Leave of Absence Policy
If a student desires to interrupt the defined program of study for at least one academic semester, then s/he must request an Institutional leave of absence. It is the student's responsibility to complete a "Withdrawal/Leave of Absence" form and obtain the necessary approvals. Forms must be signed and dated when submitted. Students are allowed a maximum of one year of leave. If a student requires more than one year of leave, they must submit a new request for leave of absence for approval once the previous leave has expired.
The "Withdrawal/Leave of Absence" form must be submitted before the first week of classes, or the student will be responsible for a percentage of the cost of his/her tuition, according to the current Institute "Tuition Refund" schedule. Mere absence from classes does not reduce a student's financial obligation or guarantee that a final grade will not be recorded.
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT A LEAVE OF ABSENCE
- If approved, the student's official record will be coded as an Institutional Leave of Absence by the Registrar with the date it begins, as well as the expected date of return.
- If the student fails to return or to request an extension of the Institutional Leave of Absence at the conclusion of the approved Institutional Leave of Absence, the student is considered to have withdrawn from the Institute and the record will be marked as such. The withdrawal date is defined as the last day the student attended classes.
- An Institutional Leave of Absence does constitute a withdrawal for financial aid purposes and the financial aid refund policy would apply.