SKAP 190: SUNY Korea Leave of Absence and Withdrawal Policy
General Principles
SUNY Korea students are primarily governed by the leave policies of their home institutions and must comply with both home institution policies and SUNY Korea policies, including:
Non-attendance, failure to notify instructors or Academic and Faculty Affairs, or non-payment of tuition does not constitute an official leave of absence.
A leave of absence is granted for a defined period. The maximum duration depends on the type of leave. Students requesting an extension must follow the procedures.
The official leave date is the submission date indicated on the approved Leave of Absence or Withdrawal form. Specifically, for each college (SBU and FIT), if the form is submitted by the official withdrawal deadline for each semester, the leave period will begin in that semester. However, if the form is submitted after the deadline, the leave period will begin in the following semester.
The procedures and guidelines for submitting a Leave of Absence or Withdrawal form will be announced separately through SUNY Korea’s official communications.
Types of Leave
General Leave of Absence
Students must submit the Undergraduate Semester Withdrawal Form to Academic and Faculty Affairs.
Approved applicants will be withdrawn from all courses for the specified semester.
General leave is permitted for up to four (4) consecutive semesters. Failure to return or request an extension within this period will result in dismissal.
Any newly admitted student, whether freshman or transfer, who requests a Leave of Absence before the add/drop deadline of the semester must reapply. For FIT, this will be considered a withdrawal, and the student must reapply through the Admissions Office during the next application cycle if they intend to return to the University.
After the add/drop deadline, new admits that request a Leave of Absence are subject to the same guidelines of continuing students. In this case, students must acknowledge the following:
A grade of “W/WD” will be recorded for all enrolled courses
Students must comply with the tuition refund deadline, and no exceptions or appeals for tuition will be accepted
Military Leave
Students must submit:
Undergraduate Semester Withdrawal Form
Official Military Enlistment Letter
Military leave is permitted for up to four (4) consecutive semesters.
[SBU Only] Requirement Term Exemption applies to SBU students who:
Begin leave immediately upon enlistment, and
Return in the semester following discharge
Submit all supporting documentation within the required timeframe
Failure to submit enlistment documentation within the applicable semester will result in the leave being processed as General Leave.
Medical Leave
Students must submit:
Undergraduate Semester Withdrawal Form
Official medical documentations
Documentation must clearly confirm the student’s inability to attend classes during the relevant semester.
Medical leave is permitted for up to four (4) consecutive semesters.
Incomplete or insufficient documentation will result in the leave being processed as General Leave.
Leave Extension
Students seeking to extend leave beyond four (4) semesters must submit a Leave Extension Petition.
The petition must be submitted no later than the re-matriculation/readmission application deadline for the fourth semester of leave, and must include:
Reason for extension
Expected semester of return
Approval is required from Department Chair and Dean of Academic Affairs.
Detailed procedures are available on the official SUNY Korea website.
Unauthorized Leave
Failure to formally request a leave of absence will result in an Unauthorized Leave status.
Students who stop attending classes without approval will receive grades of WF (equivalent to a grade of F).
Unauthorized leave is permitted for a maximum of one (1) semester. Exceeding this limit will result in dismissal.
Students who are on unauthorized leave and wish to change their status to authorized leave must submit the official Leave of Absence form by the official withdrawal deadline for each semester.
University Withdrawal
Students who do not intend to return must apply for University Withdrawal.
Approved students will be withdrawn from all current and future semesters.
Students wishing to return after withdrawal must apply for re-matriculation or readmission, in accordance with their home institution’s policies.
General Compliance Requirements Students must comply with all home institution policies. Prior to leave or withdrawal, students are responsible for:
Confirming academic and administrative requirements
Failure to complete these obligations may result in administrative holds or restrictions.
Responsible Department l Email Address l Contact Number
SBU Academic Team l academic.sbu@sunykorea.ac.kr l 032-626-1115
FIT Academic Team l academic.fit@sunykorea.ac.kr l 032-626-1115