Students who wish to drop all courses in a term and take a leave of absence or withdraw permanently from their programs are advised to consider the impact on the following items:

Timeline for Degree Completion, Cohort Placement and Degree Requirements

While on an approved leave of absence, students are guaranteed a place in their current program when they return to the University, provided all deadlines and rules are observed. Some units may have more restrictive guidelines for a leave of absence. Students should consult with their unit and program for more information before deciding to take leave. Students returning from leave have the same registration priority as continuing students. It is important to note that students are still held to the original timeline for completion of the degree, unless a student is on an approved medical leave of absence. Non-degree students or students who are beyond the time limit to complete their degrees are not eligible for a leave of absence.

Students who have permanently withdrawn from the university and would like to return must meet the following criteria:

• Date of withdrawal cannot be more than five years
• The student must still be within their time to degree completion per the quarter of matriculation

If a student does not meet this criteria, they will be required to follow the Readmission for Terminated Students policy.  Graduate Units reserve the right to request that the student submit a full application for admission (which includes the application fee) to the appropriate admissions office. 

Tuition and Fee Payment and Refund Schedule

Outstanding debts must be cleared with the Bursar’s Office. A student’s leave application will be accepted even if they owe money to the University. However, students will not be allowed to register for future terms if they have any outstanding debts to the University. In the case of extenuating circumstances that are beyond the student's control, a student may appeal for an exception to the University's refund policy.

Withdrawal Deadlines

Enrolled students should review the academic calendar, and be aware of the important dates and term-specific withdrawal deadlines.

Health Insurance Coverage

University of Denver Health Insurance coverage may be interrupted or discontinued. To learn more about the coverage, students should consult with the staff in the Health and Counseling Center at 303-871-2205.

Financial Aid, Scholarships, Work-Study, GTA/GRA and Loan Repayment Terms

Students should be clear about the impact of withdrawal on loan repayment requirements as well as scholarships, teaching assistantships and other forms of University aid. While on a leave of absence, students are not eligible to receive financial aid, including work-study. Some forms of University aid (i.e. GRA, GSA and GTA positions and other scholarships or fellowships) are not guaranteed to be reinstated if a student takes a leave of absence. In addition, student loan repayment terms may be impacted and in some cases repayment may begin when a student goes on leave. It is the students’ responsibility to notify their lender they are taking a leave of absence and will not be enrolled at the University.

Students should apply for financial aid well in advance of the term they expect to return to school so their disbursement is available at the beginning of the term. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for additional information.

F-1 or J-1 Visa Immigration Status for International students

International students who are interested in withdrawing should be aware of certain restrictions in the immigration laws. Non-immigrant students may not remain in the United States in F-1 or J-1 immigration status if they are not enrolled full-time in school unless they meet certain criteria and have approval from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). In order to take a leave, international students may need to either leave the United States while out of school or change to another non-immigrant status. Before withdrawing and applying for a leave, international students should consult with an advisor in the ISSS office.

University Housing Contract

Housing contracts are for the entire academic year; please see housing policy to understand approved reasons for checking out during the academic year. Students must check out of the apartment within 24 to 48 hours of withdrawing.

Benefits for Veterans

For students receiving veterans’ benefits, the Coordinator of Military Programs in the Office of the Registrar should be notified of withdrawal plans.

Parking Permits and Unpaid Citations

Unpaid citations must be cleared with Parking Services, and parking permits should be returned to avoid additional costs. 

University Libraries Books and Overdue Book Fines

All library books should be returned, and overdue book fines should be paid prior to withdrawing. 

Contact Information

It is university policy that students maintain a preferred off-campus address and email account. It is each student’s responsibility to keep both a current mailing address and email address updated while on leave. If a student’s address changes while on leave, the address should be updated through myDU.