Students in degree status and in good academic standing may apply for a leave-of-absence if
they wish to be absent from the University for one or two semesters, excluding summers. Students are
automatically assumed to be absent for the summer sessions, unless they register. A leave-of-absence
is normally granted to qualified students, provided the request is received in the Office of Student Services
for students at University Park or at another location's registrar before the beginning of the semester for
which the leave is being requested. Requests may be made by submitting the appropriate form to, or by calling
the Office of Student Services for University Park students, or the campus registrar for students at other
locations.
Students may register for their return semester at the time, based on the number of credits
completed, that they would normally register. No re-enrollment is required to return. However, students on
leave of absence cannot register for any Penn State course (including World Campus courses) during the leave.
To maintain a Penn State access account during a leave-of-absence, students must complete and
submit the Access
Account Extension for Student Leave of Absence Form There is a fee for this continued service. If the
access account is not extended during the leave-of-absence, a student will be unable to access eLion or e-mail.
Students who wish, may ask for an extension of the leave-of-absence. Students who do not have
an extension and fail to register for the expected return semester will need to apply for
re-enrollment upon their return.
If a student attends another institution during a leave-of-absence, he or she is responsible
for having the transcript from the other institution sent to the Undergraduate Admissions Office so that the credits can be transferred to Penn State.
Please go to Transferring Credits from Another Institution for more
information.
Students in ENGR status who go on a leave-of-absence are responsible for determining
the effect of their absence on their pool semester. Such a determination should be done at the time of the
request by contacting the Office of Student Services.