Leave of Absence/Withdrawal

Applying for a Leave of Absence

Students who wish to take a temporary Leave of Absence from Lewis & Clark Graduate School must submit a Leave of Absence Request Form.

If a leave is granted, the student is allowed to return to the College without a formal readmission application. The maximum leave that may be granted is for one year and all academic requirements in effect for that student at the time the leave is granted remain upon the student’s return.  Programs of study must be completed within five years of matriculation, and approved leaves of absence do not affect this requirement.

Students with an approved leave of absence who remain unenrolled for more than 12 months or students who take leave without an approved leave of absence will be required to apply for readmission to the program. Students will be responsible for meeting program requirements as outlined in the current graduate catalog.

Please note the following:

• If you are a recipient of financial aid and are taking a leave of absence of 6 months or longer, it could affect your loan payback. Contact the Financial Aid Office to be certain you understand the terms of your financial obligations.
• Contact Student and Departmental Account Services to make certain your account is settled prior to leaving the College.
• If you plan to enroll in courses elsewhere, consult with your advisor and the Graduate School Office of the Registrar to be sure that the credits you plan to complete will transfer. Transcripts of all completed coursework should be sent to the Office of the Registrar.
• Upon return you must contact (a) your advisor and department chair to arrange for the completion of your program, and (b) the Office of the Registrar to ensure you are eligible for registration.

Should your plans for returning change for any reason, you should inform the department chair and the Office of the Registrar.

Form: Leave of Absence Request Form

Withdrawal

Students who wish to withdraw from Lewis & Clark Graduate School must submit a Withdrawal Form.

The date the Registrar’s office receives the signed Withdrawal Form is the date the withdrawal is effective. For students who find it necessary to withdraw from the their course mid-semester, the following  the refund policy after the end of the add/drop period will apply.

Financial Aid Withdrawal Policy: For students who have received federal financial assistance and who formally withdraw from the College, a calculation according to federal regulations is performed to determine which funds are to be returned to the appropriate program(s) by the School and/or the student.

If you receive a cash disbursement from your student account as a result of financial aid funding and then subsequently withdraw from the College, you may be required to repay the cash disbursement to Lewis & Clark College in order to refund the applicable financial aid programs. The amount of federal financial aid repayment is calculated based on the number of days in the semester you do not attend as a result of your withdrawal.

Refunds may be issued only after the request form has been processed by the Graduate Registrar’s Office. The date the student submits the Withdrawal Form is the date used for assessing charges and the amount of any tuition credit. Tuition credit for a complete withdrawal is prorated in accordance with the amount of time the student has been in school for the semester.

Financial aid recipients are encouraged to contact the Office of Financial Aid at 503-768-7090 or fao@lclark.edu before withdrawing, as eligibility for financial aid may be affected.

Form: Withdrawal Form