Educational, medical and military leaves are permitted if students meet the eligibility requirements and submit a Leave of Absence form with the required signatures and documentation to the Office of the Registrar. 

ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL LEAVES

Students on authorized Leaves of Absence are considered in continuous attendance for the purpose of returning to the same curriculum in effect when the leave began.  They are not required to apply for readmission or pay an application fee, provided they return to the same major and by the approved returning term.   Not enrolling in the approved term requires reapplication for admission, payment of the application fee, and potentially new curriculum requirements. 

Students must be eligible to enroll in the term the leave begins.  Two leaves with a maximum of eight quarters combined are available to each student and cannot be extended beyond the limit.  Summer quarters are included when calculating the length of a leave. 

Students should consider the effect a leave may have on their loan status, as lenders may count the leave period as part of the total grace period.  Students who receive loan disbursements directly may be required to repay portions of their loan. Cal Poly provides enrollment status to the National Loan Clearing House.  For questions regarding loan status, please contact the Cal Poly Student Financial Services Office. 

Planned Educational Leaves

Fully approved educational leaves must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the add/drop deadline the quarter the leave is to begin.  To change the length of a leave, the submission of a revised and approved leave request form is required by the add/drop deadline of the approved returning term or, if returning sooner, the add/drop deadline of the new returning term.  Students on academic probation are not eligible to take educational leaves. 

Educational Leave of Absence – Undergraduate Student   

An educational leave for undergraduate students must contribute to their educational objective and be approved by their advisor and department head/chair. 

Educational Leave of Absence – Graduate Student

An educational leave for graduate students must be approved by the graduate coordinator and dean of research and graduate programs. 

Returning Students/Short Term Leaves

Undergraduate students who have not enrolled in three consecutive quarters and are not on an approved leave of absence must file an application for readmission.   Summer quarters are included in calculating the length of short term leaves and leaves of absence.  For more information on short term leaves, see Continuing Student/Former Student Eligibity

For information on the continuous enrollment for graduate students, please see the Continuous Enrollment policy for graduate students.

Medical Leaves

Medical Leaves provide time for a student to receive treatment and recover from a disabling injury or other medical condition.  Medical documentation from the treating physician or from Cal Poly Health Services supporting the time period required for recovery must accompany the request.  Questions regarding acquiring proper signatures may be directed to Dr. David Harris, Head of Medical Services at Cal Poly Health Services ((805)756-1211).

Medical leaves begin the term following the student’s last term of attendance and may be granted retroactively.  To change the length of a medical leave, submission of new medical documentation that supports the change to the leave period is required.       

Military Leaves

Students called to active duty should attach their orders to a Military Leave of Absence form before submitting the form to the Office of the Registrar.