A Leave of Absence allows students enrolled in the Wake Forest University School of Divinity to interrupt their studies for a compelling reason, for example, a medical condition or a personal or family matter requiring absence from campus. A Leave of Absence is defined as a temporary separation from the School of Divinity, for up to one year from the start of the semester during which the Leave of Absence is requested. To be eligible for a Leave of Absence, students should ordinarily be in good academic standing. Students who intend to take a Leave of Absence must submit a Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form to the Office of Academic Affairs along with a letter detailing the request for the Leave of Absence. This letter must indicate all unsatisfied degree requirements for the student. If available, other supporting letters should be included in the request for a Leave of Absence.

Until students are notified by the Office of Academic Affairs that the leave has been approved, they remain registered and are expected to fulfill their responsibilities. A Leave of Absence will not be granted retroactively. The maximum time for a leave of absence is one year. A student requesting a Leave of Absence by the drop date for the semester, as established by the academic calendar, will not have a grade recorded for courses in progress. A student who requests a Leave of Absence after the drop deadline will be assigned a grade of withdraw-passing (WP) or withdraw-failing (WF) for each course in progress, which will appear on the transcript. The grade of WP does not affect a student’s grade point average. The grade of WF does factor into a student’s overall grade point average and as such may negatively affect academic standing. If applicable, tuition is refunded on a prorated basis, and the refund schedule is set by the Wake Forest University Board of Trustees.

A student on a Leave of Absence will have limited access to University facilities normally available to enrolled students. In order to facilitate communication between the student and the School of Divinity, access to the campus network will be continued during the leave but will be deactivated if the student does not return. Library access will be continued during the period of leave, but it will be revoked if the student does not return. ID access to buildings will be deactivated during the period of leave.

Students are not permitted to fulfill any degree requirements including work on a thesis, dissertation, or other degree requirements during the time on leave.

Students who are granted a Leave of Absence must consult with their health insurance provider about the status of their policy while on leave. Students who have contracted for health insurance through the university should immediately contact the Student Health Insurance Coordinator. Health insurance is subject to federal and state laws and regulations. International students who are granted a Leave of Absence must notify the Office of Global Studies. Visa status is subject to federal laws and regulations.

Students on an approved Leave of Absence are not eligible for federal financial aid, including Federal Direct Loans. In some cases, student loans may not be deferred for the entirety of a leave. Students should contact Student Financial Services for additional information. Students on Leave of Absence should submit a request to return to the associate dean of academic affairs at least one month prior to the first date of the semester or term in which a return is planned. This request may require a letter which addresses the suitability of the student’s return. Students who have decided not to return from a Leave of Absence should inform the associate dean of academic affairs in writing. Students who fail to petition to return after a Leave of Absence will be withdrawn from the School of Divinity and need to apply for readmission in order to return.

The time spent during an approved leave or while withdrawn will not count in the maximum time allotted for the degree. Students who have withdrawn from the School of Divinity and who wish to re-enter after one academic year must reapply for admission by the application deadline. If a student is approved for readmission to the School of Divinity within an eight-year period, previous coursework may count towards the degree requirements at the discretion of the associate dean of academic affairs. If the student re-enters the School of Divinity after an eight-year period, previous courses will not count toward the degree requirements.