Students who are planning an absence from Mason (either fall or spring semester) must submit a Leave of Absence Form to the Office of the Registrar. The form is available on the Registrar’s website.
Students do not need to complete the Leave of Absence Form if they are participating in a university-sponsored study abroad program, are taking a class through the Washington Metropolitan Area Consortium, or have received permission to study elsewhere.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to be granted a leave of absence, a student must:
- Be eligible to register for classes.
- Be a degree-seeking undergraduate student.
- Be registered during the semester immediately prior to the beginning of the leave of absence.
- Have no holds (e.g., disciplinary, financial, etc.), which would restrict registration.
Important policies regarding leave of absence
- The maximum time allowed for a leave of absence is two years.
- A new admission application will be required if a student is away for more than two academic years. Re-admission is not guaranteed.
- Prior approval is required. Advisors approve one-semester requests. Advisor and Dean approval is required if the leave of absence requested is for more than one semester.
- The leave of absence form must be submitted by the last day to drop for the semester in which a leave is requested.
- Students are not permitted to study elsewhere while on a leave of absence.
- A student who was admitted as a new first semester freshman or transfer student but did not attend will not be eligible for a leave of absence. Instead, he or she must contact the admissions office.
- A student who was re-admitted but did not attend will not be eligible for a leave of absence. He or she must contact the admissions office.
- Requests for extensions on a previously submitted leave of absence require submission of a new leave of absence form.
Steps for Requesting a Leave of Absence
- Review all policies above pertaining to leave of absence.
- Fill out an Undergraduate Leave of Absence Form found on the Registrar’s website.
- Meet with your advisor and obtain his/her signature on the form.
- Obtain all other applicable signatures.
- Submit your completed request to the College of Public Health Office of Student Affairs.
- Wait to receive an email from the dean.
- If approved, reply to that email so that the form can either be delivered to the Registrar's office or picked up by the student.
If a student does not submit a leave of absence form before taking a semester off or is ineligible for a leave of absence, the student must then re-enroll or re-apply when returning to Mason, depending on the length of the absence. Students who are absent for less than two years must re-enroll by filling out and submitting the Re-enrollment Application Form found on the Registrar’s website.
Students who are absent for two years or more must re-apply to the university.