Leave of Absence

Statement of Policy

Excelsior University will grant a leave of absence of up to a one-year maximum to an enrolled undergraduate or graduate student who has a medical or personal reason that prohibits the student from progressing in his/her degree program.

Leaves of absence will extend the maximum time students have to complete the following degree programs by up to one year. A leave of absence does not affect the 150 percent of program for Title IV eligibility. The maximum times to completion listed here exceed the allowable for Title IV eligibility of 150 percent of a full-time equivalent. Once a student passes the 150 percent, point the student is no longer eligible for federal assistance.

Procedure

A. Student will submit a signed request for a leave of absence to the ombudsperson.

1. For a medical leave of absence, the student request must be accompanied by a letter from a physician, physician's assistant or nurse practitioner. The letter must be on official letterhead and must include the diagnosis, the limitations it imposes on the individual and an estimation of the time required for recovery. Excelsior University reserves the right to verify qualification of the certifying professionals.

2. For a personal leave of absence, the student request may require documentation supporting the need for the leave.

B. The ombudsperson, in consultation with the dean or designee, will decide whether to grant the leave, and will notify the student. At the time of notification, the ombudsperson will clarify the student's eligibility for various student services on a case-by-case basis. The ombudsperson will notify the Office of the Registrar and the appropriate academic unit dean or designee that the student has been granted a leave of absence.

The Office of the Registrar will change the student status of an undergraduate student who has been granted a leave of absence from EN to LU. The Office of the Registrar will change the student status of a graduate student placed on a leave of absence from EN to LA.

C. Any student placed on a leave of absence is not eligible to receive student services (e.g., advisement, transcript evaluation, course approval). A student registered for an Excelsior University course prior to the leave of absence may continue in the course. If the student chooses not to continue in the course the student would be required to withdraw from the course according to the Course Withdrawal Policy. A student registered for an Excelsior University Examination prior to the leave of absence will be allowed to take the examination at any time during the remainder of the six-month eligibility window. If the student elects not to take the examination(s) during the leave of absence, the student is expected to follow the standard procedures for requesting a refund as outlined in A User's Guide: Using Examinations to Accomplish Individual Goals.

D. Six to eight weeks prior to the end of the leave of absence the student will be billed the Student Service Annual Fee (SSAF) or the Graduate Student Fee (GSF). If the SSAF/GSF is paid within the required time frame the student’s enrollment will be reactivated and the student will retain the original academic policy. If the SSAF/GSF is not paid within the required time frame, the student’s status will be changed to withdrawn (WA).