A student may request a leave of absence for up to one year. Forms for this purpose are available in the Registrar's Office. Approval depends upon justification of the leave in the context of the student's overall academic plan. The expected duration of the leave must be stated at the time of preregistration. Failure to file a request for leave by the end of Add/Drop period for any given term results in automatic withdrawal from the College. Under extraordinary circumstances, a student may request an extended medical or family leave.

During an approved leave, a student's degree candidacy is held by a matriculation deposit. An absence of more than one year without special approval or a failure to respond to preregistration mailings for the term of expected return automatically trigger withdrawal from the College; the matriculation deposit is forfeited. A student who has formally withdrawn from the College (and received the returned matriculation deposit) or lost matriculant status through forfeit, but desires to return to the College, must complete a short re-application form available from the Admission Office and be reconsidered as a candidate for matriculation.

For purposes of repayment of student loans, a student is considered to be withdrawn as of the end of the last term of enrollment, even though he or she is on an approved leave of absence. For COA purposes, the student can continue as a "degree candidate not enrolled." For loan purposes, however, a student is either a registered, tuition-paying student or is not. This rule applies to students away on non-credit internship and to seniors whose last enrollment (usually the Final Project) takes place in a term earlier than spring term.

A student who elects to take a leave of absence with pending incomplete or unsatisfactory work may be expected to meet with the Show Cause Officer upon return.