Leave of Absence

A student who wishes to take a voluntary leave of absence from Suffolk University Law School must submit a completed Voluntary Leave of Absence Form, to the Dean of Students Office.

Voluntary Leave of Absence:

If a student is currently unable to continue the study of law, the student may take a leave of absence for up to one academic year. A voluntary leave requires the submission of the Voluntary Leave of Absence Form to the Dean of Students Office. If the Leave is for medical/psychological reasons, the student must support the request with medical documentation and, at the conclusion of the Leave of Absence, will be required to submit medical documentation to confirm the student’s ability to return to school. The documentation supporting a return to school will be reviewed by the Leave of Absence Committee, comprised of the Dean of Students, the Associate Dean of Students and one Law School Associate Dean. Additional Law School or University Administrators will be added to the committee if and when appropriate. The Leave of Absence Committee may consult with the Director of University Health and Wellness (or designee) if and when it deems appropriate to do so.

As a general matter, a student will not be permitted to resume his or her studies unless the Leave of Absence Committee is satisfied that the student has the ability to complete law school and has the judgment and integrity to function as a member of the profession. For example, the Leave of Absence Committee must be satisfied that the problems which precipitated the leave are resolved and that the student is able to handle all of the physical or emotional stress, as applicable, of attending law school, and that there is no significant risk of danger to the student or others or of disruption to the Law School or University environment. The Leave of Absence Committee may require the student to make available relevant health records, to permit the Leave of Absence Committee to communicate directly with the student’s physicians or counselors, and, in appropriate circumstances, to undergo additional medical/psychological evaluation.

Reentry may be conditional. For example, a student may be required to engage in regular and ongoing medical, psychiatric or psychological treatment when specifically related to the conditions giving rise to the leave if the Leave of Absence Committee believes that, without such ongoing treatment, the individual will not be able to function effectively as a student or will pose a significant risk to the health or safety of himself or others or a significant risk of disruption to the Law School or University environment. If the Leave of Absence Committee determines that the student will not be permitted to return to the Law School, the decision may be appealed to the Dean of the Law School (or his/her designee). The Dean’s decision (or that of his/her designee) will be final.

No student may take a voluntary leave of absence after the examination period begins or while consideration of his or her academic standing is pending. A student granted a leave of absence is entitled to return to the Law School at the end of the term of the leave without reapplying for admission after this period. A leave of absence will be granted to a first year student only under extraordinary circumstances.

Access to the following services will be deactivated within 10 calendar days of approval of leave of absence:

Locker: prior to removal of contents please contact a staff member of the Office of Academic Services for assistance. Contents not removed within 10 calendar days of approval of the leave of absence will be considered abandoned property and will be confiscated by the Law School.

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*)

First Name:*

Last Name:*

Student ID Number:*

Phone Number:*

Email Address:*

Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Select all that apply:

Day or Evening:*

Day

Evening

Class:*

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

LLM

Dual Degree

Receiving Veteran's Benefits:

Yes

No

Visa Status: (International Students):

Have you attended class in the current semester/summer session?*

Yes

No

Will you complete the current semester/summer session?*

Yes

No

Academic Year of Leave:*

Semester of Leave:*

Fall

Spring

Fall & Spring

Have you received any financial assistance from Suffolk University?*

Yes

No

(If yes, refer to IMPORTANT information at the bottom of this page)

Students requesting a withdrawal after a semester begins will be assessed tuition charges in accordance with the Tuition Refund Percentage established by the Office of the Bursar.
Form Submitted by:	Fall/Spring
Prior to the first day of classes:	0%
1st 8 days	75%
Day 9 - Day 15	50%
Day 16 - Day 22	25%
Day 23 and after	0%

Reason for Leave:*

Personal

Military

Medical

Employment

Transfer Out (enter school below)

Current Course Withdrawal:

(only applicable if you are registered for classes that are currently in session.)

Enrolled Courses:

Sections:

Faculty Members:

Last Dates of Attendance:

By signing this form, I acknowledge that I have read the information on the reverse side of this form regarding a voluntary leave of absence. I understand that withdrawing from the Law School may result in me owing money to Suffolk University for tuition and may result in my student loans entering repayment.

Signature:*

Locker Number:

Have the contents been removed?

Yes

No

Information for Financial Aid Recipients:

The Office of Financial Aid is required to recalculate federal student aid eligibility for students who withdraw, drop out, are dismissed, or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60% of a semester. In some cases, federal loans already disbursed to the student may need to be returned to the lender. This could result in an outstanding tuition balance owed to Suffolk University. Students with federal student loans are required by the federal government to complete exit counseling upon their departure from Suffolk University Law School. Exit counseling information is available on the Office of Financial Aid’s website at https://www.suffolk.edu/law/admission/tuition-aid/policies/enrollment-change-withdrawal-leave-of-absence. Federal loans will enter their grace or repayment periods as of the effective date of withdrawal.

Note that a voluntary leave of absence is treated as a withdrawal for federal student aid purposes. This means that federal loans will enter their grace or repayment periods during the voluntary leave of absence. In addition, a student must complete exit counseling when taking a voluntary leave of absence. To receive financial aid in future semesters, students must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress, must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0, and must have earned at least 67% of cumulative attempted credits at each point satisfactory academic progress is measured. Please see the Office of Financial Aid for further information.