Undergraduate Returning to Rensselaer after a Leave of Absence

Last updated: July 7, 2004

What is a leave of absence?

• A leave of absence can cover one semester or one year. It means that you are not enrolled for classes at Rensselaer. If you take a leave of absence, the Registrar's Office changes your student status to “Inactive.” This means that you forfeit your campus privileges, including housing, meal plans, email, and library access, etc.
• BUT remember for an international student, this means you might have to leave the country. For more information about how a leave affects your immigration status make an appointment to see Jane Havis or Jaye Vien.
• Unless there are special circuimstances or medical reasons, a leave of absence will not be granted if requested after the first eight wees within the semester.
• For international undergraduates, the request must be approved by both Jaye Vien in the Dean of Students Office AND Jane Havis from the ISSS Office.
• For instructions on writing a formal request for a leave of absence, visit the Dean of Students website at: http://www.rpi.edu/dept/doso/absence/leave.html

Returning to Rensselaer

If you wish to return to Rensselaer after your leave of absence, you will be required to follow the readmission process in the Dean of Students Office. They will notify the ISSS office and a new I-20/DS-2019 will be issued for you. You will be required to provide the ISSS office with new financial documentation showing you can support yourself for the rest of your stay at Rensselaer so a new Form I-20/DS-2019 can be issued. You cannot reenter the country without having completed this process and without the Form I-20/DS-2019 in your hands.

Below is a brief checklist of all the items you need to be readmitted to Rensselaer after a leave of absence:

• Your Bursar account must be clear (no pending balance)

• Your Student Loans must be up-to-date or in deferment
•  
• You need to show the ISSS Office how you will be financially supported.
•  
• If you took a leave of absence for a Medical issue, a report must be sent from your phyisician to the Rensselaer Health Center or the Counseling Center. Refer to the letter you received when your leave of absence was approved, or contact the Dean of Students Office if you have questions about the procedures you will need to follow to return to Rensselaer. Instructions and application can be found on the DOSO website: http://www.rpi.edu/dept/doso/reAdmissionApplicationActive.pdf

• If you were Academically Dismissed, you must be away from Rensselaer for at least one full year, take a full academic course schedule related to your major (minimum of 12 credits per semester), maintain a GPA of 3.0 or greater, and have an official transcript sent to the Dean of Students Office from the college you attended.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

1. You will not be able to register for classes until you check in with the ISSS Office.
2. You will not be able to enter the U.S. until 30 days before the start date on I-20/DS-2019
3. If you have been away from Rensselaer for over 1 year you will have to get another Health form filled out.

• The following are the Application Deadlines for readmission:
  
  -Spring Semesters: December 1

-Summer Sessions: April 1

-Fall Semesters: August 1