Leaves of Absence, Semester Withdrawal, and Withdrawal from the College

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A leave of absence or semester withdrawal from the College may have financial implications, depending on the date the action is taken. For information on all College fee refund policies, see the section on charges under Financial Information .

Work in progress for students who take a leave of absence or withdraw during a semester will be treated as follows:

1. The transcript of a student taking a leave of absence or fully withdrawing from the College before the final date for dropping classes will not list courses for that semester. The transcript will record, however, a notation of the full withdrawal.
2. A student taking a leave of absence or withdrawing for the semester from the College after the drop deadline may, when circumstances warrant, receive a W (withdrawal) notation for all courses for that semester; otherwise, F or NC grades will be recorded. 

Leaves of Absence

Purpose

Pomona College is committed to the academic and personal success of all students and recognizes that a student may need to interrupt their formal academic work for a period of time. Any student desiring to interrupt their formal academic program at Pomona for a period of time may take a leave of absence if the student follows the procedures outlined in this policy statement.

Students on leave will not have swipe card access to College residential, academic or administrative buildings. Students on leave from the College cannot work at the College or audit classes.

For study in the United States while on leave, students are strongly advised to apply in advance for approval of the program of study. Please refer to the Transfer Credit Policy for more information about transferring coursework.

International Students

For international students considering a leave of absence or semester withdrawal, please speak with the International Student Services office in advance to see how it may affect your immigration status and employment eligibility when you return. Contact ISS to discuss your plans at iss@pomona.edu or (909) 607-3719. Visit the ISS website for more information.

General Leaves of Absence

1. Complete the Leave of Absence online form that includes a written statement of the reasons why the leave is requested, the duration of the leave, and the plans for the period of the leave. The form will ask you to indicate the type of leave: a. Academic, b. Personal, c. Financial, d. Health, e. Military, f. Transfer, g. Other
2. Meet with your class dean to discuss your request for an LOA or Semester Withdrawal.
3. Meet with your faculty advisor to discuss your request for an LOA or Semester Withdrawal.
4. Consult with the Student Accounts Office and the Financial Aid Office (as appropriate) regarding any financial obligations, the deferral of loans, grants, or scholarships. A student planning a leave of absence or a semester withdrawal is strongly encouraged to speak directly with their financial aid counselor. It is essential that there be consultation in advance of the leave regarding the deferral of grants or loans and application for aid upon return.
5. After you have met with your class dean, your class dean will notify the Registrar, Financial Aid Office, Student Accounts Office, the student’s faculty advisor, instructors (if applicable) and the Office of Housing & Residence Life of your decision to go on a leave of absence/semester withdrawal.

A student who participates in the residence hall room draw in the spring semester but then subsequently applies for a general leave of absence from the College before the fall semester forfeits their entire ($500) fee deposit. Any student, on or off campus, who files a general leave of absence form after July 15 for the fall semester or December 15 for the spring semester forfeits the entire deposit. A student who has forfeited the fee deposit must again pay that deposit before they return to the College. The forfeiture of the fee deposit does not apply to students who take a health leave of absence, or a student placed on an involuntary leave of absence.

General leaves of absence may be requested while classes are in session. Refunds of fees and disposition of courses in progress are arranged in compliance with college policy. If a general leave of absence is requested after the drop date for classes, a student may request a semester withdrawal on their own until the Friday of the 12th week of classes. This will result in Ws on the student’s transcript. After the 12th week of classes, students must petition the Academic Procedures Committee to be withdrawn from their courses for the semester.

Health Leaves of Absence

Pomona College students may choose to pursue a voluntary leave of absence for health reasons. 

A health Leave of Absence is recommended when a student’s health condition is judged to significantly impair a student’s ability to function safely or adequately as a student. The amount of time the student takes for a health leave of absence varies according to the situation. It is expected that the time away for the health leave of absence is used for treatment and recovery.

Students should complete the following steps to obtain a health leave of absence:

1. Complete the online Health Leave of Absence form.
2. Meet with your class dean to discuss your request for an LOA or Semester Withdrawal.
3. Meet with your faculty advisor to discuss your request for an LOA or Semester Withdrawal.
4. Consult with the Student Accounts Office and the Financial Aid Office (as appropriate) regarding any financial obligations, the deferral of loans, grants, or scholarships. A student planning a leave of absence is strongly encouraged to speak directly with their financial aid counselor. It is essential that there be consultation in advance of the leave regarding the deferral of grants or loans and application for aid upon return.

