Program Withdrawals, Leaves & Readmission

Students can request a leave of absence prior to the start of a term or during a term. When a student takes a leave of absence during a term, this action also is considered a withdrawal. Withdrawal is defined as the dropping of one’s entire academic program in a given term after the first day of classes of the term. When a student requests a leave of absence, their intent is to resume their studies based on an approved timeframe. However, if a student requests to withdraw from the program, their enrollment at the School is terminated, and they must reapply via the standard admissions process should they wish to re-enroll at a later date.

Withdrawing from the School of Social Work after the start of the semester can have implications for financial aid, and students are encouraged to speak with the Office of Financial Aid about any financial consequences. Any student who wishes to withdraw from the School of Social Work must notify the Office of Advising in writing and subsequently complete the LOA/Withdrawal Form. Neither notification to instructors of a plan to withdraw nor failure to attend classes will constitute an official withdrawal from the school of Social Work.

It is recommended that students discuss their LOA or Withdrawal request with the Office of Advising PRIOR to submitting this form.

Students will be held responsible for related tuition and fees [See Refund Schedule below].

Withdrawal From School/Program
Leave of Absence

Leave of Absence

Voluntary vs. Involuntary Leaves of Absence: Most leaves and withdrawals are voluntary. Involuntary leaves and withdrawals will be used in cases of academic performance dismissal and as an option in the cases of danger to self, others or property.

Voluntary Medical Leave of Absence

A medical leave is granted to a student whose health interferes with successful completion of the MSW program. A leave can be granted for a minimum of one term (for those students who have not begun field work) or one year for those students who have been enrolled in Field Work (i.e. T6010 or T6020). In either case, a medical leave can be granted for no more than two years. Barring any extenuating circumstances, a student will be permanently withdrawn after the maximum time period of eight semesters.

Students should consult with the Office of Advising to initiate a leave and will be required to provide medical documentation to support the request via the Withdrawal Form. Medical leave requests must be accompanied by an individualized assessment of students’ individual healthcare needs.

While on leave, students must be actively engaged in a course of medical treatment that leads to recovery. In addition, students are still expected to check their Columbia email while on leave as this is the official means of communication used by the University.

Students returning from a medical leave must apply for readmission to the School of Social Work. Students must provide medical documentation supporting their readmission. Normally, students may only return in the fall or spring term. Only in rare circumstances will students be readmitted from medical leave and permitted to enroll in the summer term. [See Readmission from MLOA].

Readmission from Medical Leave of Absence

Students must complete all parts of the following readmission procedure by the following deadlines:

Fall term readmission: April 1
Spring term readmission: November 1
Summer term readmission: Not Permitted

In order to begin the readmission process, the student must complete the [Readmission Form for Medical Leaves]. The form requires students to provide the following:

Request for readmission: This letter should review the circumstances that led to the leave, describe in detail any activities pursued while away, explain why studies can now be successfully resumed, and outline a plan for continued support. The letter should also indicate whether or not you were receiving or will require Office of Disability Services accommodations.
Letter from a medical practitioner supporting readmission: the letter should describe the treatment for the student and progress made by the student, provide an evaluation of the student’s readiness to return to full-time study at the School of Social Work, and outline the recommended continued care plan upon readmission.

These materials will be reviewed by a committee consisting of a member(s) from the Offices of Advising, Student Services and, if pertinent, Field Education. Review is not guaranteed when documentation is submitted after the aforementioned deadlines. Students will receive notification regarding one of the following three outcomes of the committee’s assessment of readmission request:

Applicants are approved for an interview by a Columbia Health practitioner for final adjudication (if deemed necessary). Students may then be officially readmitted or denied readmission and will be notified of a decision by the Office of Student Services by email within 7 days of submission of the form.
Additional information is requested
Readmission is denied. Students may reapply the following semester for readmission.

Once officially readmitted, students will be provided an online registration appointment in order to enroll for the coming term. Normally, students will be able to register in mid-April or early June for the fall and in mid-November and early December for the spring.

Students must address all financial or other obligations to the University that are still outstanding from when they took their leave. If holds have been placed on their registration, these holds must be cleared before they can enroll in classes or resume field work. If after being readmitted for the following semester, a student cannot register by the end of the Add/Drop period of that semester, they will be placed on another leave of absence.

Students are encouraged to meet with their advisor during the first two weeks of their return to ensure a smooth transition back to the community.

Students who are on the University Medical Insurance Plan at the time of requesting a medical leave of absence, and who had been on the Student Medical Insurance Plan for a prior year, may request to remain on the Student Medical Insurance Plan for a maximum of 2 semesters. Such requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the University’s Insurance Office. The cost of this extended insurance plan will be higher than the rate charged to enrolled students. That cost is determined at the time the leave is granted, but general plan information can be found online. Students must inform the Office of Student Services if they wish to request this Continuation Plan.

Voluntary Personal Leave of Absence (non-medical)

A voluntary leave of absence may be granted to students who would like to temporarily withdraw from the School of Social Work for a non-medical reason. Students considering a voluntary leave may discuss this option with the Office of Advising prior to submitting the Withdrawal Form.

A leave can be granted for a minimum of one term (for those students who have not begun field work) or one year for those students who have been enrolled in Field Work (i.e. T6010 or T6020). In either case, a leave can be granted for no more than two years. Barring any extenuating circumstances, a student will be permanently withdrawn after the maximum time period of eight semesters.

Readmission from Non-Medical Leave

In general, students seeking readmission to the School of Social Work must submit evidence that they have achieved the purposes for which they left.

Students must complete all parts of the following readmission procedure by the following deadlines:

Fall term readmission: April 1
Spring term readmission: November 1
Summer term readmission: extenuating circumstances only.

Included with the readmission form should be a letter requesting readmission. The letter should review the circumstances that led to the leave, describe in detail any activities pursued while out of school, and explain why you now feel able to resume studies successfully.

Academic Standing and Transcript Notations

Students who leave in good academic standing will return in good academic standing; students who leave while on a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) will return on the CAP. When a leave begins after the start of the term, the student’s transcript will reflect the action of withdrawal and the date of withdrawal. If the date of withdrawal for a medical leave is on or before the School of Social Work withdrawal deadline (the Friday of the 10th week of the term, noted on the academic calendar) the student’s transcript will not reflect the individual’s courses attempted during the term. If the date of the withdrawal for a leave begins after the School of Social Work withdrawal deadline, individual courses will remain on the transcript.

Ordinarily, School of Social Work students who are authorized to withdraw after the withdrawal deadline will receive a mark of W for each of their courses for the term. This notation indicates an authorized withdrawal from the courses. In rare cases, when a student must take a leave after the withdrawal deadline, a student and the Office of Advising can work together with 39 faculty and the Office of Academic Affairs to determine whether an Incomplete would be a more appropriate notation on the transcript. In order to be eligible for an Incomplete, the student must have completed all work for the course except the final paper, exam, or project. The student must also obtain approval from the Office of Academic Affairs.

Students who have been approved for authorized Incompletes in the last semester before their leave must complete the work for each course upon their return to campus by the end of the Add/Drop period. If the work is not complete by the end of the Add/Drop period of the term in which the student returns, the grade may convert to a contingency grade or to an F. Due dates for incomplete work should be determined in consultation with the Office of Advising and the Office of Academic Affairs upon notification of readmission.