Leave of Absence and Stop Out Policy

Undergraduate and graduate students may need to interrupt their enrollment for a period of time, for a variety of reasons. Guided by federal student financial aid guidelines, Bay Path University defines two types of interrupted enrollment: Leave of Absence and Stop Out. This policy does not apply to absences from class(s) for short-term reasons, including but not limited to illness.

Related policies on course withdrawals, refunds and withdrawal from the University should be reviewed and considered by a student contemplating a leave of absence.

Leave of Absence

A student who is in good standing with the University and needs to interrupt enrollment may be eligible for an approved Leave of Absence (LOA). Students on an approved LOA are eligible for student loan repayment deferment and are generally guaranteed re-enrollment immediately following the end of the LOA. An approved leave of absence will be granted only in the following circumstances:

Serious student medical problems
Pregnancy
Death or serious illness of an immediate family member
Military duty (see section on military leaves of absence).

Students seeking a leave of absence must obtain and fully complete the Enrollment Status Change Form available on the Student tab in the portal. The following conditions apply to an approved leave of absence:

Students must be in good conduct and academic standing and meet satisfactory academic progress standards at the time of the request.
The Enrollment Status Change Form must be completed in full, including the period of time for the leave of absence, the specific date of return, the reason for the leave and the student’s signature.
The total duration of all leaves may not exceed a total of 180 days in a 12-month period. If the student does not return within the time agreed upon and has not contacted the University, s/he will be administratively withdrawn from the University within 24 hours of the end of the approved leave of absence.
Students are required to submit appropriate documentation for the reason requesting the approved leave of absence with their Enrollment Status Change Form. Enrollment Status Change Form submitted without appropriate documentation will not be approved. All documentation will be kept confidential and private consistent with the terms of this policy and the business needs of the University.
Contemporaneously with the leave request, students must discuss their leave of absence with their academic advisor and the appropriate divisional representative (the Director of Advising and Retention for traditional and graduate students and the Deputy Chief Learning Officer for the American Women’s College). Exceptions must be authorized in writing and will only be made under extraordinary extenuating circumstances as determined by the University.
Contemporaneously with the leave request, students receiving financial aid must discuss the proposed leave of absence with a representative from the Student Financial Services Office to determine the impact on student financial aid. Exceptions must be authorized in writing and will only be made under extraordinary extenuating circumstances as determined by the University.
Students on an approved leave of absence will have a maximum of 48 hours to vacate the residence hall and campus. Exceptions must be authorized in writing and will only be made under extraordinary extenuating circumstances as determined by the University.
Students on an approved leave of absence may not attend classes, participate as a member of a student organization (including athletics) or be on campus for any reason without prior written permission from the Director of Advising and Retention, in consultation with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.

International students are eligible to take an LOA due to medical reasons. Students must obtain appropriate medical documentation recommending the LOA for medical reasons and must notify the SEVIS Coordinator at Bay Path University. Students who remain in the United States without obtaining advanced approval for medical LOA will be considered out of status for their international student status. International students who take a non-medical leave of absence, withdraw voluntarily or are suspended or required to withdraw from the University are required to leave the United States within 15 days of this action. The only exception to these rules is a medical leave of absence.

Financial Aid Implications of a Leave of Absence

Financial aid recipients considering a leave of absence should be aware of the implications to their financial aid. Students approved for a leave of absence are eligible to have their student loans deferred for the period of the leave. Students who do not meet the above criteria for a leave of absence are not eligible for an in-school loan deferment status, which means that repayment of the loans will be required if enrollment status falls below half-time.

Financial aid awarded, but not used, prior to a leave of absence is not carried over if the student returns to full-time enrollment at the conclusion of the leave of absence. Students must re-apply for aid following an approved leave of absence, according to the policies and procedures applicable to that period as determined by the Student Financial Services Office.

For purposes of administering federal financial aid, a student who is receiving Title IV financial aid funds and is not granted a leave of absence based upon the above guidelines will be considered as withdrawn from Bay Path University (for financial aid purposes only).

Student Loan Repayment of a Leave of Absence

If students are on a leave of absence from the University and do not meet the above criteria, their lender or federal loan service agency will move their loan from an in-school status to a grace or repayment status as required. While on a leave of absence, students may be able to postpone repayment by obtaining a deferment or forbearance from their loan servicer(s) as a result of unemployment or economic hardship. Students should contact their loan servicer(s) for more information about loan repayment. Students may review their federal loan history and determine their loan service agencies by visiting the National Student Loan Data System website at https://studentaid.gov. Once they re-enroll on a half-time or greater basis, they may be able to request deferment for “in-school” status.

