Section 13. Leaves of Absence
Continuous registration (maintaining residency for the duration of the program, and remaining enrolled in at least 8 units) is expected of all graduate students. However, under special or extenuating circumstances a student may file a leave of absence (LOA) request through Graduate Division. International Students must secure approval from the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) before applying for any leave of absence
Students are eligible for up to three quarters of Personal LOA; up to three additional quarters may be granted, but only with the Graduate Dean’s approval. Alternatively, in consultation with their dissertation committee, a student may choose to take a Filing LOA during their last quarter in the program. A Filing LOA enables graduate students who have fulfilled all degree requirements except the final defense and filing of the doctoral dissertation to take one quarter’s leave in lieu of registering. All research and a substantial portion of the dissertation must be drafted prior to the Filing leave quarter. Finally, due to immigration regulations, International students are eligible to petition for a Summer Filing Quarter, in order to ease the transition period between finishing their degree and moving on to next steps. The DGS and/or the Staff Graduate Advisor may assist students in navigating these options.
Note: students taking approved leaves of absence will lose their ‘registered’ status during these quarters and therefore are unable to access many campus resources, including borrowing privileges from the UCSB Library. Additionally, students on leave who wish to retain their UCSB healthcare coverage must pay for it out-of-pocket; further information on the open enrollment period and relevant fees can be found on the UCSB Student Health website. Additionally, taking leaves of absence may adversely affect a student’s eligibility for on-campus housing, including family student housing; it is best to check directly with the relevant housing offices, as eligibility requirements are subject to change. A non-refundable $20 fee is charged for all leave petitions.