Leaves of Absence
Other Pages In General Requirements for Graduate Degrees
Under certain circumstances, students may petition for a leave of absence that
must be approved by the student’s department and the Graduate Division. There
are five categories of leave:
- leave for medical emergencies (doctor’s note
required);
- leave for pregnancy/parenting needs during the first 12 months
after the child’s birth or placement in the home (doctor’s note, birth
certificate, or verification from placement agency);
- leave to deal with
emergencies in the immediate family (explanation of circumstances required);
- military leave for students required to engage in military service
(documentation of call to duty required); and
- a filing fee
quarter of leave for students who intend to complete their degree the quarter of
the leave request (faculty verification required). Filing fee leaves may not be
extended. The above constitute the only grounds for a leave of
absence.
Graduate students conducting research outside the state of
California for a quarter or more should register in absentia, which entitles
them to a reduction of fees and allows them to maintain continuous registration.
Students who do not register and who are not on an official leave of absence
must seek reinstatement if they wish to return to graduate standing.
Petitions for a leave of absence may be approved on a quarterly basis
for up to a career maximum of three quarters. Extensions
beyond the three-quarter career maximum will be granted only in the most extreme
or unusual circumstances. Students who reach a career maximum of leaves as
described below are still eligible to apply for a filing fee quarter of leave.
Graduate students who are granted leave are not eligible to hold a graduate student academic appointment or to receive campus
fellowships or financial aid. Lending agencies do not consider a leave of
absence a substitute for registered status. (Continuing students who were on
approved leave of absence or who lapsed their status during the spring are not
required to file a petition to return to graduate standing for the summer. They
should register through Summer Sessions. Students whose status has lapsed during
the spring and who intended to return to graduate standing in the fall must submit a
Reinstatement Petition to the Graduate Division.)