Graduate Leave of Absence (LoA) and Time Extension Guidelines

Leave of Absence

This leave of absence process applies to matriculated degree-granting graduate students who plan to take a leave from their graduate studies (not applicable to medical and veterinary students). Per Rowan policy, graduate students may take up to 12 months Leave of Absence for a variety of reasons. 

Prior to taking a leave, graduate students must first consult with their Graduate Program Coordinator and their research advisor (if the student is working on their thesis, dissertation, or other capstone project). While programs will be as lenient as possible in granting Leave of Absences, there may be situations in which a leave of absence will severely inhibit the student’s progression in a program. The program and student must discuss these implications prior to requesting Leave of Absence, which may include GA employment termination and resulting stoppage of tuition benefits, appointing a new instructor for a couse the student is slated to teach, missing a sequenced course, missing a benchmark or candidacy requirement, or the need to find a different research advisor. The student should also be aware of additional implications of taking a LoA including financial aid implications, student loan repayment status, residential housing status, and health insurance coverage. In addition, a LoA request or status does not override or overturn any pending academic or disciplinary action. 

Students cannot apply for a leave of absence for a semester in which they are currently registered for classes and LoA can only be approved for semesters that have not yet begun. If a student is currently enrolled, they must drop/withdraw from their courses prior to requesting LoA. LoA cannot be granted retroactively. International students on an F1 or J1 visa should consult an ISSS/International Center advisor BEFORE dropping any classes for a future or current academic term and must obtain additional permission from the International Center prior to requesting LoA.

Graduate students request Leave of Absence using the Leave of Absence Request form. Approved leave of absences are not counted against the student's degree time limit. Upon LoA approval, the student and program will be notified and the student’s status will be updated in Banner. It is the students’ responsibility to fill out the School of Graduate Studies’ Leave of Absence Intent to Return Form stating their intent to return no later than one month prior to the expiration of the leave or fill out another Leave of Absence Request Form (up to a maximum of 12 months). Programs will be notified when a student submits an Intent to Return or leave of absence extension. 

Time to Degree

If a graduate student requires additional time to complete their degree beyond the the Rowan time limit, they may fill out the Time Extension Form. Approval of this form lies solely with the program itself, which will factor in credits attempted and completed, academic standing, student progress to-date, time needed to finish, feasibility of plan to finish, and other gaps in study (i.e. Leave of Absence taken, stop-out periods, missed course sequences). Extensions are typically not granted for more than three consecutive terms, although programs may make case-by-case decisions. The student is aware that if the program is not completed in the extended time period, the program may move to dismiss the student or require the student to officially reapply to the program and will be subject to all catalog and programmatic changes consistent with their new matriculation term, if readmitted.

Stop-Out Periods 

For purposes of maintaining Rowan University matriculation, registering for 1-credit counts as “enrolled status” (however, note that enrollment in one credit may have other implications such as financial aid, loss of benefits, student loan repayment, etc.). Students who are not on an approved Leave of Absence and who do not register for two consecutive regular academic semesters will be placed on inactive status at the end of the drop-add period of the third semester. Students on inactive status must contact their Program Coordinator for options that may include: permission to re-enroll, requirement to re-apply to the program, or program dismissal. These decisions are made by the program on a case-by-case basis typically based on credits attempted/completed, academic standing, student progress to-date, time needed to finish, feasibility of plan to finish, and other gaps in study (missing course sequences, Leave of Absence taken, other stop-out periods etc.)

Registration during a winter/summer course counts as active enrollment. Stop-out semesters count against a student's Time to Degree limit mentioned above and may impact students’ enrollment status, on-campus employment and benefits, financial aid, loan repayment status, residency, and visa status.