Leave of Absence / Time Away from the University
A leave of absence (herein LOA) is defined as an interruption in a student’s enrollment with the intent to return to their studies at Brandeis at a later time. Any degree-seeking student may request an LOA for a number of personal or health reasons, and these are described in greater detail below. An LOA requires an application to begin and return from a leave.
Undergraduate students wishing to request an LOA should contact their assigned Academic Services advisor and work with them to fill out the leave of absence request form in Workday.
Students considering an LOA should be aware of the following:
- Taking an LOA may have implications for a student’s academic record, financial aid, medical insurance coverage, housing and/or visa status. Please review the Leave of Absence Acknowledgement Form to learn more about how a leave will impact your student enrollment status.
- The length of a student’s LOA, which may not exceed 4 consecutive semesters, is related to a student’s academic standing at the time of a LOA request.
- Students in good academic standing/advising alert may petition to return to Brandeis after one full semester away.
- Students on academic probation may petition to return after two full semesters away.
- During an LOA, students may earn academic credit toward their Brandeis degree. Please see the transfer credit policy for credit while on leave for details.
- The refund policy applies to all students requesting an LOA.
- A student’s parent or guardian will be notified when a student has a change in academic (enrollment) status.
Students may request a leave of absence for the following reasons:
Personal Leave of Absence
A Personal Leave of Absence (herein PLOA) can be requested by undergraduate students who need time away from their studies to address personal matters unrelated to health. A personal leave allows students to step away from their academic obligations to focus on personal responsibilities or opportunities including but not limited to religious obligations, care of a family member, or pursuit of a volunteer, internship, or other academic opportunity. Undergraduate students should initiate a PLOA request prior to the first day of classes.
Leave for Military Service (domestic and international): The university supports students called to active military service both internationally and domestically.
Pregnancy Accommodation: Brandeis University is committed to supporting pregnant and parenting students. The University acknowledges that pregnancy, breastfeeding, lactation, and parental status are protected under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”), 20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq., and other applicable state and federal laws. Under this Policy, there are different stages of pregnancy during which the University can provide support and accommodations.
- While a student is pregnant, they may require certain accommodations to allow them to continue to participate in University programs and activities. These accommodations relate to medical needs or complications associated with the pregnancy.
Health Leave of Absence
A Health Leave of Absence (herein HLOA) can be requested by undergraduate students who are experiencing health challenges that prevent them from successfully participating in and completing academic responsibilities. An HLOA requires application, supporting documentation, and approval to both begin and return from leave. Students may request an HLOA up to and including the last day of instruction. An HLOA will not be granted retroactively for a term for which the last day of classes has already occurred.
Administrative/Required Leave of Absence
An administrative leave of absence is a required LOA imposed collaboratively and in the best interest of the student. Reasons for such an action include but are not limited to:
- Student has not met their financial obligations to the University
- Student has not checked in by the end of registration for the academic semester (usually by day 10 of instruction)
- Student has not maintained or made sufficient academic progress (as determined by COAS)
Returning from Leave of Absence
When undergraduate students are ready to return they should be in contact with their academic services advisor to learn about deadlines and paperwork necessary to do so. Students should make sure they have cleared any academic, financial, or disciplinary matters that may have an impact on their status prior to requesting to return.
For support with the undergraduate leave of absence process, including times and return process please visit the Time Away from the University website and/or email leavesandreturns@brandeis.edu.