Leave of Absence and Voluntary Withdrawal

Leave of Absence

A student in good academic standing may take a leave of absence for personal reasons. Leaves of absence typically last one or two semesters, though extensions may be requested. The reasons for taking a leave of absence vary widely. For example, students may face a family or medical emergency, wish to pursue temporarily a non-academic experience, or have other personal needs they must address. Leaves of absence should be taken only under such exceptional circumstances.

Students who wish to take a leave of absence should consult confidentially and as soon as possible with the dean of students, to explore their options and begin planning their return to Trinity. Students in the Individualized Degree Program should meet with the director of that program. Once the decision to take a leave of absence is made, students must complete a Leave of Absence form, available from the dean of students. Students will not be considered on leave until they submit this form to the Registrar’s Office.

Students on financial aid who wish to take a leave of absence are advised to consult with the director of financial aid to discuss the impact of taking a leave on their aid eligibility and federal loan repayment requirements. Please note that, for federal financial aid purposes, a student who takes a leave of absence from the College is officially withdrawn during that period.

More broadly, all students on leaves of absence are still considered members of the College community and returning to campus requires only that students complete a Notification of Intention to Return and contact their academic advisers. This form should be submitted by March 1 for a fall return and October 1 for return in the spring. Students are also responsible for completing the necessary paperwork to arrange transfer credit for any courses taken while they are on leave. All forms are available on the Registrar’s Office forms webpage.

In some cases, a student may be required to leave campus for special medical or mental health reasons. Such cases tend to occur only when a student poses a threat to self or others or is otherwise in a state that prohibits the student from being a functioning member of the College community. Students who are required to leave campus temporarily for medical or mental health reasons must provide, in addition to the Notification of Intent to Return form, written certification from a trained health professional before re-enrolling in courses.

Voluntary Withdrawal

A student in good academic standing may voluntarily withdraw from the College. The procedures and guidelines below constitute the only accepted method to formally and officially notify the College of a student’s intent to withdraw:

1. A student who wishes to voluntarily withdraw from the College must complete and sign the Notification of Voluntary Withdrawal, no later than the last day of classes for the semester. The voluntary withdrawal form is available on the registrar’s website at: www.trincoll.edu/registrar
2. The student must provide the last date they attended classes on the form. If the student intends to complete the current semester and then withdraw prior to the beginning of the next semester, the last date of class attendance is the last day of final examinations for the current semester.
3. Any traditional student who voluntarily withdraws must have a confidential exit interview with the Dean of Students (First Year Students meet with the Coordinator of the First Year Academic Experience). Students in Individualized Degree Program must meet with the director.
4. The student must submit the complete Notification of Voluntary Withdrawal to the Office of the Registrar.

Note: Completion of steps 1-4 constitute official notification to the College of withdrawal.

Further Guidelines for Leave of Absence and Voluntary Withdrawal

• Students who take a leave of absence or withdraw voluntarily while the semester is in progress may not participate in the academic and co-curricular activities of the College until their next semester of enrollment has begun.
• The date the Office of the Registrar receives a fully-completed Leave of Absence form or Notification of Voluntary Withdrawal is the date the College will record as having determined that the student has withdrawn. This date is recorded onto the student’s records within the Office of the Registrar, recorded permanently on the student’s record, and elsewhere within the College (i.e. Financial Aid Office, The Bantam Network Residential Learning Community, Office of Student Accounts, etc.).
• The date of withdrawal is the last date the student attended classes as indicated on the Leave of Absence form or Notification of Voluntary Withdrawal, or the last date of final examinations. This date is also recorded permanently on the student’s record and elsewhere within the College (i.e. Financial Aid Office, The Bantam Network Residential Learning Community, Office of Student Accounts, etc.)
  • If a student leaves the College while a semester is in progress without providing formal official notification of voluntary withdrawal, and the College determines that the student
    unofficially withdrew due to illness, accident, grievous personal loss or other circumstances beyond the student’s control, the College will determine the date of withdrawal or leave of absence according to the date of the applicable event.
  • If a student leaves the College while a semester is in progress without providing formal official notification of voluntary withdrawal, the Office of the Registrar will determine the date of withdrawal or leave of absence based on instructors’ attendance records and/or confirmation of an Academically Related Activity, or the midpoint of the semester if last date of attendance cannot be determined.
  • An Academically Related Activity includes submission of an academic assignment, taking an exam, interactive tutorial or computer instruction, attending a study group assigned by the instructor, participating in an online discussion about academic matters (including Moodle), and initiating contact with an instructor about an academic subject studied in a course in which the student is enrolled.
  • A student who takes a leave of absence or voluntarily withdraws from the College while the semester is in progress will receive the grade of W for each ungraded course in which they are enrolled and will be placed on Academic Probation. The student may request through the Office of Student and Community Life/Director of the Individualized Degree Program that the applicable faculty committee grant a waiver of Academic Probation if extenuating circumstances required the leave of absence or voluntary withdrawal.
  • A student who takes a leave of absence or voluntarily withdraws while on Academic Probation will automatically be placed on Required Withdrawal. A waiver from the applicable faculty committee may be granted due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control.
  • A student who submits a completed Leave of Absence form or Notification of Voluntary Withdrawal to the Office of the Registrar may rescind their intention to withdraw by submitting a written notice to the Office of the Registrar within 48 hours of submission of the original notification.
  • To return to the College from a leave of absence or voluntary withdrawal, a traditional student must notify the Registrar’s Office of the intention to return and submit a completed Notification of Intention to Return to Trinity College form, available on the Registrar’s website, not later than March 1 for return in the fall semester, and October 1 for return in the spring semester. The Registrar will confirm with the Office of Student and Community Life, Financial Aid Director, and Manager of Student Accounts and Loans that there is no academic, financial, or social restriction that would prevent a traditional student’s return to the College.

To return from a voluntary withdrawal, a student in the Individualized Degree Program must confer with the director.