A leave of absence is permission to be away from the university temporarily, whether it is for medical, financial, or personal reasons, including study at another educational institution. Students must seek approval from their program director and file a Graduate Leave of Absence Form with the Office of Graduate, Professional & Interdisciplinary Studies who will process the request. Students may be on leave for up to two consecutive semesters. Students who do not re-enroll in classes after their approved leave of absence has expired will be subject to our Continuous Enrollment Policy.
Withdrawing from Course(s)
If your requested leave coincides with your current registration, you must withdraw from your course(s). Consult the schedule of classes for the dates you can withdraw from courses with and without payment. Seek the department chair’s assistance and/or that of your academic advisor if you are withdrawing from a course beyond the stipulated deadline. Be informed that a grade of F will appear on your transcript for each course that you do not drop. No record of enrollment will appear on your transcript if you drop your course(s) during the course change period. Courses dropped after the official course change period will be designated with a W on your transcript.
Returning from an approved leave:
- Students must contact Records & Registration to confirm intention to return after leave to ensure that their student record is active.
- Meet with their advisor to plan class schedule and receive registration clearance once the schedule of classes for the semester of return appears on the web.
- Register for classes.
Withdrawing from the University
If you do not intend to return to SUNY New Paltz or are planning more than two consecutive semesters away, submit a Withdrawal from College Form to the Office of Graduate, Professional & Interdisciplinary Studies. Submitting this form means that you must apply for readmission if you later decide you would like to return to SUNY New Paltz. If you are readmitted, you may be subject to updated major and degree requirements. Please note that readmission to SUNY New Paltz is not guaranteed and is subject to admissions criteria in place at the time you apply.
Additional information about Withdrawal and Leave of Absence
If a student requests a withdrawal or leave of absence from the University before the end of the second week of classes, the student will be deregistered without transcript notation. If the university withdrawal or leave of absence occurs after the second week of classes, the student will be withdrawn from all in-progress courses and a W will be listed on the transcript.
Students may request a withdrawal or leave until the last day of classes. (The exact deadline appears in the Academic Calendar for each semester.) Students who stop attending class(es) are considered "unofficially withdrawn" and will receive grades of F*. If this happens in all classes for the semester and they do not submit an official Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from College form, the student will be considered on an unofficial Leave of Absence.
Withdrawal and leave of absence may affect students' financial obligations. Please contact the Office of Student Accounts with questions about liability (e.g., tuition, fees, room and board) and aid. The tuition refund policy may also be of interest.
