A student may choose to take a leave of absence (LOA) for a variety of reasons. The benefit of a leave of absence is that you remain affiliated with the university while not actively enrolled in classes. There are no charges for a leave of absence, and leave can be from one semester to two calendar years.

Students should consider several items when considering a leave of absence:

  • What will you do with your time?
  • Would less than full-time status (taking one or two units) help you make progress with your academic goals and allow you to be successful? Consult Student Financial Services (sfs@pugetsound.edu) about your tuition and financial aid situation.
  • Some courses are offered only once an academic year, and taking a semester off may alter specific courses.

Additional policy implications to consider:

Financial Aid

  • Review the Tuition Adjustment policy to understand the impact the financial ramification to billing and financial aid.
  • If you have borrowed federal loans in the past, your loans may go into repayment during your time away from classes. Consult Student Financial Services (sfs@pugetsound.edu) about your situation.
  • There may be scholarship implications if you have an endowed departmental scholarship or scholarship based on performance (music, etc.). Please consult the specific department.

Transfer of coursework

  • If you would like to take courses elsewhere and transfer them back to Puget Sound, you must get those courses pre-approved for credit. Please visit our transfer credit page for complete information.
  • International study during a leave of absence will not transfer unless your permanent address is outside the United States. International students who want to take classes in their home country should consult our transfer credit page for complete information.

International Students and Programs

Students should consider these items above and discuss their plans with their advisor or an advisor in the Office of Academic Advising and Fellowships. If a student decides to take a leave, they should complete the Leave Of Absence Google Form to initiate the leave of absence process.

The complete Leave of Absence Policy is available in the policy section of the current university Bulletin. Students are responsible for the information outlined in the LOA policy and should review carefully.