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| Registration Requirements |
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CONTINUOUS REGISTRATION until all degree requirements are completed
or until the time-to-degree limit has been reached is required for students in all degree programs. Limits on time to degree are described in the section of this Bulletin on Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students are exempt from the requirement to
register continuously only when granted an official leave of absence by the
Dean's office of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
WITHDRAWAL is a) the dropping of one's
entire program in a given term (as differentiated from dropping some, but not
all, of one's courses) or b) formally giving notice that one is leaving the University without intending to return at a future time. A student in good
academic standing who is not subject to discipline will always be given an
honorable discharge if he or she wishes to withdraw from the University.
Formal withdrawal during a term ordinarily is allowed only prior to the
examination period of the term in which withdrawal is requested. Withdrawal
means that courses and grades (if already recorded) for the term in progress
are expunged from the student's record and that the student does not receive
any registration credit for them. All students who withdraw during a
semester in which they are registered are charged a $75 withdrawal fee.
The approval of the Dean is required for all withdrawals. Therefore any student who intends to withdraw
from the University must notify the Office of the Dean at once and in writing, using the online
Request for Withdrawal form.
Until the student is notified by
the Office of the Dean that the withdrawal has been approved, he or she is
considered registered, and his or her academic and financial responsibilities
continue in all courses for which the student has registered in that term.
A withdrawing student may be eligible for a prorated tuition refund,
reckoned from the date on which the Office of the Dean receives written
notification. The Registrar's office publishes a schedule of
tuition refunds based on the week in which withdrawal is approved.
Financial assistance is adjusted to reflect reductions in the
withdrawing student's overall budget.The GSAS Financial Aid Office supplies further information about the effect of withdrawal on financial assistance.
Withdrawal and health insurance,
fees, University housing, visas: A student who withdraws during
the first 30 days of the term will not be eligible for either the Insurance or
Health Service programs, and a full refund will be applied to the Student
Account Payment unless the student has utilized the benefits of the insurance
plan or made use of care provided by Health Services.
A student who withdraws after the first 30 days of the term will
remain enrolled in the Insurance and Health Service programs for the remainder
of that term; no refund will be allowed.
Application fees, late fees, and any other special fees are not
refundable.
Students residing in University
housing are advised to contact University Apartment Housing as soon as
possible.
Students on a J1 or F1 visa must
contact the International Students and Scholars Office as soon as possible.
A LEAVE OF ABSENCE allows a student who must interrupt his or her studies for a compelling reason - for example,
a sustained medical condition that prevents attendance or a personal matter
requiring absence from campus - to be exempt from the continuous registration
requirement. Students are granted a leave of absence for a stated period, usually not to
exceed one year. See below for specific
information regarding <medical, military, and personal leaves of absence.>
During the period of
leave, a student does not register and cannot use University facilities,
including libraries and housing. Students
on leaves of absence are not eligible to defer payment of University and
government loans. See below for specific
information regarding use of facilities and repayment of loans.
The form for requesting a leave of absence
is available online.
Students on a J1 or F1 visa who
are intending to take a Leave of Absence must contact the International
Students and Scholars Office as soon as possible.
Medical Leave of Absence
On the written recommendation of a health care professional and with
the approval of his or her department or program, a student who must interrupt
study temporarily because of physical or psychological illness will be granted
a Medical Leave of Absence. The student must provide documentation from a
health care professional confirming that the student is unable to engage in
graduate study; such documentation may include a statement as to when the
student may be expected to resume studies.
A medical leave may be approved at any time during a student's degree
candidacy, except during the first term of study, when a withdrawal is more
appropriate. A medical leave is granted only to students in good academic
standing (as defined by the student's department or program) who are eligible
to continue in the degree program when they return from leave.
Students
who take an approved medical leave of absence during the first 30 days of a
term are eligible to remain enrolled in Columbia
insurance and Health Services programs. Students read the full details of Health Services' policy and procedures on withdrawal due to medical leave and contact the Health
Services Insurance Office for further important information.
In order to be reinstated after a medical leave the student must provide to the Dean's office
the written approval of the health care professional treating the student
during the Leave, confirming that the student is capable of returning to
graduate study and proposing any recommended qualifications (e.g. part-time
study) as necessary.
Military Leave of Absence
A student who must interrupt study temporarily to fulfill a compulsory
military obligation will be granted a military leave of absence. The student
seeking a military leave of absence must provide the Dean's office with written documentation from the
appropriate military authorities (including dates of the period of obligation),
and the department or program must certify that the student is in good academic
standing (as defined by the student's department or program) and is eligible to
continue in the degree program upon return.
Personal Leave of Absence
Students who must interrupt study temporarily for compelling reasons
other than those described above may request a personal leave of absence, which
must be approved by the student's department or program and by the Dean's
office. Such a leave must be approved before or during the term for which it is
requested; it cannot be granted retroactively.
Personal leaves of absence are granted for one or two semesters. Under extenuating circumstances students may
apply for a third or fourth semester of leave.
Leaves are not granted for longer than two years (four semesters);
withdrawal is the proper route if absence from graduate study will exceed four
semesters.
