Leave of Absence

Undergraduate Students

A Leave of Absence allows degree-seeking undergraduate students who have registered for and completed university credit classes to request an extension of their enrollment eligibility for a maximum period of seven consecutive semesters (including summers) without the need to apply for readmission to the University of Utah upon their return.

Applications for a leave of absence may be granted for reasons including, but not limited to, illness (personal or familial), military service, humanitarian or religious service, or participation in a University of Utah sponsored program.

How to File a Leave of Absence

A Leave of Absence request must be submitted by the student before the applicable deadline date to be granted an approved absence from the university. The deadline to submit a Leave of Absence request is the last day to add or drop second-half courses of the semester the student will not or has not enrolled in. The specific date of this deadline can be found on the academic calendars webpage.

To submit a Leave of Absence request, please follow the steps below: 

• Log onto Campus Information Services
• Click on the "Academic Records" tile on the Student Homepage
• Click the "Undergraduate Leave of Absence" link on the left-hand menu
• Complete and submit the request form*

*The Office of the Registrar does not require supporting documentation to submit a Leave of Absence request.

The Office of the Registrar will respond to a Leave of Absence request via Umail within a reasonable amount of time.

Students applying for a Leave of Absence should speak with their academic advisor for helpful suggestions of course selection, tasks to complete before leaving, and things to do upon returning to the university.

It is the student's responsibility to register for classes their returning semester. If the student needs to extend their Leave of Absence, they will need to resubmit an updated Leave of Absence request (following the instructions above) before the deadline, which is the Friday of the eighth week of the term they initially intended to return. If a student does not register for the returning term requested or resubmit a Leave of Absence request, they must apply for admission as a returning student to the University of Utah through the Office of Admissions. 

Below are a few scenarios when a student would or would not need to submit a Leave of Absence request to avoid being discontinued and lose enrollment eligibility:

• A continuing student enrolled in spring semester is not enrolled in summer classes, but will be returning for the upcoming fall term will not be discontinued.
• A continuing student enrolled spring semester (summer excluded) and does not submit a Leave of Absence or enroll by the add/drop deadline of the second half session of the fall semester will be discontinued.
• A continuing student enrolled fall semester and does not submit a Leave of Absence or enroll by the add/drop deadline of the second half session of the spring semester will be discontinued.
• A continuing student enters summer term and does not submit a Leave of Absence or enroll by the add/drop deadline of the second half session of the fall semester will be discontinued.

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International Undergraduate Students:

International students on a F1 or J1 visa taking a vacation semester or a medically necessary reduced course load of zero (0) credits must obtain permission from International Student & Scholar Services prior to submitting the International Undergraduate Student Request for Leave of Absence form. Vacation semesters for international students will only be approved for one semester. Medically necessary reduced course loads are approved for one semester at a time, and may be extended through the International Center for an additional semester to a maximum of three (3) semesters (one (1) academic year).

International Undergraduate Leave of Absence Form (PDF)

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Graduate Students

Officially admitted domestic graduate students who have registered for and completed university credit class(es) may request a leave of absence to postpone their studies for up to one (1) year. The request must be approved by the student’s supervisory committee and/or the Department Chair/Director of Graduate Studies.

International Students on a F1 or J1 visa taking a vacation semester or a medically necessary reduced course load of zero (0) credits must obtain permission from the International Student & Scholar Services prior to submitting a Leave of Absence.  Vacation Semesters for international students will only be approved for one semester. Medically necessary reduced course loads are approved for one semester at a time, and may be extended through the International Student & Scholar Services for an additional semester to a maximum of three (3) semester (one (1) academic year).

Graduate Leave of Absence Form (PDF)

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Undergraduate Student Deferment of Admission

Newly accepted freshman, transfer, or readmitted degree-seeking undergraduate students who wish to defer their start date to a later semester may apply for an admission deferment. For more information on the deferment process, please visit the Office of Admissions Deferment Policy webpage.

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Graduate Student Deferment of Admission

Graduate students may only defer admission with the permission and support of the academic program to which they have been admitted. Admitted graduate students interested in deferring their start at the university must contact their academic program for more information.

Registration and Records

Student Services Building,
2nd Floor, Window 13

Email: registration@utah.edu

Office Hours

Mon 8am-5pm
Tue 10am-5pm
Wed 8am-5pm
Thu 8am-5pm
Fri 8am-5pm

Mailing Address:

Registration and Records
201 S 1460 E Rm 250N
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9056

Phone: (801) 581-5808
Fax: (801) 585-7860