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08/28/2008 Summer Term

Graduate Policies: Graduate Student's Leave of Absence

Definition

All Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and Whiting School of Engineering full-time program graduate students will be eligible for Leave of Absence when one of the following conditions prevents them from continuing with their graduate studies:

• a documented physical or mental medical condition;
• compulsory military service; or
• personal or family hardship

NOTE: Financial difficulty alone is not a valid reason for requesting a Leave of Absence.

Tuition and Financial Support

Students on Leave of Absence will not be charged tuition for the semesters for which they are granted the leave; the period of leave is simply regarded as an approved interruption of the degree program.  However, the University cannot guarantee that financial support will be available when students resume their studies -- students have to re-apply for tuition assistance, research assistantships, fellowships and/or teaching assistantships. Such matters are left to the discretion of the department.  Before applying for Leave of Absence, students should consult their department for information regarding funding opportunities upon return from leave.

Restrictions

Students may apply for up to two years (four semesters) of term Leave of Absence.  Continued approval is based on the reason(s) for the request. Additional information may be requested by the department, the Graduate Board or the WSE Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or designee).  Students on leave are not to use of any University student services or facilities (e.g., computing labs, library, labs, athletic facilities, etc.) and may not be enrolled at another university.  Students on leave that wish to continue working at Johns Hopkins are not eligible to be paid through the Student Payroll Office and must therefore be hired through the appropriate divisional Human Resources Department.

Application Procedures

To be awarded Leave of Absence, students will be required to complete and sign an application form and provide a letter stating the reason for their application.  The form will need to be signed by the department, the Office of International Students and Scholars Services (if applicable), and either the Graduate Board for all Homewood doctoral and Krieger School of Arts and Sciences master’s students or the WSE Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or designee) for all WSE master’s students.

• WSE master’s student form is available here.
• WSE doctoral student form is available here.

Reporting Responsibilities

Departure of a student from one of the Homewood Schools without prior arrangement of a leave of absence or master’s/predoctoral nonresident status will be deemed a permanent withdrawal from the student’s program. While on leave or nonresident status, students are expected to provide the registrar’s office and their department with an updated current address and are expected to respond to all communications and mailings (e.g., the Annual Report Form) within the deadlines specified. Failure to return these forms will be deemed a withdrawal. Students who withdraw from their programs must be formally readmitted, at the discretion of the department, before they may return to the university. If readmitted, they need not pay a second admission fee, but must satisfy the residence requirement for the degree following readmission (even if previously satisfied) and pay all outstanding nonresident fees.