Leave of Absence

A student who has been accepted into a graduate program is expected to remain in continuous enrollment, either full-time or part-time, throughout his/her matriculation. Students who fail to enroll for a period of more than 12 months will be considered to have withdrawn from the program. Once a student enters candidacy, he/she must maintain continuous enrollment in degree candidacy (fall, spring, summer) and pay the appropriate candidacy fee.

However, if circumstances arise that may cause an interruption in graduate study a student may apply for a leave of absence by requesting such a leave from the unit dean. A requested leave cannot exceed one year; however, under extreme circumstances, a second, subsequent request may be granted by the Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs. Students must be considered in good standing for the request to be considered.

A student may not be enrolled in the university during a leave of absence. A student on a leave of absence is not required to pay tuition, fees, or candidacy fees, but is not entitled to any services from the university during the leave, including mentorship from faculty.

If a leave of absence is granted to a doctoral student in candidacy, the time limitation of completing all other requirements within four years after passing the qualifying examination shall be extended by the same time as the length of the leave. However, an appeal for an extension of this time limit, specifying the exact circumstances, can be included in the request for a leave or submitted as a variance request submitted to the department for their review and recommendation to the unit dean; the final decision rests with the Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs.

No degree will be granted to a student on an official leave of absence. The student must re-enroll in the next term following the conclusion of the leave and be enrolled in the term in which a degree is granted. A leave of absence does not relieve a student from adherence to policies regarding residency and candidacy (except that the time limit for candidacy may be extended, as indicated in the previous paragraph).