Students in graduate programs sometimes experience situations requiring them to temporarily stop taking coursework for a term(s) (e.g. health, family
emergency, change in parental status, military service, financial hardship, personal, or academic reasons). Terms include fall, spring and summer. Admitted graduate students who need to take a term(s) break from their course work are required to take a leave of absence to remain in good standing with the University. A leave of absence may be requested by filling out the Leave of Absence Form prior to the add/drop date in the applicable term as published in the University calendar.

Except for extenuating circumstances requiring approval from the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, time spent in leave of absence status will be included in all time limits pertaining to the student’s degree program. Students in leave of absence are only entitled to use University resources normally available to the public or alumni, are not guaranteed requests for faculty time, and may not receive any assistantships or financial aid. A student on leave of absence is reported to the National Student Loan Data System as not enrolled, thus initiating the grace or repayment period for previously borrowed student loans.

Students in leave of absence maintain access to their Longwood accounts, including email and the library.

A leave of absence may be up to three, consecutive terms in length (terms include fall, spring and summer). A student who does not return after a three-term leave of absence may be required to reapply and pay the application fee. Students who take an unapproved break in registration by failing to complete the Leave of Absence Form will relinquish their graduate standing. Students who wish to be reinstated will be required to re-apply to the program and pay the application fee. Reinstatement is not automatic in such instances and will depend on a full review by the applicable Program Director.