To...

Part 1: Timing

Part 2: General Requirements

Part 3: Withdrawal and Leave of Absence

 

A note on Timing Your Submission:

Timing your submission is important as it directly impacts the academic, financial and other ramifications of taking time away from school.  

Some areas to consider include (but are not limited to):

  • Will you leave school during a term in progress or between terms? If during the term, have you ceased attendance?
  • Do all your courses span the entire length of the term?
  • Did you begin the term, and if not, has the term already started?
  • And more...

Click Here for important information about timing your submission.

 

General Requirements

In addition to applicable University policies, each school has their own policies, procedures, requirements and conditions that must be satisfied for a student to be approved for a requested Withdrawal or Leave of Absence. 

You must contact your school in conjunction with submitting a Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Notification Request Form to discuss:

  1. Any additional action needed to pursue approval for your requested Leave of Absence;
     
  2. What will occur if your request is NOT APPROVED;
     
  3. The potential impact on other areas of your education, such as readmission requirements and/or subsequent deposit payments.

Your school will evaluate the information you share through your submitted Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Notification Request Form, including (but not limited to) any supporting documentation you provide, in considering your Leave of Absence Request.

Additional requirements and/or documentation beyond what a student initially submits with their Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Notification Request Form is generally required and may be subject to strictly observed submission deadlines. 

Please contact your school directly for additional information.

A students failure to contact their school in conjunction with submitting a Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Notification Request Form may result in unexpected financial, academic and/or re-entry ramifications.  We strongly recommend that students contact their school before submitting a Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Notification Request Form.

Click Here to learn more about the process for and potential ramifications of forgoing outreach to your school in conjunction with submitting a Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Notification Request Form.

If your schools does not approve your Leave of Absence Request and/or type after submitting a Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Request Notification Form, your submission will be treated as a Withdrawal.

This may change the conditions and requirements for a student to return to school, including whether or not readmission is required; academic and financial ramifications may apply.

Please contact your school directly for additional information.

Withdrawal and Leave of Absence

The information below provides details regarding the similarities, differences and general information regarding Withdrawal and Leave of Absence. 

 

The university uses the term Withdraw to formally indicate that a student has ceased attendance in all scheduled courses for a given term. This differs from the use of the term Withdrawal, which generally describes any student that

  1. Has not returned for their next anticipated period of attendance, payment period or period of enrollment*; or
  2. Who does not complete all the days in a period of attendance, payment period or period of enrollment* they were scheduled to complete

The term Withdrawal is inclusive of both Withdrawn Students and Students Taking a Leave of Absence

*A students payment period, period of enrollment and/or period of attendance generally corresponds with an academic term, but not always.  Please contact your financial aid office for additional information.

 

Withdrawal

The term Withdrawal is generally used to describes any student that has not returned for their next anticipated period of attendance* or who does not complete all the days in a period of attendance* they were scheduled to complete.

Leave of Absence

Leave of Absence generally refers to scenarios where a student demonstrates compelling reasons and necessity to interrupt their studies. There are multiple leave of absence types a student may pursue or otherwise be subject to, including those arising from Voluntary and Involuntary circumstances.

Your school must approve your Leave of Absence Request and type.

*A students period of attendance generally corresponds with an academic term, but not always.  Please contact your financial aid office for additional information.

Yes!

While the term Withdrawal is inclusive of both Withdrawn Students and Students Taking a Leave of Absence, there are many important distinctions between them that may impact how a student chooses to proceed.  Some of the areas that are commonly impacted include, but are not limited to:

  • School Approval Requirements
  • Financial Ramifications
  • Re-entry and/or Readmission Requirements and Corresponding Deposit Costs
  • Interim and Ongoing Access to University and School Services
  • And more

Please review the information on this page before you cease attendance or submit a Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Notification Request Form. 

If you have questions or want to learn more about the conditions that apply to your specific circumstances, you may contact the Student Affairs Office or other similar advising personnel at your school for assistance.

Withdrawal Effective Date is the date that is used to determine several factors surrounding a students Withdrawal or Leave of Absence, including, but not limited to:

  • Tuition and fee costs
  • Amount of aid that may be retained toward a students cost
  • Access to school and University services
  • And more

In most cases, a students Withdrawal Effective Date will be the date the student successfully transmits a Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Notification Request.  The following resources offer additional information for common areas impacted by a students Withdrawal Effective Date.

Please note, the Withdrawal Effective Date for students that cease attendance without providing notification will be different than that of students who submit a Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Notification Request Form.  Generally, the Withdrawal Effective Date for a student who ceases attendance without notification will be determined by that students school upon identifying the student has ceased attending or otherwise satisfied the requirements for Withdrawal or Leave of Absence.

Please contact your school for additional information.

Both the University and Your School have requirements regarding a students request for Leave of Absence or Withdrawal.  

Please contact your school directly for additional information.

Your school will generally require additional information to approve a Withdrawal or Leave of Absence Request

Students who do not receive approval from the responsible office at their school for their requested Withdrawal or Leave of Absence will be processed as a Withdrawal and/or Leave of Absence without that students requested designation for the purpose of determining financial obligations and required aid recalculations--in addition to other areas influence by a student Withdrawal or Leave of Absence--due to having ceased attendance. 

For additional information, please contact your school directly.

A Voluntary Leave of Absence generally refers to a student initiated leave of absence request where the student demonstrates compelling reasons and necessity to interrupt their studies. Medical Leave of Absence and Military Leave of Absence are classifications that may apply to a Voluntary Leave of Absence if certain parameters are met.

A Medical Leave of Absence is a Voluntary Leave of Absence or Withdrawal resulting from medical circumstances. To receive a medical designation for a requested withdrawal or leave of absence, a student must receive approval from their school.  

Students seeking to cease their studies for medical reasons should take the following action to pursue a medical designation:

Students leaving school due to military obligations have unique parameters related to ceasing attendance.  The Military Leave of Absence Policy offers additional information.

Your school may offer leave types beyond those covered in University policy.  Please contact your school directly for additional information.

Designated personnel at a students school may place a student on an Involuntary Leave of Absence in extraordinary circumstances when there is compelling information to suggest that the student is engaging in or is at heightened risk of engaging in behavior that could lead to serious injury to ones self or others.  The Involuntary Leave of Absence Policy provides additional information.  Students should contact their school directly with questions.

In addition to the types of withdrawals and leaves of absence described above, there are other circumstances that may lead to a student ceasing attendance or otherwise satisfying requirements for withdrawal from school.  When this occurs, a student is considered to have Unofficially Withdrawn.

When a school identifies that a student has ceased attendance or has otherwise satisfied the requirements for withdrawal from school without beginning the Official Withdrawal Process or other permitted notification, the student will be treated as an Unofficial Withdrawal.  For more information, please see the following:

Submit a Withdrawal or Leave of Absence Notification Request

The information presented throughout this page is informative in nature and includes resources that may be helpful in deciding whether taking a temporary or permanent step away from school is the course of action that best meets your needs. It serves as an overview and supplement to applicable policy and/or other requirements that apply to a students Withdrawal or Leave of Absence.

For questions or concerns related to your specific circumstances, please refer to the policy and/or other requirements that apply; contact your school for additional information.