Taking a Leave of Absence or Withdrawing from Ithaca College
Ithaca faculty and staff are committed to supporting students! The college offers many ways to support academic success, personal wellbeing and future professional goals. However, there may be instances in which it is in a student's best interest to spend some time away from the college.
Accordingly, students may pursue taking a leave of absence (LOA) from Ithaca College for personal, medical or emergency reasons. A student may also consider withdrawing from the college if they do not plan to return to Ithaca College. Students who wish to explore the steps related to a personal, medical, emergency leave or withdrawal should click on the link below to begin the process: https://student.ithaca.edu/register/loaw-student-init
Leave of Absence & Withdraw Information
In order to take a Leave of Absence or a Withdrawal, students must meet with a Student Success Coach in the Center for Student Success. Before taking a leave of absence or withdrawing permanently please consider looking for support. Please submit a request for Leave of Absence or Withdrawal through IC Workflow.
The start date of the leave is the day that the Application for a Leave of Absence, personal or medical, is completed and submitted for approval. The application can be completed by meeting with a Student Success Coach. A personal leave of absence is required for non-affiliated study abroad.
If a student has completed a request, it is important that the student meets with a Student Success Coach to complete the application. Completing the application serves as an appropriate notification to the college and assures that the leave is reflected accurately on the students’ official transcript.
Meet with or consult the Center for Student Success by emailing success@ithaca.edu to learn more about your options and, if you choose to, finalize the process of taking a leave.
3. Meet or consult with Student Financial Services to determine the financial implication of taking a Leave of Absence.
4. Students living in on-campus housing have 7 days from the application date to check out of their housing assignment.
5. You will be notified once your application has been approved. Please note: if your academic status changes as a result of your prior semester's performance (e.g., you are put on academic warning) you will receive a separate letter informing you of this status and your legal rights. The Academic Status letter is a legal document, and the language within it may not convey Ithaca College's very real care and concern for you and understanding about the issues that caused you to take a leave.
If an enrolled, incoming first-year student wishes to defer their enrollment to a future term and year, they should complete the Deferral Request Form; it is available in the student’s status portal, and there is information on the Undergraduate Admission website here.
Students that are on a LOA for personal or medical reasons may request a second consecutive semester, in order to continue the leave.
2. Complete the application to continue the LOA for personal or medical reasons no later than July 1st for the fall semester and December 1st for the spring semester to meet federal policy via the workflow system apps.ithaca.edu.
3. Meet or consult with Student Financial Services to determine the financial implication continuing a Leave of Absence.
5. Once a referral form is filled by advising, check your IC email address and complete the LOA application.
Students who must leave the College due to medical or psychological conditions that necessitate their extended absence may request a medical leave of absence (MLOA) for up to two semesters. MLOA requests are handled by Hammond Health and proper documentation from a treatment provider must be submitted before a student is granted a MLOA. For information on taking a MLOA, please contact CAPS at counseling@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-5763
Meet or consult with Student Financial Services to determine the financial implication of taking a Leave of Absence, during a semester.
Students living in on-campus housing have 7 days from the application date to check out of their housing assignment following ResLife protocol
If you would like to speak with someone regarding the MLOA process, please contact please contact CAPS at counseling@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-5763
Students who want to return from a medical leave of absence must contact Hammond Health Center to request an application to return. Before the application can be considered, supporting documentation from a treating medical or mental health professional must be submitted to the Health Center. This documentation must indicate that the medical and/or psychological condition has been addressed, that the student is able to function safely as a member of the College community, and that the student is capable of resuming study at the College. Furthermore, this documentation should provide the nature and duration of treatment, and any recommendations for ongoing care once the student has returned to campus.
Completed applications for return to campus must be received on or before December 1 to return for the Spring semester, July 1 to return for the Fall semester, and May 1 to return for the Summer semester.
Students who must leave the College on urgent personal grounds that necessitate their absence for a semester, such as death or a serious illness in the immediate family, may request an emergency leave of absence. Documentation of the serious nature of the emergency must be provided.
Please contact your Dean's Office for assistance with the Emergency Leave of Absence process.
Before taking a leave of absence or withdrawing permanently please consider looking for support with resources provided in the link below and be sure to meet with a your Faculty Advisor or Dean's Office.
Students need to complete the application to officially withdraw from the College. This is not meant for students that want to withdraw from a course. There are three types of withdrawals: personal, medical, and administrative. The withdrawal application can be found via the workflow system app.ithaca.edu
If you are returning from a personal LOA, please note that IC expects your return to take place the semester following your leave unless stated otherwise. You will continue to receive emails preparing for your return, including information about housing and registering for classes. For more information regarding registration visit the Registrars webpage.
If you would like support in registering for classes, consider meeting with your Dean's Office.
If you do not register for classes in anticipation for your return, you will be administratively withdrawn from IC after a week of classes.
What do I need to do after I submit my application?
After an application is complete, several offices will review and sign off on the application. Please note that this process may take several weeks to complete. There is no more paperwork for you to complete after your application is submitted
If a student is living on campus at the time of their request, the student is required to move out of the residence hall or apartment and will be required to follow check-out procedures. Students are required to move out of their residence hall within 7 days of their application approval. For more information please contact Residential Life at 607-274-3141, reslife@ithaca.edu, or housing@ithaca.edu.
Will I be billed?
If a student requests an LOA or withdrawal prior to the add/drop deadline, they will not be billed for that semester. If you requested your application prior to that deadline and are waiting for your application to be reviewed, IC will recognize the application date, not the date when sign-offs are complete.
Leave of Absence If a student decides to take a school-approved leave of absence, coverage will remain in force through the end of the period for which payment has been received (ex. If a student elects to take a leave of absence during the Fall 2024 semester, coverage will remain in effect through December 31, 2024).
Withdrawal Students who elect to withdraw from Ithaca College within 31 days after their Student Health Insurance Plan policy takes effect will no longer be eligible to receive coverage under the Student Health Insurance Plan. Students who withdraw within this 31-day period will have their coverage terminated retroactively and will receive a refund for any premiums collected (ex. A student who withdraws from Ithaca College during the Spring 2025 semester prior to February 1 will no longer be eligible for coverage under SHIP during the January 1 - August 9, 2025 period). Students who withdraw from Ithaca College more than 31 days after their policy takes effect will continue to have coverage through the end of the period for which payment has been received; no refund will be provided.
Important Deadlines for Applications
For current semester leaves and withdrawals, applications must be submitted before the last day of classes. This applies to all types of Leave of Absence and Withdrawal.
Please refer to the academic calendar for important information regarding grading deadlines and last day of classes.
Student Support Services
The college offers many ways to support academic success, personal wellbeing and future professional goals.
