Tiako University

Leave Of Absence (LOA) is a term used to describe a period of time that a student is away from the University, while maintaining the status of student. The institution permits students to request a LOA as long as the leaves do not exceed a total of 6 months (180 days) during a year (12-month) period and as long as there are documented, legitimate circumstances that require the student to interrupt their education. The following leaves of absence may be requested:

• Medical Leave of Absence: Requests must be accompanied by a statement from a medical doctor explaining why the student must interrupt enrollment.
  
• Military Leave of Absence:  For those being inducted, requests must be accompanied by a copy of military orders indicating the induction date.
  
• Jury or Witness duty: This absence is a key public policy consideration and a civic duty for all able adult citizens. As a result, Tiako allows students LOA to serve.
  
• Personal and Planned Educational Leaves of Absence: is defined as a planned interruption or pause in a student’s regular education during which the student temporarily ceases formal studies at Tiako. Such activities may be for the purpose of clarifying or enriching educational goals or to allow time to address personal matters and thus enhance the prospect of successful completion of the student's academic program.
  

In order for the student to be granted an approved LOA, the student must submit a completed, signed and dated Leave of Absence Request form along with supporting documentation to the Office of Academic Affairs. Depending of the LOA duration, the student must have completed his/her most recent semester and received academic grades (A-F) for that semester.

Re-admission following a Leave of Absence

Upon return from a leave, the student will be required to repeat the term and receive final grades for the courses from which the student took leave when the courses are next offered in normal sequence for students in the class into which the student has reentered. The student will not be charged any fee for the repeat of courses from which the student took leave or for reentry from the leave of absence. The date a student returns to class is normally scheduled for the beginning of the semester.

Failure to Return from a Leave of Absence

A student who fails to return from a LOA on or before the date indicated in the written request will be terminated from the program, and the University will invoke the cancellation/refund policy. As required by federal statute and regulations, the student’s last date of attendance prior to the return from approved LOA will be used in order to determine the amount of funds the University earned and make any refunds that may be required under federal, state or institutional policy.