On-Leave Status: Graduate Students

In order to retain status in any given quarter, graduate students must either register for courses or request on-leave status.* U.S. students must have completed at least one quarter of graduate study before they are eligible to go on leave. International students must have completed at least three consecutive full-time quarters before they are eligible to go on leave, and must have permission from International Student Services.

* Summer is an exception to this rule: registration is not required unless students hold an RA/TA position or plan to graduate, and on-leave status is automatic provided that students were registered or on leave during the preceding spring quarter.

Students may submit an online Request for On-Leave Status. For any given quarter, students may submit the request as early as two weeks prior to the beginning of the quarter and no later than the last day of instruction for the quarter. Students must also submit the $25 on-leave fee by the last day of instruction for the quarter. Leave is granted on a quarterly basis, with very limited exceptions. 

Students should note that if they already registered for the quarter, they must officially withdraw before the first day of the quarter (at 225 Schmitz or on MyUW) to be eligible to go on leave. Students cannot go on leave for the quarter if they have already registered and the quarter has already begun; however, students who have been registered for even one day of a quarter are deemed to have status for the quarter and will be eligible to register for classes or apply for on-leave for the following quarter (e.g. spring enables registration for summer or autumn).

While on leave, students are permitted to use the UW Library and may retain use of their UW email accounts, but generally are not entitled to other services at the UW. 

Consult the Graduate School's On-Leave Status Policy for complete information.