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Undergraduate Leave of Absence Policy
A leave of absence may be granted to undergraduate students for reasons related to:
Such a leave must be requested on a term-by-term basis and may be granted for a period of up to 52 weeks. A leave of absence request should be submitted to your faculty Advising or Student Affairs Office along with appropriate documentation. Refer to specific instructions on your faculty website.
Students who are granted such a leave will have "leave of absence" recorded on their transcript.
No tuition fees will be charged for the duration of the authorized leave. During a leave of absence, you maintain an active student ID card and have access to McGill mail and use of the libraries. You are not permitted to register for courses or to participate in student internships or undergraduate research. You may not normally attend another academic institution; exceptions may be requested for professional development. Faculties may request documentation of a student's readiness to resume studies; they will apply "withdrawn" status after one year of approved leave of absence if the student has not returned to the University.
- Personal objectives, such as travel or time off, and financial matters are not grounds for a leave of absence.
- Normally, a student shall be in Satisfactory Standing when requesting a leave of absence; exceptions may apply and will be determined by the faculty and, if applicable, the professional program.
- Since students on a leave of absence pay no fees, the Student Services are not available; however, an opt-in option is available at the usual rate.
- Students who are eligible for scholarship renewal will not have scholarship monies transferred to their account while they are on leave of absence but will maintain eligibility for renewal upon registration in subsequent terms.
- Terms and conditions vary among loan and bursary providers; student consultation with an adviser in Scholarships and Student Aid is recommended.
- Professional programs may impose constraints to application of the undergraduate leave of absence policy due to accreditation requirements or placement limitations.
- International students are advised to contact International Student Services (ISS) regarding individual circumstances.
If you need to take a leave of absence because of pregnancy or because you need to care for a dependant, please consult Academic Accommodation of Pregnant Students and Students Caring for Dependants.
