Voluntary Leave of Absence
Students who wish to be out of attendance from the Tisch School of the Arts for one semester or one academic year may apply for an official leave of absence. Because a leave interrupts progress toward the degree and may interrupt professional training, it is granted only for a good cause. A leave of absence maintains a student's status as accepted and matriculated toward the degree. Being absent from school without an official leave, even for one semester, has the effect of invalidating acceptance towards the degree, forcing the student to re-apply for admission.Applying for a Leave of Absence
A student contemplating a leave of absence should begin by discussing the matter with his/her department advisor. To officially request a leave, the student must submit a Leave of Absence Request Form to his/her department chair along with a written explanation of the reasons for the leave and its duration. The Leave of Absence Request Form may be obtained from the Tisch departments, from the Student Affairs Office, or the download can be found on the right side of this page. If the department chair feels the leave is justified, s/he will forward the request to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for approval. A request for a leave for medical reasons must be accompanied by a note from a health care provider and will require additional approval from Counseling and Behavioral Health Services and/or the Medical Services Division of the Student Health Center. A leave is official only after the student receives final written approval from the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.The student should be aware that a leave of absence may affect financial aid, University housing, and future student status. Students should discuss these ramifications with the appropriate offices before applying for a leave. You may find links to some of these offices on the right hand side of the page. While on leave, students are responsible for meeting all financial aid and housing deadlines relevant to returning students. Students receiving federal loans (SSL, SLS, and Perkins) should note that a leave of absence does not certify one as an enrolled student for the purpose of loan deferral. There is a separate leave of absence procedure for those seeking to register off-campus during their leave and this form can be found by clicking here.
As a general rule, a leave of absence must be requested prior to the first day of classes of the semester. Requests for leaves after this date will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. A leave will usually not be granted after the end of the third week of classes. This marks the conclusion of the dropp/add period, after which a student withdrawing for the term receives grades of W in all courses. The grade of Incomplete is not possible for a student on leave, and the student is not permitted to make up work for courses after a W is assigned, as it is a terminal grade. If a student is granted a leave after the semester has begun, the same graduated refund schedule applying to withdrawal from classes is in effect. For the graduated refund schedule and policies, click here. The refund schedule is strictly enforced.
Extending a Leave
The normal time limit for a leave is one academic year (or two consecutive semesters) in total. To request an extension of a leave, the student must write to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Be sure to include the reasons for the extension and the time period involved. An extension of the leave may be granted for good cause, but for no longer than an additional two consecutive semesters.
Returning from a Personal or Financial Leave
Students must notify the Office of Student Affairs of their intention to return from a leave of absence at least six weeks prior to the registration period for the semester of their intended return. In order to do this, the student must fill out a Return from Leave of Absence form for personal or financial leaves which can be obtained from the student's department, the Office of Student Affairs, or downloaded on the right hand side of this page and then send it in to the Office of Student Affairs. The student will then be reactivated in the Student Information System and permitted to register for courses.
Returning from a Medical Leave of Absence
If the reason for the leave was medical or psychological, the student must fill out the Return from Leave of Absence form for medical leaves, found to the right, and also provide a letter from his/her health care provider confirming that the student has been in treatment since leaving the University. Once these documents have been received, the student will be provisionally reactivated in the Student Information System and be permitted to register for courses.
No later than one month prior to the beginning of classes, the student must have his/her health care provider complete a "Certificate of Fitness to Return", which can be found on the right hand side of this page, and make an appointment to be assessed (at no charge to the student) by the Director of Counseling and Behavioral Health Services (or his/her designee) and/or the Medical Director of the Student Health Center (or his/her designee), who will provide a recommendation to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs regarding the student's fitness to return. If the student has not completed these steps by the first day of classes, his/her provisional reinstatement will be revoked and he/she will be de-enrolled from courses.
Appeal of a Decision Denying Re-enrollment
A student may appeal a decision denying re-enrollment to the Provost (or the Provost's designee) in writing within ten business days (excluding weekends and federal and state holidays) of receiving the decision. The Provost shall review the record and any additional information submitted by the student and render a decision within ten business days (excluding weekends and federal and state holidays) of receiving the appeal. The Provost's decision shall be final. The Provost may extend the time limits set forth above as necessary.Involuntary Leave of Absence
The Tisch School of the Arts/New York University may place a student on an involuntary leave of absence from that student's academic program when that student: 1) poses a direct threat to the health and safety of self or others; and 2) is not able or not willing to take a voluntary leave of absence.
Process of Being Placed on an Involuntary Leave
When an involuntary leave is under consideration, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs will consult with necessary University officials. A psychological and/or medical evaluation may be required and completed by Counseling and Behavioral Health Services and/or the Medical Services Division of the Student Health Center if the conduct giving rise to the involuntary leave was caused by a medical or psychological condition. The student will be asked to provide relevant medical and/or psychological information from his or her health care provider.
Following the review of a completed psychological and/or medical evaluation and upon consideration of the recommendations made by any of the above necessary University officials, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs will make a decision about the leave. The student will be informed in writing of the decision and, if a leave of absence is mandated, the terms and conditions of the leave and re-enrollment.
Duration of Involuntary Leave
A student placed on an involuntary leave must be on leave for no fewer than one full academic semester (excluding the semester in which the student is required to leave) and no longer that two full academic semesters. An extension of the leave period may be granted for a good cause.Appeal of an Involuntary Leave Decision
A student who is placed on an involuntary leave may appeal the decision to the Provost (or the Provost's designee) within three business days (excluding weekends and federal and state holidays) of the decision. The appeal should be made in writing and should set forth the basis for the appeal. The Provost has ten business days from receipt of the appeal (excluding weekends and federal and state holidays) to affirm or reverse the decision, which is then considered final. The Provost may extend the time limits set forth above as necessary.
