Leave of Absence

Medical Leave

A degree- or certificate-seeking student who cannot continue enrollment for medical reasons may request a medical leave. A medical leave means that the student will be withdrawn from all courses in which the student is enrolled that semester; the university does not grant a medical leave from only one or multiple courses.

In order to be eligible for a medical leave, students must be currently enrolled; no retroactive leaves will be reviewed. Students who have taken any final examinations or culminating assignments during the current semester are NOT eligible for medical leave.

If the medical leave occurs after the deadline to drop, the student receives a W grade on the transcript. Students granted medical leave will be placed on Continuous Registration (see Continuous Registration policy) for the current academic semester. Students who require more than one academic semester of leave can petition to extend the absence (see Continuous Registration policy). Continuous Registration is typically approved for one academic semester and rarely approved for longer than one academic year (two academic semesters and one summer semester).

Tuition and fee refunds are based on the published dates in the Academic Calendar. There is no refund beyond these published dates. Credits earned elsewhere while on leave will be accepted as transfer credits according to university policy.

Students (or a parent, spouse, or legal guardian) may request medical leave prior to the last day to withdraw from classes as noted in the Academic Calendar through the Continuous Registration process (see Continuous Registration policy).

If medical leave is requested after the last day to withdraw from classes, students should submit an appeal to the Appeals Committee for Academic Policies by emailing appeal@marymount.edu. Supporting medical documentation, such as a doctor’s note, military papers, or a licensed clinician’s note (not from a family member), that is dated, signed, and on the provider’s professional letterhead and attests to the medical necessity for leave must be included. This documentation must state the exact dates the student was under the provider’s care and how it affected the student’s academic ability as it related to the medical leave request. Note that requests made without this documentation will not be considered. See Requests for Exception to Academic Policies for more information.

Final approval for medical leave is granted by the Appeals Committee for Academic Policies in consultation with the Division of Student Affairs.

Students requesting to re-enroll after a medical leave should do the following:

• Make an appointment to meet with the assistant vice president of student health and well-being or designee no later than two weeks prior to the last day to add classes for the semester in which the student would like to return. No later than one week prior to the meeting, the student must provide electronic copies of the following to the assistant vice president of student health and well-being:

• A letter of intent to resume studies and residential living (if applicable).
• A letter from the student's licensed health care provider recommending that the student return to academic study along with any recommendations for continued treatment; if the student lives in Marymount-sponsored housing, this documentation must also speak to the student’s ability to return to community living.

• Upon receipt of the above documentation, the student may be provided a release form to complete, which will allow the assistant vice president of student health and well-being to speak to the student’s licensed health care provider in order to provide ongoing support to the student.

A student must be in good academic standing according to the university policy, and the student's account must be paid in full before registering.

Non-Medical Leave of Absence

A degree- or certificate-seeking student who cannot continue enrollment for non-medical reasons (i.e., employment, personal, or family) may request a non-medical leave of absence. A non-medical leave means that the student will be withdrawn from all courses in which the student is enrolled that semester; the university does not grant a non-medical leave from only one or multiple courses.

If the non-medical leave occurs after the deadline to drop, the student receives a W grade on the transcript. Students granted non-medical leave will be placed on Continuous Registration (see Continuous Registration policy). Students who require more than one academic semester of leave can petition to extend the absence (see Continuous Registration policy). Tuition and fee refunds are based on the published dates in the Academic Calendar. There is no refund beyond these published dates.

Students may request non-medical leave prior to the last day to withdraw from classes as noted in the Academic Calendar through the Continuous Registration process (see Continuous Registration policy).

If non-medical leave is requested after the last day to withdraw from classes, students should submit an appeal to the Appeals Committee for Academic Policies by emailing appeal@marymount.edu. Supporting documentation that attests to the necessity for leave must be included. Note that requests made without this documentation will not be considered. See Requests for Exception to Academic Policies for more information.

Nondegree students and alumni auditors are not eligible for a leave of absence and should follow the published course withdrawal policy.