FAQ: Leave of Absence

Frequently Asked Questions: Leave of Absence

• How will my scholarships and financial aid be affected?

  Your scholarships should not be affected by being on a Leave of Absence. Students must still meet specific scholarship requirements (i.e. GPA requirement).

  Your financial aid will be canceled for the semester(s) that you are on gone.  If you are on leave for one semester, the Office of Financial Aid will calculate how much (if any) of your financial aid you are eligible to keep based on your attendance during the semester.

  To cancel loans for the upcoming semester/year and for questions about scholarships, grants, or to see how your financial aid package is affected while on a Leave of Absence, please contact the One Stop at onestop@sandiego.edu .

• What financial implications/penalties might there be for me when taking a leave of absence?

  The deadline to avoid any tuition charges and receive 100% tuition refund is the last day to add/drop a class without a W in the semester. After this day you may receive a partial tuition refund, depending on when you submit your leave of absence form. Tuition deadlines can be found on the undergraduate academic calendar.

  Additionally, you may have a balance with Residential Life depending on your living situation and when you choose to leave the university. Contact the office of Residential Life directly for more information at housing@sandiego.edu 

• How long can I take a Leave of Absence?

  Students can take a Leave of Absence for up to two consecutive semesters.

  If a student is not ready to return after two semesters, they can submit an Application for Readmission through the One Stop once they are ready to return.

  Note: This is not a competitive process like the first time you applied to USD. This is for administrative purposes and to better understand your reasons for returning to USD. 

  For more information regarding the readmission process, please contact the One Stop at onestop@sandiego.edu.

• If I live on campus, how do I cancel my housing?

  Cancel your housing contract for the upcoming semester or year by filling out a Housing Cancellation Request Form. This is a separate contract from the Leave of Absence form and will not be canceled automatically. Please note that there may be cancellation and housing fees. 

  For questions regarding housing, please contact Residential Life at housing@sandiego.edu . 

• What is the deadline to apply for a Leave of Absence?

  The deadline to apply for a Leave of Absence is the “Last Day to Withdraw” deadline of each semester. Students are encouraged to request a Leave of Absence as early as possible so as not to incur any tuition charges in the semester. Please refer to the undergraduate academic calendar for tuition refund deadlines. 

  The deadline to request a Leave of Absence for the Fall 2020 semester is October 26. Please contact the Dean of your major to request a retroactive Leave of Absence if you wish to take a leave for the Fall 2020 semester after this date. 

• I’m taking a leave of absence due to my health and well-being. What should I do?

  Students may request for a Medical Leave of Absence. The Center for Student Success does not process medical leaves of absences.

  In order to obtain a Medical Leave of Absence, you must obtain a recommendation from a Wellness Unit professional. Wellness units include the Counseling Center, The Disability and Learning Difference Resource Center, the Center for Health and Wellness Promotion, and the Student Health Center.  

  Please visit https://www.sandiego.edu/wellness/student-support/mloa.php for more information on the Medical Leave of Absence process or to initiate a request for a Medical Leave of Absence. 

• Will my sandiego.edu email still work while I am on a leave?
  Yes, your email will continue to work while you are on a leave.  When you are on a leave you are still considered an “active” student, so you should continue to get emails and notifications from the university. 
• Can I still attend club meetings, use the gym, etc. when I am on a leave of absence?
  Students who are on a leave of absence are not eligible for campus privileges such as participating in campus activities, or utilizing campus resources. These privileges will resume once the student returns from a leave of absence and is enrolled in classes.
• Can I take classes at a different university or college while on a leave of absence?
  Current USD students are permitted to take classes at another school during a leave of absence. To confirm if USD will accept the class as transfer credit, please connect with your advisor and submit the "Request for Transfer Articulation" form on your MySan Diego portal under "Academics." The College of Arts and Science also has more information regarding transfer credit here.
• Who should I contact someone about my leave of absence?
  Here is a list of offices you may want to contact regarding your leave of absence. It might be a good idea to reach out to your advisor to discuss how your degree plan may be affected.
• What do I need to do to return from a leave of absence?

  You should ideally register at your assigned day/time based on the amount of units completed. Follow the steps below to return from your leave of absence: 

  • Contact the One Stop Student Center to verify that your account is in good standing, you have no holds, and that your financial aid requirements are satisfied (if applicable).
  • Contact your faculty advisor to plan your course selection in advance of registration. If you do not have an advisor, contact the department chair of your major.  If you are an undeclared major, please contact the College of Arts and Sciences at casadvising@sandiego.edu
    • All students who have a declared major in the School of Business, who are undeclared or have a declared major in the College of Arts and Sciences have an Advisor Hold on their account. Please contact your academic advisor directly to plan your course selection in order to remove the hold placed on your account. Please do so in advance to ensure a timely process. 
  • Determine your registration date for the upcoming semester: 
    • Log into your MySanDiego Portal (my.sandiego.edu)
    • Click on the Torero Hub tab
    • Click on the MyAcademics tab
  • Register for classes during your given registration time.
  • There is no special hold put on your account as a result of being on a leave of absence.You can verify the types of holds on your MySanDiego account by going to the "My Academics" page in the portal and click on "Check for Holds."
  • If you are planning to live in on-campus housing when you return, please contact Residential Life at housing@sandiego.edu.  They will assist you in determining if it is still possible to secure on-campus housing for the upcoming semester.
    • For Spring semester housing: The housing application for spring semester opens in November every fall. 
    • For Fall semester housing: Housing applications open in February every spring for the next academic year. 
  • If you were placed on scholastic probation for the same semester as your leave, your probationary status will continue into the next semester.  Please contact the Center for Student Success at css@sandiego.edu to discuss your academic status and the resources available to help you return to good standing. 
• What if I want to extend my leave for an additional semester?

  According to university policy, students can request a maximum of two consecutive semesters for a leave of absence. 

  To extend your Leave of Absence for a second semester, you will need to fill out and sign the Change of Status form with the semester you are hoping to extend for. Please email the form to css@sandiego.edu and we will send a confirmation email once your extension request has been processed within our typical response time of 24-48 hours.

• I am an admitted or recently enrolled student who has not yet started my classes at the University of San Diego. How can I defer my admission to USD?
  Admitted or recently enrolled students who have not yet started classes at USD and would like to defer enrollment should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at admissions@sandiego.edu.

Still have questions? If you would like to speak with a staff member, please email css@sandiego.edu and we will respond to you within 24-49 business hours. 

The CSS does not process medical leaves of absence or graduate student leave of absences. More information about these options is below:

• Request for a Voluntary Medical Leave (Medical Leaves of Absence)
• Graduate Student Leaves of Absence
• Law Student Leaves of Absence and Withdrawals