Withdrawal, Leave of Absence, and Reinstatement
University Policy
School of Public Health Policy
A degree candidate in good standing may request up to one year or two semesters of leave of absence from the School of Public Health by completing a Request for Leave of Absence Form prior to the official start of the semester in which he or she wishes to take the leave of absence. Students who request leaves of absence after a semester has started may be subject to academic and financial penalties. Students receiving tuition remission benefits from BU may have financial issues to settle and should contact their benefits representative for information should they seek to withdraw or file a Request for Leave of Absence Form in addition to contacting the SPH registrar’s office.
Request for a Leave of Absence or Withdrawal Forms are available on the shelves outside the registrar’s office on Talbot 210 Center and on the School of Public Health website. If requesting a leave of absence, the request should include a reason for requesting the leave, the anticipated date of return to the degree program, the student’s name, address, Boston University identification number, and department(s) of concentration.
Students who are not able to continue in their degree program due to relocation, ongoing academic difficulty, or other personal circumstances may voluntarily withdraw from Boston University.
Degree candidates who fail to register for two consecutive fall and spring semesters without receiving approval from the SPH registrar will be administratively withdrawn. Lack of registration does not constitute an official leave of absence or withdrawal.
If a registered student withdraws after the start of the School of Public Health academic semester, the University will require payment according to the University Refund Policy. The refund schedule is published every semester at www.bu.edu/studentaccountingservices, and student account updates are based on the date the written notification from the student is received by the SPH registrar’s office.
