Leaving Simmons
If you are not planning to register for courses in a Fall or Spring term at Simmons, the Office of the Registrar must mark your record accordingly, per the processes below. Students who do not follow the appropriate procedure may be withdrawn automatically from the University.
An Undergraduate student may apply for a Leave of Absence (LOA) at any time after enrolling at the University.
To request a Leave of Absence this online form must be submitted.
- The LOA may extend for a total period of four ungraded semesters. Anyone wishing to extend their leave longer will need to request special approval from the Administrative Board.
- The student may return to the University for any term within or immediately after the Leave of Absence by registering on Workday. If the student does not return on the approved date, does not seek an extension, and does not register for courses, the student will be withdrawn from the University three weeks after the start of the semester.
Questions about undergraduate Leaves of Absence should be directed to the Office of the Registrar
Phone: 617-521-2111
[email protected]
Students should also contact Student Affairs, Residence Life, Student Financial Services, and their Academic Adviser with questions pertaining to housing, financial aid, and academic success.
Students should also contact Student Affairs, Residence Life, Student Financial Services, and their Academic Adviser with questions pertaining to housing, financial aid, and academic success. Withdrawing from the University is typically permanent, as opposed to a Leave of Absence, at the end of which a student plans to return.
To request a Withdrawal, this online form must be submitted.
If an undergraduate student on a Leave of Absence does not return by the approved date, does not seek an extension, and does not register for courses, the student will be withdrawn from the University three weeks after the start of the semester. Students may also be withdrawn from the University due to academic performance.
Readmission
For readmission after an undergraduate student has been withdrawn, a student must submit the application for readmission.
Approval must be granted by Student Financial Services, the Health Center, the Department of Interest/Major, and the Office of Student Affairs (and the Administrative Board if you left with an academic sanction). This process should be completed at least one month prior to the beginning of the academic term of intended return. Students may return the forms by email, fax, or mail. If approved, the student will be responsible for all Univeristy and program (major, minor) requirements in place at the time of readmission. Students should consult with their advisers, Student Financial Services and Residence Life, as appropriate.
Questions about undergraduate Withdrawing and Readmission may be directed to the Office of the Registrar:
Phone: 617-521-2111
[email protected]
**Note: Students in the Simmons Online Nursing, and Social Work programs should follow the Online guidelines for LOA and Withdrawal listed under Simmons Online Leaves of Absence & Withdrawals. SLIS online students should follow the instructions outlined here. Graduate students in the Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences should contact their program directors directly to discuss leaves of absence and withdrawals.**
If at any point a graduate student wishes not to register for a Fall or Spring semester but still plans to complete their program, they must request a Leave of Absence (LOA) in order to remain active in the program. Additionally, if a student wishes to leave mid-semester, they should also request to go on LOA so that their account will be kept active.
If a student wishes to leave the University permanently, and does not plan to complete their program, they should request to Withdraw from the institution.
Graduate students must meet with their program director prior to submitting the Graduate Leave of Absence/Withdrawal to inform them of the timeline by which they intend to return to Simmons:
| School/Department | Contact |
|---|---|
| Behavior Analysis | Gretchen Dittrich |
| Children's Literature | Cathryn Mercier |
| Education (on-site and off-site programs) | Janet Chumley |
| Gender and Cultural Studies Master's Program | Suzanne Leonard |
| Health ProfessionsEducation | Dolores Marie Wolongevicz |
| History | Stephen Ortega |
| Nutrition | Leah Smith |
| Physical Therapy | Justin Beebe |
| Public Policy | Zinnia Mukherjee |
| School of Management | Kendra Giannini |
| School of Library and Information Science | Katherine Wisser |
| School of Nursing | [email protected] |
| School of Social Work | [email protected] |
Approvers for each department may wish for the student to meet with them or with a program director or advisor, and may have additional criteria for determining student eligibility for a leave or withdrawal. Upon approval, students will be provided with an online form to fill out to officially request a Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from the University.
In general, a graduate leave of absence:
- May extend for a total period of two ungraded non-summer semesters. Anyone wishing to extend their leave longer after that time must request a new approval.
A graduate withdrawal:
- May not occur if a student has ungraded coursework - all Incomplete grades must be resolved, and any registered courses must receive grades or be dropped.
- De-activates a student's Simmons email account, access to Workday and Moodle, and status as a current student.
- Requires petitioning re-admission should the student decide to return to Simmons.
Student transcripts will show a "W" grade for any courses dropped after the fourth-week deadline for the term. If the deadline for withdrawing has passed for a student's program, students may not withdraw until grades for their courses have been entered.
If a student on a Leave of Absence does not return by the approved date, does not seek an extension, and does not register for courses, the student will be withdrawn from the University three weeks after the start of the semester. Students may also be withdrawn from the University due to poor academic performance.
For readmission after a student has been withdrawn, a student must contact the appropriate Admissions Office.
All students with questions regarding financial implications of Leaves or Withdrawing should contact Student Financial Services via email or at 617-521-2001.
Please note: NEW graduate students within the two-weeks of their first term at Simmons should contact Admissions to communicate their wish to delay their program start or withdraw. If you are unsure how to contact the Graduate Admission team member(s) who assisted you during the application process, please email: [email protected] to be directed appropriately.
The Program Withdrawal and LOA forms listed on this page are ONLY to be used for current students who have passed the two week period of their first term in a degree program.
**Note:These guidelines are for students in the Simmons Online Nursing, Social Work, BA, and MPH programs only. SLIS online students should follow the instructions outlined under Graduate Leaves of Absence & Withdrawals.**
If at any point an online graduate student wishes not to register for any semester, but still plans to complete their program, they must request a Leave of Absence (LOA) in order to remain active in the program. Additionally, if a student wishes to leave mid-semester, they should also request to go on LOA so that their account will be kept active.
If an online graduate student wishes to leave the University permanently, and does not plan to complete their program, they should request to Withdraw from the institution.
To request a Leave of Absence or a Withdrawal, graduate students should contact their academic advisor to begin the necessary paperwork.
| Program | Advisor | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior Analysis Online | [email protected] | |
| MPH Online | [email protected] | |
| Nursing Online | [email protected] | |
| Social Work Online | [email protected] |
If a student on a Leave of Absence does not return by the approved date, does not seek an extension, and does not register for courses, the student will be withdrawn from the University two weeks after the start of the term.
All students with questions regarding financial implications of Leaves or Withdrawing should contact Student Financial Services via email or at 617-521-2001.
Please note: NEW graduate students within the two-weeks of their first term at Simmons should contact Admissions to communicate their wish to delay their program start or withdraw. If you are unsure how to contact the Graduate Admission team member(s) who assisted you during the application process, please email: [email protected] to be directed appropriately.
The Program Withdrawal and LOA forms listed on this page are ONLY to be used for current students who have passed the two week period of their first term in a degree program.