The Ins and Outs of Taking a Leave of Absence at CU
What is a leave of absence?
Basically, a leave of absence (also known as an L.O.A.) is an enrollment action available to most undergraduate students. Following your last graded semester, a leave of absence allows a student to take up to two semesters plus summer off from school (i.e. zero credit hours) without serious penalty. While deferred, you can also apply for optional CU benefits, which can preserve both your access to campus facilities and your eligibility for university jobs/organizations. This, in turn, maintains your status as an “active student” despite taking zero credit hours.
One thing worth noting is that an L.O.A. will not automatically defer your loans, financial aid, or work study; you must speak with those entities separately for acceptance. Make sure you have all of that figured out before taking any time off from school!
Who is eligible for a leave of absence?
Most CU Boulder students are automatically eligible for an L.O.A. and can return to the university within 1 to 3 terms (including summer) from your last graded semester without having to reapply through Admissions. The only requirement is that you be in good academic standing; after all, you will need your educational department to approve your L.O.A. Any student ordered to active duty or to state/national emergency relief is also perfectly eligible.
On the flip side, if you’re a new, readmitted or transfer student and you drop all classes by the first drop deadline, you’re not eligible to take a leave of absence.
How do I take a leave of absence?
Believe it or not, taking a leave of absence is quite simple. First, you must submit a withdrawal form and then complete a leave of absence application. The leave of absence application is optional for undergraduate students; you do not need to complete it to defer, but you do need to complete it if you would like to maintain access to any campus benefits.
Once you complete the above forms, scan and email a copy of them to withdraw@colorado.edu. Under normal circumstances, mailed and hand-delivered applications are also accepted. Also make sure that you have signed all your forms; the school may not process them otherwise. After this is done, all you can do is await confirmation from the university! Easy-peasy!
Returning after deferment?
Just like taking a leave of absence, reenrolling is a breeze. The Office of the Registrar will automatically assign enrollment dates for your returning term and will send a reminder to your official colorado.edu email account in advance; in March for fall term, October for spring term, or February for summer term. Just an FYI, any holds on your account will prevent you from registering for classes, so make sure you check your account beforehand!
In my experience…
If you didn’t already know, I decided to take an L.O.A. for this Spring 2021 semester. While it has been an adjustment so far, I am convinced that it was the best choice for me. My zero credit hours has freed up time for me to work, gain financial stability, and focus on my personal health. All while CU Boulder makes its ascent back to normalcy. Like in my case, an L.O.A. can be useful for many reasons: it can give you time to prepare for college expenses, to find balance in your life, or even to decide what you want to with your future. Overall, I am very grateful for this opportunity. Just remember that, going forward, it may be a great option for you as well!