Withdrawing from All Courses, Leaves of Absence & Withdrawing from the University

There are a number of issues students must consider prior to taking a leave of absence or withdrawing from the University. Students studying at the Madrid Campus, should speak with Madrid staff to determine the impact(s) of a leave of absence or withdrawal. Students studying in the United States, must contact the appropriate office below if they answer “yes” to any of the following questions:

If yes, the student must contact Student Financial Services at [email protected] or 617-573-8470.

Before making a decision to take a leave of absence or withdraw from the University, the student should be aware there may be financial implications. Students who withdraw from the University or take a leave of absence will be considered a withdrawal from the term for financial aid purposes. If the student withdraws prior to completing 60% of the term, the Office of Student Financial Services is required by federal and state regulations to recalculate the student’s eligibility for financial aid. In some cases, financial aid funds which may have been disbursed will need to be returned to federal and state programs. This could result in the student owing a balance to the University. In some cases, the student could also be ineligible for financial aid in the future.

Taking a leave of absence or withdrawing from classes may negatively impact a student’s satisfactory progress (SAP). A student who is not meeting the SAP standards may not be eligible to receive financial aid in future semesters. Occasionally SAP requirements may be waived if mitigating circumstances prevented the student from meeting the requirements. Students should refer to the University's SAP Policy for additional information.

Students awarded employment funding (i.e. work-study, an assistantship or fellowship, an ambassador position, etc.) who take a leave of absence or withdraw from the University must stop working immediately.

If yes, the student must contact Student Accounts at 617-573-8407.

Please check the Withdrawal page in Student Account Services to understand how you may be financial impacted by a leave of absence or withdrawal from the University.

If yes, the student must contact Counseling, Health and Wellness at 617-573-8260 to determine whether there will be a change to their eligibility for the Suffolk student health insurance plan.

For the SSHIP annual policy year 2018-2019 (August 21, 2018 – August 21, 2019): If a SSHIP-eligible student takes a leave of absence or withdraws from the university on or before September 20, 2018 (or on or before January 31, 2019 for new/transfer Spring semester students), and has not utilized SSHIP*, then the student is no longer eligible for SSHIP and a refund of the paid policy premium will be issued.

If a SSHIP-eligible student takes a leave of absence or withdraws from the University after September 20, 2018 (or after January 31, 2019 for new/transfer Spring semester students), then the student must remain covered under SSHIP for the full policy period and no refund for SSHIP will be issued.
*If there is service date within the specified open enrollment period (i.e. on or after 8/21/18 through 9/20/18) which generates an insurance claim to SSHIP, then the student must remain enrolled in SSHIP and no refund will be issued.

Students, on a leave of absence or who withdraw from the University, should consider all options for obtaining health insurance well in advance of the date their enrollment in the student health plan ends. Depending on the student's enrollment status, students may not be eligible to reenroll into the student health plan.

If yes, there are immediate visa implications and the student must contact International Student Services at 617-573-8154 to ensure immigration compliance.

Students are encouraged to view the University's webpage regarding veterans and active duty military.

If yes, the student must contact Residence Life & Housing at 617-305-2500.

In order to live in campus housing, students must be registered for 12 or more credits. Students registered for less than 12 credits who wish to live in campus housing must meet with the dean of students, or designee, to request an exception to this policy. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

All students must checkout of and vacate the residence halls within 24 hours after the withdrawal or leave of absence form is submitted to the Student Affairs Office. Students are responsible for University housing charges through the end of the semester in which they leave, unless informed otherwise by staff in the Student Affairs Office and/or by the director of Residence Life & Housing.

Termination of the Housing License Agreement:

If a student wishes to vacate the Residence Hall during the term of this agreement, s/he must follow the guidelines set forth by the Food and Housing Board and will be responsible for any and all housing and board fees as outlined by the Food and Housing Board. If a student withdraws from the University during the term of this agreement, s/he will be responsible for housing charges for the entire current semester of study. Board charges may be refunded in accordance with the University’s board plan refund policy. The student is responsible for all costs and financial obligations related to current semester of residency in a Residence Hall if s/he is suspended or expelled from the Residence Hall for disciplinary reasons or suspended or dismissed from the University for disciplinary and/or academic reasons.

