Leave of Absence
Military Leave of Absence
A student may request a leave of absence to fulfill a military service obligation at any time, and the leave will be granted upon submission of the Leave of Absence form and appropriate documentation. Students will be held to the withdrawal dates and tuition refund and credit policy, but are eligible to file an appeal (instructions are on the appeal process are online under Withdrawing from a Course | Wilmington University (wilmu.edu)). Any student who receives a military leave of absence will be entitled to return to the Wilmington University School of Law within a reasonable time after discharge from service or deployment.
Leaves of Absence for Any Other Reason
Students must take a formal leave of absence for any required term in which they are not enrolled. A student who wishes to take a leave of absence for any reason other than military service must submit a Leave of Absence form and any documentation supporting the request (e.g., documentation from a medical provider). Leaves of absence will be granted for first-year students only in extraordinary circumstances. The course sequencing for all students may be affected by the length of the leave.
An initial leave of absence request may be granted for no more than one year. An extension may be granted with additional documentation and approval of the Associate Dean for Academics.
A student who wishes to return from a leave of absence must notify the Associate Dean for Academics in writing before the date designated when the leave was granted. Failure to submit notification of the intent to return in a timely manner will result in withdrawal from the law school. The School of Law and/or University may request documentation, where appropriate, of the student’s ability to resume studies (e.g., documentation from medical provider). Returning students must comply with all required documentation.
Financial Impact of Leave of Absence and Billing Appeal
Students who request a leave of absence must comply with all financial aid rules with respect to any loan monies they may have received. Students will be held to the withdrawal dates and tuition refund and credit policy. In certain circumstances, students may have grounds to appeal for a withdrawal after the established deadline. Students who fall under this category and have documented circumstances that warrant further consideration must go through an appeals process. A committee will review the requests on a bi-monthly basis; the decision of this committee is final. The reasons for appeal review are as follows:
- Serious illness (physical or psychological) or injury to the student that precludes the student from completing the term.
- Death of a member of the student’s immediate family that prevents the student from completing the term.
- Serious illness or injury to a member of the student’s immediate family that requires the student to be the primary caregiver to the family member and prevents the student from completing the term.
- Military orders that require reporting between the withdrawal deadline and the end of the term and prevent the student from completing the term.
- Employment situation that precludes a student from attending class (e.g. schedule change).
Instructions are on the appeal process are online under Withdrawing from a Course | Wilmington University (wilmu.edu).