Students may request to take the following types of leaves of absence:

  • Personal or Academic
  • Medical or Emergency
  • Military Deployment or Missionary Service

Students in Prematriculation and Pathway programs (including N.U.in, Foundation Year, NU Immerse, Global Scholars, London Scholars, Global Pathways) do not fall under the leave of absence policy below. Students in these programs with emergent, medical, or personal circumstances that require a conversation about their ability to continue with their program of study should reach out to We Care for further guidance.

General Leave of Absence Policy

Students who wish to take a leave of absence should complete a request through the Student Hub (or via University Health and Counseling Services for a medical leave of absence, as described below) before the last day to drop without a W in a term. Please consult the Academic Calendar for the last day to drop without a W in the term.

Students can request a leave until the last day to drop with a W in a term but should review the financial implications of withdrawing from courses on the Student Financial Services website. 

Students can take up to one year of leave.

Any leave of absence type, if approved, is subject to the following conditions:

  • International students must make an appointment with the Office of Global Services to discuss leave of absence procedures in accordance with federal regulations.
  • Students who do not return at the end of the leave will be withdrawn and must contact their college for reentry prior to the term start.
  • Students must return to a university-sponsored activity that contributes toward the satisfaction of outstanding program requirements, such as registration for academic coursework.
  • Students must be considered active in the period for which they are requesting a leave. Students are considered active when they are currently engaged in university-sponsored activity, such as  academic coursework and co-op. If a student is withdrawn for personal reasons, the withdrawal can be reversed and a request for a leave of absence can only be processed if it is before the last day to drop without a W in a term. If the student has been administratively withdrawn, a request for leave of absence cannot be considered until the withdrawal is resolved.
  • If a leave extends more than six months, students who have taken loans for education expenses may be required to begin repayment of those loans. Students who receive financial aid should meet with a financial aid counselor before going on a leave. Please see Return of Title IV Aid for the possible financial aid impact of a leave of absence.
  • Students in university housing should refer to the Office of Housing and Residential Life for policy information.
  • A student’s enrollment status cannot include more than one academic year of consecutive nonclass enrollments. Students on leave for more than one year will be withdrawn from the university.
  • If a student has taken multiple leaves, resulting in the postponement of expected graduation date of a calendar year, the next leave request will be processed as a withdrawal.
  • While on leave, students are not allowed to take classes for credit toward their Northeastern University degree, either at Northeastern or at an outside institution.

Students on a leave of absence are considered active students and are able to register for classes in an upcoming term in a leave status. If a student is unable to register because they are inactive, the student should contact their college for reentry at the time of registration for the return term. Students are expected to register for classes upon returning from a leave of absence.

Leave of Absence for International Students

International students must discuss maintenance of U.S. immigration status with an advisor at OGS before requesting any type of leave of absence.

Personal or Academic Leave of Absence

Personal leaves of absence are general leaves of absence that do not meet the criteria of more specific leaves outlined in the catalog. Academic leaves are applied to a student record in the rare cases when a student has fulfilled the last remaining requirements abroad but final grades have been yet to be received at Northeastern; or are taking a leave of absence from Northeastern to pursue other academic work. A student interested in requesting a personal or academic leave of absence should speak with an academic advisor.

Medical or Emergency Leave of Absence

Medical leave is an option available to those Northeastern students who develop a major medical condition that precludes class attendance, completion of requirements, and/or participation in co-op. Medical leave of absence requests must be initiated at UHCS. 

Students on a medical leave will no longer have Husky Card access to the Marino Center, libraries, dining services, residence halls, and UHCS. If a student is in treatment at UHCS, they will be provided with referral resources for care in the community where they will reside during their medical leave. Students are not to be participating in student groups while on medical leave.

Emergency leaves may be granted when a student cannot continue attending class after the start of the term due to life-changing situations beyond the student’s control. Students interested in requesting emergency leave are encouraged to contact We Care. Students can request an Emergency Leave of Absence via the Student Hub.

Students who have been granted a medical or emergency leave of absence due to extenuating circumstances may submit a Leave of Absence Refund Appeal Form for financial consideration. If the appeal is approved, please note that housing and other fees will not be included in the appeal decision; refer to the Residence Hall and Dining License Agreement. Please only complete the Leave of Absence Refund Appeal Form if you have been approved for a medical or emergency leave of absence.

Please note that any outstanding balance (including unpaid balances) for the academic term in which the leave is taken are still due to the university.

Financial aid recipients must contact their financial aid counselor to understand the effects on aid received.

If the leave extends more than six months, students who have taken loans for education expenses may be required to start repayment of those loans.

Students enrolled in the Northeastern University Student Health Plan will remain enrolled in the plan for the plan year, ending August 31.

Leave of Absence Due to Military Deployment or Missionary Service

When a student is called to active duty or missionary service, they must request the leave by filling out the proper request form through the Student Hub. Proof of official deployment or call to service paperwork will be required as an attachment when filling out the leave of absence request. 

When a student is called during the term, the university will:

  • Excuse tuition for that term. Any payment made will be credited to the student’s account.

  • Post a leave of absence for the term to hold a place for the student when they return.

If a student is called near the end of the term, the student and faculty members may determine that incomplete (I) grades are more appropriate. In this case, tuition will not be waived.

When a student returns to the university after completion, they will notify the college academic student services office if the leave was longer than one year; that office will in turn notify the Office of the University Registrar. The college academic student services office will assist the student with reentry and registration. If the leave was less than one year, the student should register for classes for the upcoming term prior to returning to campus.

International students who must take a leave of absence to engage in military service in their home country must also complete a form for leave of absence with OGS.

Returning from a Leave of Absence

Students on a leave of absence are considered active students and are able to register for classes in an upcoming term in a leave status. If a student is unable to register because they are inactive, they should contact their college for reentry at the time of registration for the return term. Students are expected to register for classes upon returning from a leave of absence.

Students who are withdrawn and are applying for Commencement may be reentered on a leave of absence, pending the college’s approval, prior to the term in which they will graduate. International students returning from a leave of absence should contact OGS regarding the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System procedures three to four months prior to anticipated return date.

Students who wish to reenter the university following a medical leave must contact UHCS.  Reentry from a medical leave requires receipt of all documentation delivered to UHCS approximately one month  prior to the start of the term they wish to return. Once all documentation is received by UHCS, it will be reviewed and the student will be notified of the decision Requests for reentry from medical leave must be completed no later than one week prior to the beginning of a term. Students must be enrolled in Northeastern classes for the term in which they wish to return from their medical leave of absence. More specific information about the reentry process can be found at the UHCS website.

University Withdrawal

Students seeking to withdraw from the university for any reason should meet with their academic advisor before completing the university withdrawal form online. Students should review the financial implications of withdrawing from all classes on the Student Financial Services website.

Students may be withdrawn from the university for financial, disciplinary, or academic reasons. Students looking to withdraw for medical reasons should reach out to UHCS to review medical leave of absence.