Termination of License Agreement and Request for Financial Consideration of Room and Board Charges - Related to a Documented Disability:

If a student wishes to vacate the Residence Hall during the term of this agreement as an accommodation for a documented disability yet wishes to remain enrolled at Suffolk University, the student must submit a written request for an accommodation to live off-campus to the Office of Disability Services. The student must submit with the request appropriate documentation from a medical provider that includes information that can be used in evaluating the request for accommodation. The Office of Disability Services will review the request and determine if the requested accommodation is reasonable and should be granted. Disability Services will communicate the decision about accommodations to the student and Residence Life & Housing. Any request for financial consideration of room and board charges will be reviewed and a decision determined after the student’s account has been reviewed and adjusted by Student Account Services in accordance with federal financial aid guidelines, if appropriate.

Termination of License Agreement and Request for Financial Consideration Room and Board Charges – Leave of Absence/Withdrawal from the University Due to a Serious Personal or Medical Reason:

A student may request termination of the License Agreement and financial consideration for room and board charges if s/he is requesting an approved leave of absence/withdrawal from the University for a serious personal or medical reason. Examples of serious personal or medical reasons include, but are not limited to, a death in the student’s immediate family or the onset of an unanticipated medical condition that precludes the student’s continuation at the University. Financial reasons for the termination of the License Agreement will be addressed through the Food and Housing Petition. The student must submit a written request with supporting documentation to the Student Affairs Office within three weeks of taking the leave of absence/withdrawing from the University. The medical reason(s) must not be related to a preexisting condition and must be documented by a medical provider with whom the student is in treatment. The student must sign a release of information so the medical provider can consult with the associate dean of students, or designee. Any request for financial consideration of room and board charges will be reviewed and a decision determined after the student’s account has been reviewed and adjusted by Student Account Services in accordance with federal financial aid guidelines, if appropriate.

Once a student has withdrawn from the University, he/she is no longer considered a Suffolk student and is not eligible to receive services or participate in campus programs or student organizations.

If a student is on a leave of absence from the University, a student is not eligible to use the services of Counseling, Health and Wellness or other offices (with the exception of the Library) or participate in campus activities, student organizations or other programs. A student’s Suffolk email address will remain active while the student is on a leave of absence. If a student is finishing an Incomplete, the student may use Library and computer lab resources. Once a student has withdrawn from the University, the student is not eligible to use any campus services or resources. Any questions about eligibility for Suffolk services or resources while on a leave of absence or after withdrawal should be directed to the Student Affairs Office at [email protected].

Students on a leave of absence, who have previous Incompletes must finish those Incompletes by the date specified by the instructor. After one (1) year, any incomplete (I) grades negotiated with professors will turn into a failing grade (F). A leave of absence does not extend a deadline for an incomplete (I) grade. Please read the incomplete (I) grade policy located in the Academic Catalog for further details.

Students who are temporarily unable to continue their education at Suffolk University may apply for a leave of absence by submitting a leave of absence form to the Student Affairs Office. A leave of absence may be granted by the Student Affairs Office for two consecutive or two non-consecutive terms (excluding summers). A student applying for a leave of absence must give a definite date for return. Students on leave will be required to meet the degree requirements under which they were admitted or appropriate equivalences as determined by the University. A leave of absence may not be used for the purpose of taking academic courses at another institution with the intent of transferring the credits to Suffolk University.

Students requesting a leave of absence for military duty are permitted to extend their leaves of absence beyond two non-consecutive terms.

After the Student Affairs Office has received a leave of absence form, the following will occur:

The leave of absence request will be reviewed and approved or denied. If the request is denied, other options will be discussed with the student. If the request is approved, the student will receive a letter from the Student Affairs Office with the anticipated date of return and any specific issues the student must resolve before return.

A student will continue to have an active e-mail account with the University for one year after the last term in which the student was registered. It is the student’s responsibility to periodically check for important University information including registration and financial aid deadlines.

The student will receive information from the Registrar’s Office via e-mail concerning pre-registration for the semester the student is expected to return.

Students who wish to withdraw from all courses prior to the start of the term, must contact the Student Affairs Office at 617-573-8239, located on the 12th floor of 73 Tremont Street, and submit a Leave of Absence Form or a Withdrawal Form. The Leave of Absence Form and Withdrawal Forms are available online.

Students who are transferring to another institution or students who do not plan to return to Suffolk University in the future must submit a Withdrawal Form. The University’s refund policy will determine refunds. Withdrawal Forms are available online at  www.suffolk.edu/withdrawal.

Any new undergraduate or graduate students who wish to withdraw from all courses prior to the start of the term, must contact the appropriate admission office:

• Undergraduate Admission: 617-573-8460
• Graduate Admission: 617-573-8302

The appropriate admissions office may defer the student's enrollment for another semester.

New/incoming students who wish to withdraw from all courses after the start of classes will be placed on a leave of absence. See "Withdrawing from Classes Once the Fall or Spring Terms Have Begun" below for more information.