Leave of Absence and Reinstatement: Graduate

Graduate Students Taking a Voluntary Leave of Absence (LOA)

A graduate student who voluntarily leaves SAIC, either during the semester or between semesters, but does not return for the next major academic semester, may request to be placed on Leave of Absence. This will enable the student to return to SAIC without appealing to the Academic Review Board or reapplying for admission. To take a Leave of Absence, the student needs to meet, in person or on the telephone, with a representative of their department (Graduate Coordinator, Graduate Director, Department Chair, as appropriate) for an exit interview and to complete the Leave of Absence form. Any new student leaving before the end of the add/drop period in their first semester should contact the Admissions office.

Graduate Students Seeking to Return from Leave of Absence (RLOA)

A graduate student on Leave of Absence may return within one year of their last date of attendance. A graduate student should contact SAIC at least six months prior to the requested date of re- enrollment so that SAIC can determine whether adequate studio space, equipment, and facilities are available. In situations in which a student is not permitted to return to SAIC because of a lack of space or other resources, enrollment may be deferred until the resources become available and the statute of limitations may be extended by that same period of time.

When the graduate student is ready to return from Leave of Absence and seek reinstatement to SAIC, the student should first contact gradreinstatement@saic.edu and share which semester they are interested in returning. The student will then be connected to the proper Departmental Representative (Graduate Coordinator, Graduate Director, Department Chair, as appropriate) who will assist them in their reinstatement process. Once the departmental support approves the reinstatement, they will contact gradreinstatement@saic.edu and the student will then be officially reinstated. The student will receive an email notification when they are reinstated and eligible to register for classes, or if there are other items the student needs to resolve prior to enrolling for classes.

Requests for Exceptions to Existing LOA Policies

Students who wish to be reinstated and need an exception to the above Voluntary Leave policies (e.g., an extension of the LOA period, an extension of the statute of limitations, a request for reinstatement made less than six months before the first day of classes for that term) should contact Academic Advising to determine the appropriate process for appeal, typically to the Academic Review Board.

Graduate Student Administrative Leave of Absence (Admin LOA)

A graduate student on Administrative Leave of Absence (did not re-enroll at SAIC and did not complete voluntary LOA process) may appeal to return within one year of their last date of attendance. In order to return, the student should email gradreinstatement@saic.edu to discuss reinstatement and complete an appeal to be reviewed by the Academic Review Board and the student's Academic Department.

Academic Review Board Appeal [PDF]

After the review, the Academic Review Board and Academic Department (at their discretion) may allow the student to re-enroll in SAIC based upon availability of physical space, equipment, and facilities. If the student seeks to re- enroll one year or longer after the last date attended, they must re- apply through the Admissions office. The statute of limitations for finishing specific programs can be found in the Graduate Degrees area of the website. This time period includes the interim period spent on leave of absence.