Sometimes students find it necessary to postpone their studies for a while. Some reasons to take a leave may include: time needed for a special project, the need to re-kindle motivation and enthusiasm in academic study, financial difficulties, time needed to renew self-confidence and health, or career experience in an internship or job. A Leave of Absence is requested if/when you must leave the University and plan to return at a later time. A leave of absence is granted for up to five years. A leave exceeding five years results in an official withdrawal from the University. Due to changing curriculum and major requirements, readmission from a leave of five years or greater requires reapplication to ILR.

Types of Leaves

Personal (Voluntary) Leave

Students wishing to take a leave are required to request a voluntary leave of absence with intent to return in a future semester. A voluntary leave may be taken for no less than one semester and no greater than five years. During the semester, a student may request to take a voluntary leave of absence through the last day of the semester. Students who are in good standing with the college at the conclusion of a semester may request to take a voluntary leave to suspend their studies prior to the start of the upcoming semester. Submitting the form serves as appropriate notification to university offices and assures the leave is reflected appropriately on the student’s official transcript. Once a leave of absence granted during the semester has been approved, the effective date of the leave is backdated to the date the student submitted the form.

University Leave and Withdraw Form

Required Leave

May be issued if a student is placed on a required Academic Leave of Absence by the ILR Academic Standards and Scholarships Committee (ASSC), usually for one or two semesters. (See Academic Standing).

Required leave may be issued by the University Judicial Administrator for violation of codes of conduct, laws, etc.

Health Leave

Students with health concerns must pursue a Health Leave of Absence through Cornell Health. The ILR Office of Student Services may place academic conditions on the return based on curriculum sequencing, time to degree requirements, or Academic Standards and Integrity committee academic actions that will be determined and communicated to the student by the end of the term.

Withdrawal

Voluntary withdrawal: A student who decides to withdraw from Cornell University for personal reasons or matriculation in another institution of higher learning, with no intention of returning, must submit the online University Withdrawal Form. Submitting the form serves as appropriate notification to university offices and assures the leave is reflected appropriately on the student’s official transcript. Once a leave of absence granted during the semester has been approved, the effective date of the leave is backdated to the date the student submitted the form. Students not requesting a leave and who fail to become registered will be withdrawn from the university.

Required Academic withdrawal: Refer to the Academic Standing section for more information.

Return from Leave

A student requesting to return from a Voluntary Leave of Absence must request to return by emailing ilr_registrar@cornell.edu. Students requesting to return from required leaves must submit a general petition to ilr_oss@cornell.edu for review by the Academic Standards and Integrity committee.

Students who wish to return from a Health Leave of Absence should contact the Health Leaves Coordinator to begin the return process. Students will need to have an advising conversation for academic planning and meet any conditions placed on their leave by the School before they can return from a Health Leave.

Students are required to request to return by October 1 for a spring return and by March 1 for a fall return, so that they can pre-enroll in classes prior to the start of the term. Refer to the Health Leaves webpage for Health Return recommended timeline.

If a student requests a Leave of Absence or withdraws, it is their responsibility to contact the following offices prior to leaving to find out about possible implications of doing so:

Where to Find Support and Additional Resources

We encourage students to make OSS, 101 Ives, their first stop when questions or problems arise. We are happy to listen and work with all students to help devise appropriate solutions to problems, provide accurate information about and referral to useful university resources. There are many types of assistance available to students on campus. Here are some links to university resources that help students manage academic, financial, emotional, and social issues.