Taking a leave of absence can have financial implications. If you are considering a leave of absence, please consider the following:
Your University Merit Scholarship
- Generally requires that you maintain continuous, full-time enrollment (defined as enrolling in 12 or more credits per semester as an undergraduate), and a 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA or better.
- You may take an approved leave of absence for up to 2 consecutive semesters and retain merit scholarship eligibility provided that you continue to meet all other eligibility requirements.
- Leave of absence requests must be fully approved and processed before the start of classes for the semester.
- If considering, you should contact your School or College Student Services Office to discuss taking a leave of absence and to initiate the necessary application.
- Only semesters in which you actually receive a scholarship payment count toward the 8 semester maximum scholarship eligibility limit.
Your Financial Aid
- If you take a leave for Spring 2021, your spring financial aid will be canceled.
- Financial aid is re-evaluated annually based on the each academic year's FAFSA. Be sure to submit the 2021-2022 FAFSA by the priority deadline of February 1, 2021. 2021-2022 financial aid award offers for returning students will be available starting in June 2021 once all requested information has been submitted and reviewed.
- If you previously borrowed student loans - Federal student loans or private educational loans, you should contact your loan servicer to discuss how a leave would impact your loan repayment.
- Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Student Loans have a one-time, 6-month grace period.
- Students who have not previously used their grace period will likely use the grace period during any leave of absence and may enter repayment on existing loans.
- Private loan repayment terms vary from lender to lender.
- Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Student Loans have a one-time, 6-month grace period.