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Academic Leave of Absence, Withdrawal, or Maintaining Matriculation Policy
Hofstra University requires that undergraduate students in the fall and spring semesters register for courses, maintain matriculation, or take a leave of absence. Students who fail to take one of these steps will be automatically withdrawn from the University.
Academic Leave of Absence
An academic leave is an official notification to the University, by an undergraduate student who has completed at least one semester, that the student is temporarily stopping attendance at Hofstra for a minimum of one full fall or spring semester. Matriculated students who will not be attending Hofstra for a fall or spring semester, but who intend to return to Hofstra, must either file an academic leave or maintain matriculation request. Failure to notify the University of this intent will result in withdrawal from Hofstra and the loss of academic leave benefits.
To request an academic leave, students will need to access their portal account, click “Student Services” from the left-side menu, and select “Academic Leave/Withdrawal From the University” under Registration; once there, complete the required fields.
Academic leaves can be used for:
- Permanent disability
- Military service
- Religious mission
- Foreign aid service of the federal government
- Health other than a permanent disability
- Family or personal reasons
- Financial reasons
- Academic reasons
- Other reasons as appropriate
An academic leave may be extended at the written request of the student if approved by the Center for University Advising. If the student remains unregistered beyond the approved leave period without prior notification, the student is considered to have withdrawn from the University and must apply for readmission. An academic leave typically may not exceed three consecutive fall and spring semesters.
An academic leave cannot be used if the student will be attending another institution. An academic leave does not constitute a leave of absence per federal aid definitions. Please see below for information on the financial aid implications of not registering for a fall or a spring semester.
Academic Leave Benefits
An academic leave typically:
- Allows students to return to Hofstra without reapplying through the Office of Admission (although specific programs may have different requirements – students should speak with their adviser);
- May allow the student to proceed under the requirements of the Undergraduate Bulletin with which they were admitted;
- May allow students to maintain eligibility for institutional aid; and
- May allow a student to receive a housing assignment upon return from an academic leave, if the student was a resident before the leave and if the student is returning to full-time status.
If a student is on probation when the leave is approved, the student remains on probation upon their return to the University.
Returning From an Academic Leave
Students must register for courses at Hofstra before the end of their academic leave. Students whose leaves expire without course registration will be withdrawn from the University.
Withdrawal From the University
A withdrawal indicates that a student has permanently stopped attending the University. Registration for future semesters will be contingent upon reapplication to the University under admission standards at that time. Students readmitted to the University must follow the Bulletin under which they were readmitted.
Implications of an Academic Leave or Withdrawal
Financial Aid and Tuition Refund
For the purpose of financial aid, the University processes students with an academic leave as withdrawn students. The effective date of separation from the University is:
- The date the student files a written request for the withdrawal from the University;
- The date the student files an academic leave if the leave is to commence immediately; or
- The last day of the current term if the leave request is for a future semester.
The request can be received via electronic workflow submission or verbal or written notification to the offices of Student Financial Services, Registrar, or Center for University Advising.
Students requesting an academic leave for a semester in progress will be completely withdrawn for the semester and receive a grade of W for each course in which the student is registered for that semester. Students receiving any form of financial aid must discuss the leave with a Student Financial Services counselor to understand the implications of stopping attendance at Hofstra. Refunds will be processed in accordance with the University’s policy and published refund schedule.
International Students
International students must discuss their intent to file for an academic leave or withdrawal from the University with the International Student Affairs Office prior to filing the online form to fully understand the implications of leave or withdrawal on their visa status and eligibility to remain in the United States.
Service Member Readmission
Hofstra University is sensitive to the fact that our students may leave the University in order to perform military service and encourages those students to complete their education degree once that service has ended. Qualified U.S. Service Member students who seek to take a leave of absence to perform such service must give advanced notice of service to the Office of Student Financial Services & Registrar unless military necessity prevents this. If such notice is not provided, the student will have to provide sufficient documentation that the student performed such service, upon seeking readmission. The student must contact the Office of Admission to submit a readmission application. A Service Member student who is readmitted will be readmitted with the same academic status as when he/she last attended so long as there is no disqualifying event, such as a dishonorable or bad conduct charge, and the length of absence does not exceed the established time period for such leave (generally five years).
