Leaves and Withdrawal

Voluntary Withdrawal from The University

A voluntary withdrawal is a request to separate from the University.   An undergraduate student must apply for a voluntary withdrawal by contacting the designated member of the Griff Center for Student Success (OM 013) for assistance with the withdrawal process.  A student who completes the voluntary withdrawal process during the add/drop period, will have all courses removed from their record for that semester and their tuition refunded.  A student who completes the process after the add/drop period ends, will receive a “W” for all courses in which they are enrolled.  All applicable dates/deadlines may be found in the Academic Calendar on the Canisius website.

In addition to completing the appropriate paperwork, each undergraduate student seeking to voluntarily withdraw from the University must also complete an exit survey (found on the MyCanisius student portal upon completion of the withdrawal application).  The official date of the withdrawal is the date on which the student completes the exit survey.  A student seeking to withdraw is also required to meet with a Financial Aid representative in order to understand the financial ramifications of withdrawing from the university. The paperwork for voluntary withdrawal without academic penalty must be submitted no later than the published deadline for the last day to withdraw from courses.  A student who stops attending classes at any time during a semester without following the proper withdrawal procedures will receive a failing grade for those classes. 

Graduate students wishing to withdraw from the university must speak to their Associate Dean or Program Director.

Medical Leave of Absence

A medical leave of absence is necessary when a medical condition significantly interferes with a student’s ability to function at the University. This policy is intended to assist students with a leave of one to two semesters.  It is not intended to allow a long period of absence during a single semester.  A student taking a leave of absence for medical reasons will not be eligible to complete courses within the semester for which the medical leave of absence is approved.  A student granted a medical leave will be expected to return to the University once the leave has ended. The procedure for returning to the University is outlined below. Failure to return from a medical leave of absence after two semesters will result in a formal academic withdrawal from Canisius.  In addition, a student who takes courses at another institution while on a medical leave, must re-apply for admission to the University.

An undergraduate student may apply to take a medical leave of absence by contacting the designated member of the Griff Center for Student Success (OM 013) for assistance with the leave process.   A student who completes the medical leave process during the add/drop period, will have all courses removed from their record for that semester and their tuition refunded.  A student who completes the medical leave process after the add/drop period ends, will receive a “W” for all courses in which they are enrolled.  All applicable dates/deadlines and refund percentages may be found in the Academic Calendar on the Canisius website.

Consideration of a request for a medical leave of absence requires that the student complete the medical leave application which includes a written verification from a licensed health/mental health professional justifying evidence of and/or severity of a medical condition. In addition, the student must write a brief personal statement to provide further insight into how the medical symptoms/condition is negatively impacting their academic progress.  A student applying for a medical leave of absence must also meet with a Financial Aid representative in order to understand the financial ramifications of taking a leave from the University.

Once the medical leave application has been processed, a leave hold will be placed on the student’s account to ensure the student follows the appropriate re-entry process when they are ready to return.

A student who stops attending classes at any time during a semester without following the proper medical leave procedures, will receive a failing grade for those classes.  All paperwork must be submitted in a timely manner.  Failure to do so may seriously impact current and future Federal Aid.
Graduate students wishing to request a medical leave from the university must speak to their Associate Dean or Program Director.

To return from a leave of absence, the undergraduate student must provide the Griff Center for Student Success with the appropriate return from medical leave application.  This application includes information from a licensed health/mental health professional that confirms the student sought and received treatment and is capable of meeting the challenges of academic life. When appropriate, this information should also include recommendations for continued treatment once the student returns to the university and any needed academic restrictions or accommodations. It is expected that a request to return should be made at least 30 days in advance of the commencement of the new semester. The medical leave committee will determine the conditions a student will need to meet in order to return after reviewing the statement with appropriate personnel.

Voluntary Leave of Absence

A personal leave of absence is a temporary pause in enrollment.  A student may request a personal leave of absence for a maximum of two consecutive semesters.  If the leave is granted, the student will be expected to return to Canisius University once the leave has ended.  Failure to return from a leave of absence will result in total withdrawal from the University and the student must re-apply for admission. In addition, a student who takes courses at another institution while on a leave, must re-apply for admission to the University.

An undergraduate student may apply to take a personal leave of absence by contacting the designated member of the Griff Center for Student Success (OM 013) for assistance with the leave process.

A student who completes the leave process during the add/drop period, will have all courses removed from their record for that semester and their tuition refunded.  A student who completes the leave process after the add/drop period ends, will receive a “W” for all courses in which they are enrolled.
All applicable dates/deadlines including refund percentages may be found in the Academic Calendar on the Canisius website.

In addition to completing the leave application, each undergraduate student seeking a personal leave must complete an exit survey (found on the MyCanisius student portal upon completion of leave application) and must also meet with a Financial Aid representative in order to understand the financial ramifications of taking a leave from the University. The official date of the personal leave is the date on which the student initiated the leave process or verification of when the student ceased attending classes. The paperwork for a personal leave of absence without academic penalty must be submitted no later than the published deadline for the last day to withdraw from courses.

Once the personal leave application and exit survey have been processed, a hold will be placed on the student’s account to ensure proper advisement upon return.  A student who stops attending classes at any time during a semester without following the proper leave procedures will receive a failing grade for those classes.  All paperwork and exit surveys must be submitted in a timely manner.  Failure to do so may seriously impact current and future Federal Aid.
Graduate students wishing to take a personal leave from the university must speak to their Associate Dean or Program Director.

Involuntary Leave of Absence

When a student’s behavior is disruptive to the university community or when a student’s behavior presents a danger to themselves or others, the senior associate dean of students or their designee may place the student on an involuntary leave of absence in accordance with the University’s Students of Concerns Policy.  A student's return from an involuntary leave is dependent upon the resolution of the circumstances leading to that leave and must be coordinated with the senior associate dean of students or their designee.