A leave of absence is a temporary break in a student’s attendance during which s/he is considered to be continuously enrolled.

1. A student must request the leave of absence in writing in advance of the beginning date of the leave of absence, unless unforeseen circumstances prevent the student from doing so.
If a student does not request a leave of absence within a timeframe consistent with the school’s consecutive absence policy, s/he must be withdrawn.

2. A student enrolled under an F-1 visa may be granted leaves of absence or Short term absence in accordance with the regulation of the Department of Homeland Security and the following guidelines.
(a) in emergency situations such as a serious illness or a death in the immediate family.
(b) Length and frequency of leave of absence should not impede student progress and should be reasonable within the context of the school’s curriculum.
(c) an extended absence whether it be for a leave of absence or short term absence may require retesting upon reentry into the program.
The student must have an interview with the School Director upon their return date.
The School Director will determine whether the student is required to take a re-entry test during the interview.

3. The student must sign and date the leave of absence request and specify a reason for the leave.
The reason must be specified in order for the school to have reasonable expectation of the student’s return within the timeframe of the leave of absence as requested.

4. The student must attest to understanding the procedures and implications for returning or failing to return to his/her course of study.

5. The leave of absence must not exceed five months, consistent with federal requirements.

6. The school does not assess the student any additional charges as a result of the leave of absence.

7. An approved leave of absence may be extended for an additional period of time provided that the extension request meets all of the above requirements, and the total length of the leave of absence does not exceed the specified limit , as item #2 and #3.