University Services and Access
Students who are on academic leave or who withdraw from the University will no longer have access to certain physical and electronic resources and University discounts.
Maintaining Matriculation
Maintaining matriculation is to be used by students in academic pursuits that do not include registration for classes. Students maintaining matriculation are considered “registered” at the University. Examples of academic pursuits include, but are not limited to, work on a thesis, completion of coursework where a grade of incomplete was received, approved study abroad, approved visitation at another institution, and participation in a co-op program. Students on Hofstra approved study abroad or approved visitation at another institution are required to maintain matriculation. Students who are enrolled solely in non-credit-bearing coursework will be registered as Maintaining Matriculation by the Registrar and will be charged the published Maintaining Matriculation fee.
Dismissal
For Low GPA
Students will be dismissed from the University after two semesters of attendance if they have:
- Attempted less than 25 hours and have a cumulative grade point average below 1.3;
- Attempted 25-30 hours and have a cumulative grade point average below 1.5;
- Attempted 31-57 hours and have a cumulative grade point average below 1.7;
- Attempted 58-93 hours and have a cumulative grade point average below 1.9;
- Attempted 94 or more hours and have a cumulative grade point average below 1.95.
Note that “attempted hours” include coursework taken at all institutions of higher education but that the cumulative grade point average is based on coursework taken only at Hofstra University.
Students will be dismissed because of poor scholarship only in May, except in special cases (such as the recommendation of the Center for University Advising, Office of Academic Records, or other responsible advisers). However, students may be dismissed at any time, whether currently on probation or not, when they show insufficient probability of meeting graduation requirements. All special cases will be acted upon by the Academic Review Committee.
Students who have been dismissed may appeal to the Academic Review Committee only through the Center for University Advising. A deadline (typically at the beginning of August) to appeal will be communicated to all students who are dismissed. After the student speaks with a representative of the Advising Office, the Committee will review the appeal. The Committee will consider a report of the interview, the student’s total academic record, and a letter stating reasons the student believes the appeal merits consideration.
For Low Completion Ratio
Students remaining on Completion Ratio Probation for the most recent three consecutive terms of attendance (excluding January and Summer) will be dismissed from the University.
Exclusion From the University
When students make an application for entrance to Hofstra University, they understand and agree that the University reserves the right to exclude any student at any time for conduct or academic standing regarded by the University as undesirable, without assigning any further reason. It is understood and agreed that the University, or any of its officers or faculty, shall not be liable in any way for such exclusion.
To ensure the protection of each individual’s rights, procedures for appeal are provided by the University to assure the students fair treatment in cases of disciplinary action.
University Probation Standards and Completion Ratio Requirement
Academic Probation Standards
In the interest of our students, the University uses two standards to identify students who, without improvement in their academic performance, may not be able to earn a degree within a reasonable amount of time.
Low GPA: To earn a degree, students are required to obtain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in work completed at Hofstra and required for the major as specified by the major department – see specific major for details). University Probation Standards for Low Grade Point Average are designed to prevent students from accumulating so many credits at a low GPA that they cannot reasonably obtain the 2.0 GPA requirement.
Low Completion Ratio: Progress toward earning a degree is also an important factor. Not satisfactorily completing courses will prolong a student’s time at the University and may indicate a student cannot earn a degree in a reasonable amount of time. University Probation Standards for Low Completion Ratio are designed to monitor student progress toward a degree.
Students will be placed on academic probation for low GPA, low completion ratio, or both. Please note that the Office of Financial Aid is federally required to review Satisfactory Academic Progress; being on academic probation may have a negative effect on financial aid eligibility.
University Probation Standards for Low GPA
Students will be placed on academic probation at the end of any fall or spring semester in which their cumulative grade point average is less than 2.0, but above the University’s minimum retention standards (see Dismissal). Students will be placed on academic probation at the end of a second consecutive semester with a term GPA below a 2.0.
Students placed on academic probation will receive a letter from the Office of Academic Records informing them of their probationary status and warning that they must raise their grade point average to 2.0. The letter will explain the consequences of failing to raise the grade point average to 2.0 or above.
