Leave of Absence & Withdrawal

A leave of absence or withdrawal may be granted for, but not limited to, one of the following reasons:

1. Medical or family emergency;
2. Financial emergency;
3. Pursuit of an academic endeavor other than the regular classroom work or training assignment, either on campus or at another recognized teaching facility;
4. Active military service.

The program director, Office of Student Affairs, Office of the Provost and the dean approve leave of absence requests.

Complete leave of absence/withdrawal form

A student must complete the leave of absence/withdrawal form. It will automatically be routed to the appropriate members of PCOM.

Consult with the program's dean

The student, in consultation with all relevant departments, should consider how a leave will affect his or her overall progress in the academic program of the College. The program director, Office of Student Affairs, Office of the Provost and the dean reach a decision after careful consideration is given to personal and professional circumstances. All applications for leave of absence or withdrawal are considered on their individual merits and approved only for extraordinary reasons.

Speak with financial aid

When a student is on a leave of absence they are not considered:

• Enrolled during the term of the leave.
• Qualified for loan deferment.
• Qualified for special monetary loans, grants or other special considerations that presuppose the status of a regular student.

The Financial Aid Office will perform a Return of Title IV Funds calculation to determine if any student loan funds need to be returned to the lender.

Students are advised to consult with the Financial Aid Office regarding their loan payback and other financial matters throughout their decision process.

Mental health and wellness

If you need to address mental health and wellness concerns, please see the available resources on the student counseling services page.

Before the conclusion of the leave of absence, the student must complete a Return from Leave of Absence Form. Once the return is approved, a student can register and resume the degree program. If a leave of absence is due to personal illness, the student's attending physician or other health care provider as specified by the dean must supply a letter attesting to the student's ability to continue in the academic or clinical program, or other training activity. The student's course of study will then be resumed at the point in the curriculum deemed most appropriate by the dean. Criminal background checks (CBC) will be required for any student who returns from a leave of absence when:

1. CBC is older than one year;
2. The leave of absence is equal to or greater than one year; or
3. The student is returning to a clinical rotation.

Complete the Return From Leave Form

A student on a leave of absence who fails to return within the time period specified in the approved leave of absence will be dropped as a student from the College. Any student who is dropped must reapply for admission.

Maximum timeframe for completion of degree from date of matriculation (unless otherwise specified by a program's accreditor) depends on the program. For information about how leave(s) of absence may impact a student's ability to graduate, please review  PCOM's maximum timeframe as listed in the PCOM Course Catalog.

Complete the Maximum Timeframe Appeal Form