Academic On-Leave Status

Graduate students who will not be registered for one or more terms (excluding summer) must apply for academic on-leave status.

Academic on-leave is a separate process from GE Family/Medical Leave. See GE Absences and Leave Policies for more information about taking leave from your GE employment. 

How to Apply

  • Log in to GradWeb and navigate to On-Leave
  • Enter the terms you plan to be on leave and the planned term of return
  • Select the reason for the request and upload documentation if the reason is medical or parental. Documentation is kept confidentially by the Division of Graduate Studies for evaluation of on-leave requests only.  
    • Medical (your own serious health/medical condition): Submit a doctor’s note confirming serious illness and approximate date condition began. Medical details of issue are not needed.
    • Parental Leave: submit one of the following documents:
      • Letter from the adoption agency
      • Birth certificate
      • Letter from your doctor

Deadline

Whenever possible, students should apply for on-leave prior to the start of the term, but on-leave requests will be accepted through the last day of finals week in the term for which leave is requested.

Maximum On-Leave Terms

  • Doctoral Students: Maximum of 6 terms
  • Master’s and Certificate Students: Maximum of 3 terms

On-Leave and Continuous Enrollment Policy

  • Unless on-leave status has been approved by the department and the Division of Graduate Studies, students enrolled in a graduate degree or certificate program must remain continuously enrolled at the university for at least three graduate credits per term
  • Summer term enrollment is not required, unless Summer term is the term of admission
  • Students may not be on leave for the their first term in the program
  • Students may request on-leave status for the following reasons:
    • Medical (the student’s own serious health/medical condition). Documentation required; see How to Apply above.
    • Parental Leave (parenting needs during the 12 months immediately following a child’s birth or placement in the home). Documentation required; see How to Apply above. 
    • A family emergency (including the health/medical issue of a family member)
    • Independent research or internship
    • Other
  • While on leave, students cannot register for credit and are not allowed to use university services or faculty/staff time

Time Limit for Program Completion

The time limit for program completion is automatically extended by the same number of terms of an approved on-leave request (e.g., an approved leave of one term will extend the time limit by one term) only for the following reasons:

  • The student’s serious health/medical condition
  • Parenting needs during the 12 months immediately following a child’s birth or placement in the home

The time limit for program completion is not extended for an approved on-leave request when taken for the following reasons:

  • Family emergencies
  • Independent research or internship
  • Other

Failure to Register for On-Leave Status

A student’s eligibility to continue in the graduate program will be canceled if the student does not enroll continuously (except for summers) or obtain approved on-leave status. Failure to file for on-leave status could result in Oregon resident status being reclassified as non-resident.

If a student does not enroll continuously or obtain approved on-leave and wishes to return to their graduate program, they must submit a petition for reinstatement.

If approved, the student may be subject to the requirements for admission and enrollment limitations that are in effect at that time of reinstatement.

Reinstatement after a break in enrollment may also result in Oregon resident status being reclassified as non-resident if the student did not reside in Oregon during the break in enrollment.

Summer Only Master's Students

Master's students who have been approved by their department to pursue the master's degree on a summer-only basis must submit a request for on-leave for each academic year between summer terms.

Summer-only master's students must complete all degree requirements within the seven-year time limit.

Things to Keep in Mind

International Students

You must check with an adviser at the Division of Global Engagement to be sure that your visa status will remain current while you are on leave. This is especially important if you will be leaving the US.

Revising Your On-Leave Status

If you decide to return from leave earlier than you had intended, email the Division of Graduate Studies  to revise your term of return. To extend your leave period, you must submit a new on-leave request form.

Insurance for Spring GEs Without a Summer Appointment

Spring GEs must either have a summer GE position, be continuing enrollment in their graduate program during the following fall term OR be on a Division of Graduate Studies approved leave of absence for the following fall term, in order to qualify for Summer GE insurance.

If a student is a GE in spring term and not summer term, fails to return that fall, and does not have a Division of Graduate Studies approved leave of absence for the following fall term, they lose their summer eligibility for GE insurance, and will be liable for 100% for the summer premium or will be retroactively terminated from summer insurance coverage.

Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and School Psychology PhD Students

You may be eligible for an additional 3 terms of on-leave status, depending on the timing of your dissertation defense.