Please note: This is NOT the most current catalog.
Leaving St. Olaf
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Upon withdrawing from St. Olaf, a student in good academic standing may apply to the Office of the Dean of Students for a leave of absence. An approved leave provides the student with the right to return to St. Olaf without re-applying to the Office of Admissions. For students who are granted a leave of absence for medical reasons, the Office of the Dean of Students may require documentation from a health-care provider indicating the student is prepared to return to St. Olaf.
The leave of absence provides the student with the opportunity to register for future St. Olaf courses at the normal time of registration in a given semester either in person or through a proxy. In addition, a student planning to return after a leave of absence may participate in room draw at its regular time either through a proxy or in person.
The leave of absence agreement requires that returning students make the minimum tuition deposit at least four weeks prior to registration or room draw and to notify the Registrar’s Office (in cases of registration) and the Dean of Students Office (in the case of room draw) of their intention to return to St. Olaf.
Students who are on a leave of absence of less than 180 days duration will continue to be considered enrolled full-time, in good standing, for the purposes of Title IV student loan deferment (i.e., Federal Stafford Loan and Federal Perkins Loan.) This allows the borrower to avoid utilizing the grace period attached to those loans. This provision is limited to one leave of absence in a twelve-month period. However, if at the end of the leave of absence, the student fails to return to St. Olaf, the student’s withdrawal date will be back-dated to the last date of attendance. This may cause the borrower to be required to enter immediate repayment on the affected Title IV loans.
The college reserves the right to deny re-admission where intervening circumstances warrant such denial.
WITHDRAWAL FROM ST. OLAF
Withdrawal from St. Olaf must be processed through the Dean of Students Office. If withdrawal from St. Olaf occurs before the 10th day of classes during a semester or the fifth day during Interim, no entry is made on the transcript (permanent record). If withdrawal from St. Olaf occurs after the last day to add a course, but before the last day to drop a course, an entry indicating the withdrawal is made on the student’s transcript. For example:
Registered September 4, 2007
Withdrew November 1, 2007
If a student withdraws after the last day to drop a course, the following entries are made on the transcript depending on the circumstance:
WP — withdrawal with a passing grade
WF — withdrawal with a failing grade
RETURNING TO ST. OLAF AFTER AN ABSENCE
Many students decide to return to St. Olaf after an absence or leave. Contact the Dean of Students Office, (507) 786-3615, or readmission@stolaf.edu, for permission to return and re-entry information.