Personal Leave of Absence for
Ph.D. Students
A student in a program leading to the Ph.D.
is eligible for a personal leave of absence only after satisfactory completion
of at least one year of study. Students
who have completed the M.Phil. or who have completed five years of full-time
study or the equivalent are not ordinarily eligible for a non-medical,
non-military leave.
A personal leave will be granted only upon
certification by the department or program that the student is in good academic
standing (as defined by the department or program); has progressed in a timely
manner towards the degree according to GSAS and departmental requirements; and
is eligible to continue in the degree program upon return.
Personal Leave of Absence
for M.A. Students
A student in a free-standing Master's program
that does not lead to the Ph.D. is eligible for a personal leave of absence
after satisfactory completion of at least one semester of study. A leave will
be granted only upon certification by the department or program that the
student is in good academic standing (as defined by the department or program);
has progressed in a timely manner towards the degree according to GSAS and
departmental requirements; and is eligible to continue in the degree program
upon return.
Leaves of Absence and Health Insurance
A student whose nonmedical leave of absence is approved during
the first 30 days of the term will not be eligible for either the Insurance or
Health Service programs, and a full refund will be applied to the Student
Account Payment unless the student has utilized the benefits of the insurance
plan or made use of care provided by Health Services. A student whose medical leave
of absence is approved during the first 30 days of a term is eligible to remain
enrolled in the Insurance and Health Services programs.
A student whose Leave of Absence
is approved after 30 days of the term have passed will remain enrolled in the
Insurance and Health Service programs for the remainder of that term; no refund
will be allowed.
Leave of Absence, Registration and Completion of Requirements
A leave of absence is not a registration. No tuition
is charged for semesters for which a leave of absence has been approved. Approved leaves are entered on the student's permanent
academic record. The period of the leave is not counted as part of the time
allowed for completion of the degree requirements. A student on leave may not fulfill any degree
requirement other than, if he or she wishes, the completion of work in courses
for which an approved grade of "Incomplete" has been issued by the instructor.
The period of the Leave will not be counted toward the time allowed for
completion of an Incomplete. Other degree requirements, including language
exams, oral exams and dissertation research and writing, may not be completed while a student is on Leave.
Use of Facilities and Services while on Leave
A student on leave may not use University facilities, including housing, nor receive financial aid (see below). Email accounts are normally
suspended within six to nine months after approval of the leave. Visitor’s library access may be requested, for specific short periods of time and specific reasons, by application to the Dean’s office. Please note that students who are on leave and who previously have been awarded a Columbia degree may, as alumni, have email forwarded and may use facilities such as the library: see https://alumni.columbia.edu/index.html.
Students should contact UAH upon approval of the Leave of Absence request; students on leave must vacate currently-occupied University housing. Although students who vacate housing retain their eligibility status for housing, they are not guaranteed housing upon return. Students wishing to have University housing who are expecting to return for the fall semester should contact Mr. Craig Knobles (212-854-2889; jck2@columbia.edu) by May 1; for the spring semester, by December 1.
Loans, Fellowships and Other Financial Aid
Most University and government loan programs do not
permit the deferment of loan repayment while a student is on leave. A student
wishing to be considered for fellowships (including reinstatement of multi-year
Ph.D. fellowships held at the time of the request for leave) or for financial
aid other than loans for the academic year following the leave must notify the
GSAS Financial Aid office by February 1 if he or she wishes to return in the
following fall semester and by October 1 if he or she wishes to return in the
spring. When the student notifies the Financial Aid office of his or her intent
to return, the decision to award financial aid, including the reinstatement of
such aid, will be based on satisfactory academic progress prior to the Leave
and departmental recommendation.
REINSTATEMENT AND REGISTRATION
Students returning from an
approved personal or military leave are not required to file a formal application for
reinstatement. To ensure that they may
register upon return, they should contact their department and the GSAS Dean's
office (212-854-2866) approximately six
weeks before the start of the semester in which they wish to return. Students
returning from a medical leave must submit a doctor's note approving
their return (see above).
Students returning from leave register during the registration period
just prior to the start of the term in which they return (August for fall,
January for spring).
A student who leaves the University without having obtained a Leave of Absence, or who fails to pay the
Matriculation and Facilities fee, must apply
for reinstatement, which is granted at the discretion of the department and
the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
The Application for Return to Ph.D. Study and the Application for Return to M.A. Study are available online.
The special approval of the Dean,
contingent upon the merits of the student's request and the recommendation of
the department or program, is required for reinstatement. A student wishing to apply for
reinstatement must submit the application to the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences at least eight weeks before the first day of registration for the term
in which he or she wishes to resume studies.
Please note that for all students the dean’s office requests from the department or program a written schedule for completion of all requirements before the student is reinstated. In addition, in the case of a Ph.D. student, an approved Ph.D. dissertation sponsor
in the student's department must agree to serve as a sponsor. The student is expected to complete the degree by the date specified by the faculty as no extensions will be granted.
If reinstated, the student becomes subject to all current requirements as
interpreted by the Dean with regard to the student's case. Where there has been a prolonged interruption
of studies, a department may require a student to retake examinations and/or
courses as appropriate.
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