Withdrawal, Leave of Absence, and Reinstatement
University Policy
Wheelock College of Education & Human Development Policy
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students wishing to withdraw or take a leave of absence must submit their requests in writing to the University Service Center, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. Members of the University Service Center staff are available to meet with students to discuss the withdrawal and leave options.
A withdrawal or leave of absence is effective on the day the signed request is received; tuition and fees are canceled in accordance with the University’s refund schedule, which is published by the Office of the University Registrar.
If an undergraduate student takes a leave of absence, the period of authorized leave of absence is counted as part of the time allowed for completion of degree requirements.
A student returning from an official leave of absence should meet with their advisor.
For information about a medical leave of absence, see the University Policy.
Reinstatement
Students who wish to return from a withdrawal and students who did not file for an official leave of absence when they left must file a Petition for Reinstatement with the Office of the University Registrar. Forms can be found at bu.edu/wheelock/information-for-students/forms.
Graduate Students
Graduate students who wish to withdraw or take a leave of absence from the University must submit a Withdrawal/Leave of Absence Form to Wheelock Data & Enrollment Management. Graduate students cannot drop to 0 credits via the MyBU Student Portal registration functions, so students who wish to cancel enrollment for a given semester must withdraw or take a leave of absence.
Upon written request and for appropriate cause, a student will be allowed up to two semesters of leave. Deadlines relevant to withdrawing or taking a leave of absence are posted on the Registrar’s website.
For information about a medical leave of absence, see the University Policy.
For PhD students seeking childbirth or adoption accommodation, please see the University Policy on Childbirth and Adoption Accommodation for Full-Time PhD Students.
International students must meet with an International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) advisor prior to any interruption of studies. Obtaining transfer approval to another university from the International Students & Scholars Office does not withdraw a student from Boston University.
A request for a withdrawal or leave of absence is effective on the day it is received in the appropriate office; charges are canceled in accordance with the University’s published refund schedule, based on the effective date of the student’s leave of absence or withdrawal. Mere absence from class does not reduce financial obligations or guarantee that final grades will not be recorded.
The period of authorized leave of absence is counted as part of the time allowed for completion of degree requirements.
Reinstatement
Graduate students who are withdrawn or who are absent for one or more semesters without officially taking a leave of absence must contact Wheelock Data & Enrollment Management at least eight weeks before the start of the semester they wish to return in order to petition the Academic Review Committee for reinstatement. Forms can be found in the Academic Forms section of the Wheelock website.
For more information about reinstatement, contact the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Nondegree Students
Nondegree students who would like to drop a class to zero (0) credits must fill out a Withdrawal form and submit it to Wheelock Data & Enrollment Management for processing. Deadlines and published refund schedules are located on the Registrar’s website.