Military Leave of Absence

The following options exist for a student called to active duty in the military during an academic semester. The student may select one of the first three options and option four, if applicable, by immediately contacting their academic advisor or the Registrar’s Office. The student must also file written verification of the activation order as soon as it becomes available with the Registrar at Bay Path University.

A student can take the grade they have earned to date in a class provided that a sufficient number of class meetings have passed and both student and faculty member agree to this option. The number of class meetings will be determined according to the format of the program and the requirements of the course(s) and/or program. A student selecting this option will not be refunded any tuition or fees and will have their grade processed in the normal manner at the end of the semester with appropriate credits and grade awarded. This option will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
A student can elect to have an I (Incomplete) grade recorded at the end of the semester provided that a limited number of class meetings remain and both student and faculty member agree to this option. A student intending to remove the I grade will have up to 90 days from completion of active duty to remove the I grade. Faculty of students electing the I option must place on file with their academic advisor or the Registrar’s Office a specific course completion requirements for each student. A student not completing the course work within the 90-day period after active duty may need to repeat the course; in this case, unless there are extenuating circumstances that extend the course completion time, the I grade would be treated as an F, and the student will not be refunded any tuition or fees. If as a direct result of military duty, the student becomes physically or psychologically (as determined by a physician) incapable of completing the coursework, a full refund will be made, and a grade of W (military leave) will be awarded.
A student can elect to withdraw from one or more courses with a grade of W (military leave) at any time during the semester by informing the Registrar’s Office. A student electing this option will have their tuition refunded or credited, whichever is deemed appropriate, without credits awarded. A resident student may at any time during the semester be released from their contractual obligations for room and board. Room and board charges will be refunded for the unused portion of the contract on a pro rata basis.

Return from a Leave of Absence

At least six weeks prior to the start of the semester, the student must contact by email the Registrar’s Office stating their intention to re-enroll at the end of the approved leave of absence. Students intending to reside on campus must also contact the Assistant Dean of Students. Students returning from a medical leave must provide Health Services with appropriate documentation from their health care provider indicating their readiness to return to the University with or without accommodations.

Contemporaneously with the request to re-enroll, students must contact Student Financial Services to discuss financial aid and payment options. Failure to follow these procedures within the designated time period may result in the denial of re-enrollment.

Stop Out

A student who is not eligible for an approved leave of absence, but leaves the University with the intention of returning at a later time, will be considered a Stop Out.

Students seeking a Stop Out must obtain and fully complete the Enrollment Status Change Form, available from the Registrar’s Office. The following conditions apply to a Stop Out:

Students must be in good conduct and academic standing and meet satisfactory academic progress standards at the time of the request.
The Enrollment Status Change Form must be completed in full, including the period of time for the stop out, the specific date of return, the reason for enrollment interruption and the student’s signature.
Contemporaneously with the stop out request, students must discuss their proposed enrollment interruption with their academic advisor and the appropriate divisional representative (the Director of Advising and Retention for traditional and graduate students and the Deputy Chief Learning Officer for the American Women’s College). Exceptions must be authorized in writing and will only be made under extraordinary extenuating circumstances as determined by the University.
Contemporaneously with the stop out request, students receiving financial aid must discuss the proposed enrollment interruption with a representative from the Student Financial Services Office to determine the impact on student aid. Exceptions must be authorized in writing and will only be made under extraordinary extenuating circumstances as determined by the University.

Financial Aid Implications of a Stop Out

Financial aid recipients considering a stop out should be aware of the implications to their financial aid. Students on a Stop Out are not eligible for an in-school loan deferment status, which means that repayment of the loans will be required if enrollment status falls below halftime.

For purposes of administering federal financial aid, a student who is receiving Title IV financial aid funds and is not granted an approved leave of absence based upon the Leave of Absence policy will be considered as withdrawn from Bay Path University (for financial aid purposes only).

Student Loan Repayment of a Stop Out

If students are on a Stop Out, a lender or federal loan service agency will move their loan from an in-school status to a grace or repayment status as required. Students may be able to postpone repayment by obtaining a deferment or forbearance from their loan servicer(s) as a result of unemployment or economic hardship. Students should contact their loan servicer(s) for more information about loan repayment. Students may review their federal loan history and determine their loan service agencies by visiting the National Student Loan Data System website at https://studentaid.gov. Once they re-enroll on a half-time or greater basis, they may be able to request deferment for “in-school” status.