Continuous Registration

Degree-seeking graduate students are expected to enroll and pay tuition by the twelfth class day of the fall semester and the spring semester of each academic year until graduation. If the student has been admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree, registration in the dissertation course or the equivalent or in international study and research (ISR) is required. The only alternative to continuous registration is a leave of absence, discussed in the Leave of Absence section below.

If a student who is not on approved leave fails to register by the twelfth class day, the student may not return to the University without applying for readmission. The student must apply for readmission both to the University and to the graduate program and must pay the general application fee. The application is reviewed by the Graduate Studies Committee, which may choose to readmit the student or to deny readmission.

In order to fulfill the continuous registration requirement, doctoral candidates who are readmitted must retroactively register and pay tuition for all semesters that have elapsed since they were last enrolled.

Leave of Absence

Graduate students may apply for a leave of absence of no more than two semesters for each degree they pursue. Requests for a leave of absence must be approved in advance by the graduate advisor and the graduate dean. Applications from students who have been admitted to candidacy will be approved by the graduate dean only in rare and unusual circumstances.

A student on approved leave must apply for readmission in order to return to the University, but readmission during the approved period is automatic and the application fee is waived.

A student on leave may not use any University facilities; nor is a student entitled to receive advice from any member of the faculty. A leave of absence does not alter the time limits for degrees or coursework.