After you have met with your class dean, your class dean will notify the Registrar, Financial Aid office, Student Accounts office, the student’s faculty advisor, instructors (if relevant) and the Office of Housing & Residence Life of your decision to go on a leave of absence/semester withdrawal.

Following the drop date for classes, only students who take health leaves are granted automatic “Withdrawals” from their classes.

Extensions of Leaves

A leave of absence from the College may be requested for a semester, one academic year, three semesters, or two academic years. Normally the College does not grant personal leaves for longer than two academic years. In extenuating circumstances, however, a student may address a letter of appeal to extend a leave beyond the two-academic year period to the Dean of Students who will present it to the Academic Procedures Committee.

Students who do not appeal successfully to have their leave extended will be withdrawn from the College after a two-academic year leave of absence. Withdrawal papers will be completed in the Dean of Students office. If the student later wishes to return to the College, an application for readmission must be presented to the Office of Admission.

Process for Return to the College from a General Leave of Absence

For General Leaves, a student may return to the College after the period of the leave provided the student has given written notice of intent to return by March 15 for the fall semester and November 15 for the spring semester.  If the notification of the intent to return is received after March 15 for the fall semester, or after November 15 for the spring semester, on-campus housing is not guaranteed.  All return documentation must be received by the class dean by June 1 for a fall semester return and December 10 for a spring semester return.

Process for Returns to the College from a Health Leave of Absence

Students on Health Leave may request at any time to return to the College for the following semester, though we recommend the following dates to ensure that the student’s return can be processed in a timely manner. The College encourages students on a health leave of absence to stay in contact with their class dean if they have any questions. As part of this process, the College requires that students who are on a health leave of absence to complete the following steps prior to their return:

1. By June 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester, email your class dean to let them know of your intent to return.  Include in your email the semester you plan to return and the names of the treatment providers that will provide supporting clinical documentation (this form is available online or by contacting your class dean).
2. By July 1 for a fall semester return and December 10 for a spring semester return, submit your application to return and the supporting clinical documentation to your class dean.
3. Your class dean will email confirmation of their receipt of your documentation. Documentation is reviewed as it is received. Your class dean will notify you within 5 business days of the recommendation for your return from a health leave of absence.
4. Provide a release of information to allow your class dean to consult with other offices such as Accessibility Resources and Services, Students Health Services or Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services, as appropriate.

Once the documentation is reviewed, the student will have a discussion (in-person, by phone or other means) with their class dean to determine if the student is ready to return from a health leave of absence. As appropriate, the Director of Accessibility Resources and Services will be included to determine any accommodation(s) the student may need in returning to classes.

The class dean will notify the student of the final decision. After the student is notified, the Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Accounts Office, Office of Residential Life/Campus Life, and faculty advisor are also notified.

Appeal

A student may appeal a decision denying re‐enrollment to the Dean of Students by submitting a written request for review of the decision. The Dean of Students will review the student’s appeal and all necessary additional information and will then render a decision, which shall be final.

Full Withdrawal from the College

A student may fully withdraw voluntarily from the College by filing a Notice of Withdrawal with their class dean. After review of this form, a copy of the notice will be returned to the student with a statement of the conditions under which readmission might be granted at a later date.

Readmission to the College: Students who withdraw from Pomona College before earning a degree may apply for readmission or reactivation. If the withdrawal occurred within the last five years, the student is a candidate for reactivation and should direct their request to the committee or Pomona official who approved the initial withdrawal. Students who withdrew more than five years ago are considered candidates for readmission and must consult the Office of Admissions at admissions@pomona.edu. Neither reactivation nor readmission to Pomona is guaranteed. Applications filed in absentia or applicants seeking irregular enrollment are considered by the Office of the Registrar and the Academic Procedures Committee

Five-Year Limit: If an application for readmission is made within five years of the last semester of enrollment, students may satisfy the rules, regulations, and requirements in existence when they first enrolled in the College. A student who applies later than five years after the last semester of enrollment must follow the rules, regulations, and requirements in effect at the time of reapplication. Previous credits earned at Pomona College will be evaluated by the Registrar and academic departments.

For more information, please refer to the Pomona College Student Handbook.