JHU Leave of Absence Policy

There may be times when a Carey student needs to take a break from their academic work during the year. For any specific questions about taking a leave (including Required Leaves of Absence), visit the university Leave of Absence policy.

Applying for a Voluntary Leave of Absence

A Voluntary Leave of Absence (LOA) may be granted to Johns Hopkins Carey Business School students in appropriate circumstances following review of the student’s application from the LOA Committee.

Students seeking a voluntary LOA should speak with their academic advisor. Voluntary LOAs may be requested for appropriately documented reasons. These include medical issues, military service, political campaign participation, other personal opportunities, internship, or personal or financial hardship.

Voluntary LOAs are limited to one (1) academic year (two (2) consecutive academic semesters, for those JHU divisions that operate on a semester schedule), but Covered Students may apply for an extension of up to a full second year (two (2) additional consecutive academic semesters). LOAs may not be granted for more than two (2) years of academic terms in aggregate. Students who remain on leave for more than two (2) years will be considered to have withdrawn from their academic program and must apply to be reinstated to the University.

Students receiving financial aid and/or scholarships should contact the Office of Student Enrollment and Account Management with questions.

Following submission of a completed LOA application, students will be notified in writing of the approval or disapproval of their leave request.

Voluntary Leave of Absence Application

All students requesting a Voluntary LOA must complete the Application for a Student Leave of Absence. Additionally, students must submit supporting documentation based on the type of LOA and international citizenship.

Voluntary LOA Reasons	International Student	LOA Application	Personal Statement	OIS Email Notification
Financial Difficulty Personal or Family Hardship Other Personal Reasons	No	Yes	Yes	No
Financial Difficulty Personal or Family Hardship Other Personal Reasons	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Voluntary LOA Reasons	International Student	LOA Application	Letter or Verification from Armed Services	OIS Email Notification
Financial Difficulty Personal or Family Hardship Other Personal Reasons	No	Yes	Yes	No
Financial Difficulty Personal or Family Hardship Other Personal Reasons	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Voluntary LOA Reasons	International Student	LOA Application	Medical Provider Form	OIS Email Notification
Medical Condition	No	Yes	Yes	No
Medical Condition	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Return to Study

Students must complete the online reinstatement application to return from a Voluntary LOA. The form must be accompanied by documentation (from one of the sources below) that explains what progress has taken place in the student’s absence that would enable them to be successful upon return. Students must submit a complete reinstatement application with all required supplement documentation in order for their application to be reviewed and approved.

If a student fails to return from an approved LOA and fails to timely respond to the University’s attempt to contact them, the student will be removed from their program of study. Students applying to return to study should refer to the following academic timeline:

Semester of Return	Earliest Submission	Latest Submission
Fall 1 or 2	March 15	August 1
Intersession	October 15	December 1
Spring 1 or 2	October 15	January 1
Summer	March 15	May 1

Voluntary LOA Reasons	Return from Leave Request Form	Personal Statement
Financial Difficulty Personal or Family Hardship Other Personal Reasons	Yes	Yes

Voluntary LOA Reasons	Return from Leave Request Form	Letter or Verification from Armed Services
Financial Difficulty Personal or Family Hardship Other Personal Reasons	Yes	Yes

Voluntary LOA Reasons	Return from Leave Request Form	Medical Provider Form	Questionnaire for MLOA Return	Release of Health Information
Medical Condition	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Extension Request for Voluntary Leave of Absence

Voluntary LOAs are limited to one (1) academic year but students may apply for an extension of up to a full second year. All students requesting an Extended Voluntary LOA must complete the Leave Extension Request Form. Additionally, students must submit supporting documentation based on the type of LOA and international citizenship.

Voluntary LOA Extension Reasons	International Student	LOA Extension Request Form	Personal Statement	OIS Email Notification
Financial Difficulty Personal or Family Hardship Other Personal Reasons	No	Yes	Yes	No
Financial Difficulty Personal or Family Hardship Other Personal Reasons	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Voluntary LOA Extension Reasons	International Student	LOA Extension Request Form	Letter or Verification from Armed Services	OIS Email Notification
Financial Difficulty Personal or Family Hardship Other Personal Reasons	No	Yes	Yes	No
Financial Difficulty Personal or Family Hardship Other Personal Reasons	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Voluntary Medical LOA Extension Reason	International Student	LOA Extension Request Form	Medical Provider Form	OIS Email Notification
Medical Condition	No	Yes	Yes	No
Medical Condition	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

LOAs may not be granted for more than two (2) years of academic terms in aggregate. Students who remain on leave for more than two (2) years will be considered to have withdrawn from their academic program and must apply to be reinstated to the University.

International Students

International students in F-1/J-1 visa status must contact the Office of International Services (OIS) by emailing ois@jhu.edu prior to submitting the University Leave Request Form. OIS will advise you on the implications to your immigration status, the departure timeline once your leave of absence is in effect, and the necessary steps to take with our office once you are ready to return from your LOA. International students must attach a copy of that email communication as a supplemental document when submitting the University Leave Request Form.

Questions

General information about LOAs can be found in the university Leave of Absence policy. Students with specific LOA questions can reach out to their academic advisor. If you’re not sure who your advisor is, visit Finding Your Advisor.

JHU Leave of Absence Policy

Office of Student Affairs