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Undergraduate Leave of Absence

The Undergraduate Leave of Absence regulation allows eligible students to take an approved break from their academic studies without losing their active student status. This process supports students who need time away from the university for personal, medical, or other reasons and plan to return within a defined period.

Graduate Leave of Absence also exists to allow students to interrupt their enrollment from graduate study for up to two semesters within a given graduate degree program, with a strong justification.

What is a Leave of Absence?

Learn about leaves of absence, eligibility, and how to request leave

Military Leave of Absence

Review additional information for military students called to active duty

Financial Aid Implications

Understand how taking a leave of absence may affected your finances.

What Is a Leave of Absence?

A Leave of Absence (LOA) allows students to take time away from the university for up to two consecutive regular terms (fall and spring) while maintaining their student status. Students with an approved LOA are not required to apply for readmission when they return. Students on approved LOA also maintain access to their ncsu.edu email accounts and should continue to receive important information and updates from the university. 

Note: If a student does not return after an approved Leave of Absence period, they will be discontinued and will be required to apply for readmission to any future terms.

Eligibility and Requesting Leave

To be eligible for an Undergraduate Leave of Absence, students must:

  • Have completed at least one semester in a undergraduate degree program at the university;
  • Have no active academic or disciplinary suspensions;
  • Have their student account paid in full; and
  • Submit a request through MyPack Portal following the navigation:

Student Homepage > Planning & Enrollment tile > Term Withdraw and Leave of Absence menu item

You will be prompted in this form to enter your first term away from NC State, as well as the term in which you intend to return. Based on your input, the form will automatically process either a term withdrawal, leave of absence, or both.

To see how the progress of the term may affect eligibility, please see the processing tables outlined below. You can also view withdrawal page for additional processing information.

Notification of the approval or denial of Leave of Absence requests will be communicated to students via their NC State email address. Approved LOAs are limited to two consecutive terms (fall and spring).

Graduate students should inquire with their advisor for eligibility requirements and support.

Processing Table for One Term of Leave

TimelineEnrolled in TermNot Enrolled in Term
On or before FDOCEligible for leave during only the current term without term withdrawal on transcriptEligible for leave during only the current term without term withdrawal on transcript
After FDOC through Census DateEligible for leave during only the current term with term withdrawal on transcriptEligible for leave during only the current term with term withdrawal on transcript
After Census Date through Drop/Revision DeadlineTerm withdrawal processed for current term with (1) eligible future term of leave, not including the current term — includes term withdrawal on transcript and ‘W’ grades assignedDiscontinued, must apply for readmission
After Drop/Revision DeadlineTerm withdrawal for start term needs approval with (1) eligible future term of leave, not including the current term — includes term withdrawal on transcript and ‘W’ grades assignedDiscontinued, must apply for readmission
To find the First Day of Class (FDOC) and Census Date for your term, please reference the academic calendar.
Tuition and fee refunds for official withdrawals are prorated based on the schedule linked here.

Processing Table for Two Terms of Leave

TimelineEnrolled in TermNot Enrolled in Term
On or before FDOCEligible for two (2) terms of leave, including the current term, without term withdrawal on transcriptEligible for two (2) terms of leave, including the current term, without term withdrawal on transcript
After FDOC through Census DateEligible for two (2) terms of leave, including the current term, with term withdrawal on transcriptEligible for two (2) terms of leave, including the current term, with term withdrawal on transcript
After Census Date through Drop/Revision DeadlineTerm withdrawal processed for current term with two (2) eligible terms of leave, not including the current term — includes term withdrawal on transcript and ‘W’ grades assignedDiscontinued, must apply for readmission
After Drop/Revision DeadlineTerm withdrawal for current term needs approval with two (2) eligible terms of leave, not including the current term — includes term withdrawal on transcript and ‘W’ grades assignedDiscontinued, must apply for readmission
To find the First Day of Class (FDOC) and Census Date for your term, please reference the academic calendar.
Tuition and fee refunds for official withdrawals are prorated based on the schedule linked here.

Military Leave of Absence

Students who are called to active duty in the U.S. military, National Guard, or other armed forces reserve units may request a Military Leave of Absence (MLOA), which can extend beyond two terms. Information on MLOA is available on the Military and Veteran Services website.

Financial Aid Implications

Students approved for a Leave of Absence will be considered withdrawn for Title IV financial aid purposes. This may impact federal aid eligibility and repayment timelines. Before submitting a request, we strongly recommend discussing your situation with a Financial Aid Counselor.