Leave of Absence, Semester Withdrawals, Termination

The Brown School accepts two types of leaves: Personal and Medical.  

• Personal leave* is used for any non-medical (e.g. pregnancy, death in the family) emergency.  
• Medical leaves must be authorized by Student Health Services (SHS).
  • Policies and procedures are listed on the SHS website. 

For either a Personal or Medical LOA from the Brown School, the student must complete the appropriate LOA form on the Brown School Hub prior to leaving.  The Brown School does not approve LOA paperwork submitted after the last day of classes of the semester.

A Personal LOA can be approved for up to one academic year. If a student anticipates being on leave for longer than one academic year, they must request an extension of their leave for up to one additional academic year and must complete a new LOA Form with the new anticipated date of return.

A student who anticipates being on leave in any semester should discuss their situation with their academic advisor to consider all options and assess the potential consequences to their academic record. The timing of a Leave of Absence (LOA) may impact both academic credits and tuition charges. Prior to a student taking a LOA they should meet with the Registrar and the Assistant Director of Financial Aid to discuss how taking a leave may affect their record. 

A student who takes a Medical or Personal LOA after the 12th week of classes may have to take the subsequent semester off, which can include summer.

Depending on the length of leave and the structure of the current curriculum, previous credits may not count towards the degree. If, due to an extended LOA, a student cannot complete their degree within 4 years of the initial matriculation date of their program, the student must reapply for admission and may be required to retake courses and/or practicum hours.  

*International students requesting a personal leave of absence must leave the country within 15 days after submitting their request and are responsible for their visa.  They must also meet with a staff member in the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS).

A student may request a voluntary withdrawal if they no longer wish to pursue their degree at the Brown School.

Before considering a voluntary withdrawal from the Brown School, a student should consult with their academic advisor to consider all options and assess consequences to their academic record.  The timing of a withdrawal may impact both academic credits and tuition charges. If a student then wishes to voluntarily withdraw from the Brown School, the following formal procedure is required:

1. Complete Request to Withdraw form on the Brown School Hub. The effective date of Withdrawal will determine grades and any tuition refund.
2. Meet with a financial aid advisor.
3. Meet with the Registrar, who will advise student on implications resulting from a Voluntary Withdrawal. 

Please refer to information regarding the tuition refund policy. 

In any semester, a student who has not enrolled for Fall or Spring courses, or has not attended classes for which they are enrolled, and has not initiated a leave of absence or a voluntary withdrawal will be administratively withdrawn from the Brown School by the fourth week of the current semester.​

A student may be terminated from the Brown School for the following reasons:

• Failure to meet or maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Academic dishonesty, including cheating, lying, and plagiarism
• Behavior judged to be in violation of the current NASW Code of Ethics and/or Public Health Code of Ethics 
• Violation of University and/or School policies and procedures, including standards on professionalism

The Academic and Professional Integrity Committee may be convened to address issues of concern regarding a student’s capacity for or appropriateness for social work, social policy or public health study or practice. 

Students requesting a return to the Brown School must first contact the Brown School Registrar for an audit of their academic record. The Registrar will inform the student whether the student must complete an application for Readmission or Reinstatement, as defined below:

Readmission – Student must reapply through the Office of Admissions and Recruitment

• Academic Dismissal: students who have been dismissed for academic reasons by the Brown School
• Voluntary Withdrawal: students who elect to voluntarily withdraw from the Brown School and discontinue their program of study
• Inability to Complete Program Within Required Timeframe: students who completed some Brown School coursework but left the program for a period of time and cannot complete their degree within 4 years from their initial date of matriculation into the program

Reinstatement – Student must complete a Request for Reinstatement with the Brown School Registrar

• Administrative Financial Withdrawal: students who have been administratively withdrawn from the Brown School due to failure to pay tuition and/or fees or other outstanding balance on the student’s account.
• Administrative Withdrawal (Nonfinancial): students who miss one semester of registration (excluding summer) will be discontinued and administratively withdrawn from their program
• Personal Leave of Absence:  students who elect to temporarily interrupt their progress toward degree for a personal, nonmedical reason
• Medical Leave of Absence (requires additional approval from Student Health Services): students who, voluntarily or involuntarily, must temporarily interrupt progress toward degree due to a physical or mental health need

Students with accounting holds must clear their balance with student accounting before any application for readmission or reinstatement is considered.  Credits for previous Brown School coursework taken prior to a student’s return are not automatically counted and must be reviewed by the Office of Admissions and the Brown School Registrar.  Brown School coursework completed more than 6 years prior to reinstatement or readmission will not be considered for credit toward the degree. 

Decisions regarding reinstatement or readmission may be based on the applicant’s academic status when last enrolled, activities while away from campus, length of absence, the potential for successful completion of the program as determined by the Brown School, the ability of the department to support the applicant both academically and financially, as well as other relevant factors or considerations. Due to enrollment limitations, there is no guarantee of approval for reinstatement or readmission. 

Readmission

• Students must adhere to the dates and deadlines that are set by the Office of Admissions & Recruitment.

Reinstatement

• A completed Application for Reinstatement must be received by the Brown School Office of the Registrar 6 weeks prior to the first day of the term in which enrollment is requested. After this date, the application will be reviewed for reinstatement in the subsequent term. Once the application has been reviewed and a decision has been made, the student will receive notification via email.

Reinstatement from Medical LOA:

• Any student requesting return from a Medical LOA must follow the deadlines above, as well as obtain approval from Washington University Student Health Services (SHS) prior to returning. 
• To return in Fall Semester: Submit request to SHS between June 1 – July 1
• To return in Spring Semester: Submit request to SHS between Nov. 1 – Dec. 1 
• SHS does not allow reinstatement for the Summer session.  
• Detailed information about a Medical LOA reinstatement can be found here.  

Students Approved for Readmission: 

• Student is responsible for completing degree requirements at the Brown School in effect for their new matriculation semester

Students Approved for Reinstatement: 

• Within first 2 weeks of the semester in which the student returns from a LOA, the student is required to meet with the Director of Student Affairs to create an academic success plan for the remainder of their program. 
• Must be able to complete degree requirements within 4 years from the original date of matriculation
• Complete degree requirements outlined in the Brown School Handbook from student’s original matriculation semester. 
• At the discretion of the program, if course offerings have changed as a result of revised degree requirements, program may require completion of additional courses, exams, and/or other requisites for completion of the degree.

Scholarships/Tuition for Readmission

• Students approved for readmission are no longer eligible to receive scholarships previously awarded by the Brown School. 
• Students will be reconsidered for merit-based scholarship by the Office of Admissions & Recruitment in the same manner as a student applying to the Brown School for the first time. 
• Students should contact the Brown School Office of Student Financial Services
• The student will be assessed tuition and fees according to the current tuition rate/structure in effect for the academic year in which they return to the Brown School.

Scholarships/Tuition for Reinstatement

• Students approved for reinstatement will receive any remaining funds from the scholarship award offered when they were first admitted to the program. 
• Student will be assessed tuition and fees according to the tuition rate/structure in effect for the academic year in which they return to the Brown School