Students who wish to take a quarter off from their program must apply for an approved leave. To request an approved leave, read the following information and start your request at the bottom of this page.
Types of Leave
Immediate Leave: Leaving in the middle of a term without completing coursework. This option is for students who have a situation that requires them to stop attending classes in the middle of a term. Note, you will not be withdrawn from classes until your leave is approved.
Future Leave: Completing a term and then going on leave. This option is for students who plan to take a leave for an upcoming term. If you know in advance you will need to take a term off (e.g. take the summer term off), you can submit a leave request even if you are in current coursework. Future leave requests do not impact status of current coursework.
Eligibility
Leave requests are approved on an individual basis at the discretion of the college dean with oversight from the program.
To apply for an approved leave, you must:
- Be currently enrolled.
- Have completed at least one academic term at UWS.
- Be in satisfactory academic standing in accordance with Policy 1218 Academic Standing.
- Have not exceeded the maximum number of available quarters of leave (four, 4).
Other considerations:
- An approved leave may be granted following term withdrawal or term completion or for extenuating circumstances during a term.
- A leave approved for any portion of a term is considered a full term of leave.
- Leave may not be requested as a means to avoid course failure, academic sanction or academic dismissal.
- Leave may be requested whether or not a student has outstanding financial obligations to the university.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Taking an approved leave may impact your plan of study and/or date of graduation.
- An approved leave may impact your financial aid status and your loans may go into repayment (if applicable). If you have questions related to financial aid, contact [email protected].
- An approved leave may impact your veteran’s benefits (if applicable). If you are a veteran and have questions about benefits, contact the registrar’s office at [email protected].
- An approved leave may impact the visa status of international students. If you are an international student and have questions about your visa status, contact the designated school official (DSO).
- While on leave, your grades will be assigned in accordance with Policy 1207-Grading System.
- While on an approved leave, you are still responsible for completing any coursework for courses in which you have an incomplete grade during the first four (4) weeks of the next quarter. Failure to resolve incomplete grades would result in a failing course grade, according to Policy 1207 Grading System.
- Changes made to the university catalog while on leave may impact your program of study.
- Refunds or tuition due will be determined according to Policy 3021 Tuition and Fee Refunds. If you have any tuition refund questions, contact the business office at [email protected]
Enrollment Requirements
Continuous Enrollment: University of Western States (UWS) students are required to maintain continuous enrollment from their first term of registration or be on an approved leave until completion of all degree requirements. Students who fail to maintain continuous enrollment without being granted an approved leave are dismissed from the university according to Policy 1239 Continuous Enrollment, Approved Leave, Involuntary Leave, Withdrawal, Dismissal, and Expulsion.
Maximum Enrollment Time: Students are expected to complete their program requirements within the established maximum enrollment time for their academic program. Students who do not complete their program requirements within the maximum enrollment time are subject to academic sanctions. Maximum enrollment for each program is described on page two of Policy 1218 Academic Standing.
Withdrawal and Readmission
In accordance with Policy 1239 Continuous Enrollment, Approved Leave, Involuntary Leave, Withdrawal, Dismissal, and Expulsion, you may be administratively withdrawn from the university for:
- Failure to attend classes without being granted an approved leave.
- Failure to return from your leave on the scheduled date, without an approved extension.
- Failure to register for classes without being granted an approved leave.
Dismissals may be appealed using Policy 9009 Student Appeal of a University Decision.
Readmission: Students who have been dismissed for failure to adhere to the provisions of the above policy may reapply in accordance with Policy 2006 Readmission.
Next Steps
- Complete the form below to start the leave request process.
- A representative from student success will contact you within five (5) business days to review your leave request and discuss potential leave impact and next steps.
- If your leave request is approved, you must sign the UWS Contract for Approved Leave within five (5) business days of receipt.
This contract will be sent to your UWS email address from our document provider SignNow. The contract is void if not signed and returned within five (5) business days and you would need to submit a new leave request form.
- It is your responsibility to monitor your students.uws.edu email account for next steps, once the leave request form is submitted.
