Withdrawal and Military Leave of Absence

Augustana does not have a Leave of Absence for students who choose not to return to campus. Students who decide not to return to campus for a semester must notify the Dean of Students Office in writing (email) prior to the start of the semester in order to avoid additional charges. Students in this situation will have their academic program ended and will not have access to the campus network (Arches, Moodle, etc.). Students who leave and wish to return to Augustana, must apply for readmission through the Dean of Students Office if they are not enrolled for the prior term (not including J-term).

Students who choose to leave the college during a term of enrollment may opt to withdraw from all coursework according to the college’s published enrollment deadlines. Students are required to make formal notice to the college by working directly with the Dean of Students Office to begin the withdrawal process. Students should meet with their advisor(s), family members and review all dates and deadlines for this process, as well as the financial aid withdrawal policies (see below) before making a final decision. Students who are not continuously enrolled at the college are required to apply for readmission. 

The college will assist students with their departure from the college for involuntary call to active military duty, training for active duty, or full-time National Guard duty or reserve activation. Qualifying students must be members of the United States military or National Guard prior to initial enrollment at Augustana. Students who provide advance notice are entitled to either complete their courses at a later time without penalty or withdraw from their courses with a full refund of tuition and fees paid. NOTE! Please note that students enlisting for initial service once the semester begins are not eligible for a LOA under this policy (please read below). The following stipulations and requirements apply. 

Notification: Students must provide written advanced notice using their Augustana email account of their need to report for required, involuntary service to the Office of the Registrar immediately upon notification from their superior officer.

Documentation: The student must provide an official copy of the military orders or other official military documentation for review by the Office of the Registrar. It must contain the date the student needs to report for duty. 

Applicable Terms: Fall or spring semester, or summer term only. Due to the highly intense nature of January- Term coursework, students enrolled in J-term will automatically be withdrawn. Since J-term fees are tied to fall semester tuition, no refunds will be available. However, if a student finds they need those additional 4 credits at a future time, they can appeal to have 4 credits of fees waived for a future term of enrollment by contacting the Office of the Registrar. 

Departure Options: 

• A) Withdrawal from Augustana: For students who have completed less than 50% of a semester (departure at week 7 or before) or are enrolled in J-term, or for students who do not wish to complete their Augustana coursework for the current semester. Students are required to work directly with the Dean of Students Office to begin the withdrawal process. A full refund of charges will be applied to the student account when the required documentation noted above is provided. 
• B) Leave of Absence (LOA): Students who have completed at least 50% of the semester (departure at week 8 or later). Students who have completed less than half of their coursework must follow the withdrawal procedures above.

Completion of Coursework:  Students on LOA will have incomplete grades (I) on their records for 90 days. At the conclusion of 90 days, a final grade should be reported by the faculty member to the college using the Grade Change Request System linked in Arches. The LOA expires in 90 days and is renewable for up to an additional 30 days if requested by the student prior to the initial expiration (use petition to AS&D to request an extension). If a student doesn't complete their coursework according to the arrangements outlined by the faculty incomplete agreement, the student will be withdrawn from the coursework and will forfeit all tuition and fees. 

Initial Enlistment  

During the Academic Year: The policies noted here are not in effect for students who begin their initial service or enlist for military service after the semester begins. Students who join a branch of the military during the academic year must complete the semester according to the published college attendance policies as enrolled or choose to withdraw according to the college’s regular withdrawal policies and deadlines if their required service begins prior to the conclusion of the semester. Under Department of Education credit regulations, students are not be permitted end the semester early. Refunds will not be given for students who join military service and choose to depart during a semester of enrollment.

In Between Terms: Students who choose to enlist for military service between academic terms or prior to the start of the academic year, should provide notice of their status as a non-returning student. Students must email the of Dean of Students Office from their Augustana email address to provide notice. Students who are in good academic standing upon departure may return at a future semester. Returning students are required to complete the reapplication process prior to the registration periods. All academic policies about returning students are in effect, including the possibility of additional requirements in place for a new catalog year at the time of their return. 

Students who were in good academic and social standing at the time of their departure and seek to return to Augustana, must apply for readmission. Returning students are subject to the parameters for readmission and the policies surrounding degree requirements in place upon return. Students who wish to enroll after participation in the APEP program must follow the steps outlined in the Policy for Transition from APEP to Main Campus. Students who have questions about the dates and deadlines for readmission should consult the Academic Calendar or contact the Dean of Students Office. 

Federal Title IV and other aid funds are awarded and disbursed to students under the assumption that the student will attend the school for the entire period for which the funds are awarded. When a student leaves the institution before completing the semester, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of Title IV and other aid funds. Students who withdraw from fall semester are necessarily withdraw from J-term as well and are not eligible for enrollment in J-term. 

Students who officially withdraw from the college or stop attending during the semester without notifying the Dean of Student Life must reapply for admission for any future term.

See also Deregistration for Non-Attendance policies for administrative withdrawals. 

See withdrawal policies at:

Withdrawal - Return of Title IV Federal Student Aid (semester)

Withdrawal - Refund of Institutional Charges (semester)