Leave of Absence (LOA)

A leave of absence offers students the opportunity to leave Saint Louis University temporarily, no longer than one calendar year, and return without reapplying through admission.

For students to be placed on a leave of absence they must:

• Submit completed Petition for Leave of Absence and
• Receive approval from their college or school.

During the leave of absence, students:

• Retain the graduation requirements from the academic catalog of their year of admission,
• Retain their Saint Louis University email account, access to mySLU.slu.edu and access to the libraries,
• Do not have enrollment status for purposes of health insurance or federal loan deferment,
• Are not eligible to reside on campus, attend classes or participate in extracurricular campus activities.

A leave of absence may be requested only for future terms. If a student is withdrawing from the current term after the add/drop period please see the Withdrawal Policy.

Students must complete a Scholarship Deferment Form in order to retain institutional scholarships.

International students must consult with the Office of International Services concerning the conditions of their student visas.

Students must complete the Off-Campus Enrollment process to be approved to take courses at another institution while on a leave of absence. If off-campus enrollment is not approved, students attending another institution will have their leave of absence revoked and therefore will be required to reapply to Saint Louis University in order to return.  No more than six pre-approved credits, per semester, may be transferred to Saint Louis University while on an approved leave of absence or suspension.