Students placed on academic probation will be required to meet with an Advisement Dean in the Office for University Advising as soon as possible to discuss their standing. When they meet with the adviser, they will be informed of the support services available and the average they must achieve to raise their grade point average to at least 2.0. Students will also be reminded that if their grade point average drops further, they are in danger of being dismissed from the University.
Students must meet with their Advisement Dean in the Fall and Spring semesters. While on probation, students are required, in consultation with their Advisement Dean, to create and fulfill an annual action plan that reflects a program of support and activities designed to aid them in improving their performance and academic standing beginning with the first semester that probation takes effect and continuing while on probation. Such an action plan may include such requirements as regular meetings with their major advisor and Advisement Dean, as well as availing themselves of tutoring services, and appropriate support services available through the Center for Academic Excellence. Failure to meet this requirement will preclude students from registering for subsequent semesters.
A full-time student on academic probation may carry no more than 13 semester hours. A part-time student on academic probation may carry no more than 7 semester hours.
Students on academic probation may not elect an optional Pass/D+/D/Fail grade.
Students will be on academic probation as long as their cumulative grade point average remains below 2.0 and is above the University’s minimum retention standards (see Dismissal). Students who have a 2.0 or higher cumulative grade point average, but have been placed on academic probation due to repeated low term GPA performance will remain on academic probation until they have earned a term GPA of at least 2.0.
When appropriate, students admitted to the University through a special academic program may be exempted from these probation criteria until they transition from the program.
University Probation Standards for Low Completion Ratio
For degree progress, the University calculates the completion ratio for each student by using the number of credits attempted and the number of credits satisfactorily completed.
Students whose cumulative completion ratios fall below this standard will be placed on academic probation if they do not satisfactorily complete all attempted coursework in the current term. (Please note that all students in their first term of attendance at Hofstra may only be placed on academic warning, not academic probation, for failing to meet the required completion ratio.)
- 0-29 attempted hours: must satisfactorily complete at least 60% of attempted credits
- 30-59 attempted hours: must satisfactorily complete at least 70% of attempted credits
- 60 or more attempted hours: must satisfactorily complete at least 80% of attempted credits
A student’s completion ratio is calculated by dividing the satisfactorily completed number of credits by the total attempted number of credits, where:
- Satisfactorily completed credits are made up of
- Transfer credits
- Credits completed with a passing grade of D or better
- Credits completed with a passing grade of P
- Attempted credits are made up of
- Satisfactorily completed credits, as defined above
- Failures, withdrawals, unofficial withdrawals, and Incompletes (F, W, UW and I)
- Repeated courses are included in both attempted and earned hour calculations.
Students placed on probation for low completion ratios will receive a letter from the Office of Academic Records informing them of their academic probationary status and warning that they must complete an appropriate number of semester hours. The letter will also explain the consequences.
Students placed on academic probation will be required to meet with an adviser in the Advising Office as soon as possible to discuss their standing. When they meet with the adviser, they will be informed of the support services available and the percentage of attempted semester hours that must be completed to raise their completion ratios to minimum standards. Students will also be reminded that failure to complete the appropriate number of attempted semester hours, may result in dismissal from the University.
Students must meet with their Advisement Dean in the Fall and Spring semesters. While on probation, students are required, in consultation with their Advisement Dean, to create and fulfill an annual action plan that reflects a program of support and activities designed to aid them in improving their performance and academic standing beginning with the first semester that probation takes effect and continuing while on probation. Such an action plan may include such requirements as regular meetings with their major advisor and Advisement Dean, as well as availing themselves of tutoring services, and appropriate support services available through the Center for Academic Excellence. Failure to meet this requirement will preclude students from registering for subsequent semesters.
A full-time student on academic probation may carry no more than 13 semesters. A part-time student on academic probation may carry no more than 7 semester hours.
Students on academic probation may not elect an optional Pass/D+/D/Fail grade.
Students will be on academic probation for low completion ratios as long as their completion ratios remain below the standards specified above. They will continue to be subject to all the requirements of students on academic probation and failure to improve may result in dismissal from the University.
When appropriate, students admitted to the University through a special academic program may be exempted from these probation criteria until they transition from the program.
Updated February 2023.
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