The Division of Student Development

Acrobat pdf files:

Information Sheet for students applying for a Non-Academic Leave

Information Sheet for students applying for a Voluntary Withdrawal

Non-Academic Leave of Absence
Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of a non-academic leave of absence?

A non-academic leave of absence allows a student to take up to a year off from completing academic study. This type of leave is taken when a student does not intend to register for credit at another institution and plans to return to Oneonta State to continue undergraduate study within a period of one year. While on a non-academic leave of absence, you remain an undergraduate student at Oneonta State, allowing up to one year off from completing academic work.

What are the qualifications for approval?

You must be an undergraduate, degree student who has successfully completed at least one semester of study at Oneonta State to apply for a leave of absence.

How do I apply?

Obtain an application form from the Office of Student Development or download the Acrobat PDF version here.

Do I have to check out at the offices listed at the bottom of the form?

As part of the leave procedure students who receive financial aid or loans must visit the Financial Aid Office. You are encouraged to discuss future applications for financial aid, loan repayment obligations, notification of the Higher Education Services Corporation and any other financial aid considerations.

What kind of refund can I expect if I apply for a non-academic leave once the semester has begun?

Refer to section on refunds.

What happens with my board plan/Dragon Dollars?

As part of the checkout procedure, you will need to checkout with the ID/Dining Card Office. You are encouraged to ask questions about your account at that time. OAS provides for a pro-rated refund taking into account an administrative overhead cost incurred, and the number of weeks which have passed at the time the student leaves the College. Details of the refund policy as well as a copy of that policy are available by calling OAS at 436-3367.

What is the last day to apply for a non-academic leave of absence?

The last day to apply for a non-academic leave is two weeks before the end of classes. Check the Key Dates publication or Schedule of Classes.

What if I want to take classes elsewhere?

You should apply for an academic leave of absence through Academic Advisement and obtain prior approval for the classes you plan to take.

What is the grading policy take a leave of absence from College:

When a student takes a leave from college after the start of a semester, the policy for grades assigned to courses for which s/he is registered is the same as the course withdrawal policy. On the leave of absence application provided by the Office of Student Development, students must indicate the last day of class attendance. The Office of the Registrar will then assign the grade appropriate for that point in the semester. A student taking a leave prior to the mid-semester date leaves without penalty and is assigned a grade of W. If a student leaves officially after the deadline for individual course withdrawals and up to two weeks before the end of the semester, s/he will receive a "W" with a grade which indicates the quality of his/her work up to the time of the leave. No credit is issued for grade of W. Once a student has entered the last two weeks of classes, s/he is committed to that coursework and is ineligible to take a leave of absence or withdraw from college for the current semester.

Will I earn credit for coursework for the semester I am on a non-academic leave?

No. You cannot earn any college credit during the period of your leave of absence. If you are currently enrolled, you will be withdrawn from your coursework. The Office of the Registrar will assign the grade appropriate for that point in the semester.

What if I do not plan to return to Oneonta?

You should go through the process to withdraw from Oneonta State. If you do not return from your leave you will be administratively withdrawn from the College.

If I take a leave for one semester, and I need longer what do I do?

A written request for extension of a leave of absence must be filed with the Student Development Office prior to the beginning of the semester of scheduled return. In no case will a non-academic leave be granted for longer than one academic year.

I have heard the terms, “ personal leave of absence” and, “ medical leave of absence.” Which is a non-academic leave of absence?

A non-academic leave of absence can be taken for personal, medical, military duty, or financial reasons. The reason for applying for the leave is asked on the application. In some cases, documentation of the reason for a leave is required.

Can I stay in my residence hall while on a non-academic leave of absence?

No. If you are not earning credit for courses at Oneonta State, your residence hall contract is not in effect for that semester. Students are expected to vacate their residence hall room within 48 hours of approval of their leave application.

What happens to a previously assigned grade of Incomplete?

Even though you may not be enrolled for the full semester, previous semester incompletes must be made up by the specified dates. Incompletes not made up by those dates will revert to failure per college incomplete policy.

What do I do when I am ready to return to Oneonta State?

During the last semester of your leave of absence, you will have the opportunity to pre-enroll for the following semester via the world wide web. The schedule of classes and your appointment time will be available online at https://webservices.oneonta.edu/. Contact the Registrar’s Office at (607) 436-2531 for a printed copy of the schedule or to have your PIN reset.

If your leave is for medical reasons, you are required to have a statement of clearance from your attending physician.

What do I have to do if I want to live on campus when I return from my leave?

Contact the Office of Residential Community Life as soon as possible.

What do I do to apply for financial aid upon return to College?

Contact the Financial Aid Office as soon as possible

Voluntary Withdrawal

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I withdraw from college?

Your withdrawal must be done in writing. To obtain an application form, contact the Office of Student Development at (607) 436-2513, Netzer 119 or download the Adobe Acrobat PDF version of the form here. A letter of confirmation of your withdrawal from College will be sent to your permanent address. If you do not receive this confirmation, please call the Student Development Office at 436-2513.

I am not a degree undergraduate student. Do I follow the same procedure?

No. Non-degree undergraduate students need to contact the Office of Continuing Education regarding the appropriate withdrawal procedure. Degree or Non-degree Graduate students must contact the Graduate Office regarding the appropriate withdrawal procedure.

Do I have to check out at the offices listed at the bottom of the form?

As part of the withdrawal procedure students who receive financial aid or loans must visit the Financial Aid Office. You are encouraged to discuss future applications for financial aid, loan repayment obligations, notification of the Higher Education Services Corporation and any other financial aid considerations.

Checking out in the offices listed on the bottom of the form is for your benefit. These offices will be able to tell you anything you need to know about your account with them or obtain any additional information they may need.

What kind of refund can I expect if withdrawal from College?

Refer to section on refunds.

What is the last day to withdraw from College?

The last day to withdraw from College is two weeks before the end of classes. Check the Key Dates publication or Schedule of Classes.

What is the grading policy if I withdraw from College?

When a student withdraws from college after the start of a semester, the policy for grades assigned to courses for which s/he is registered is the same as the course withdrawal policy. On the withdrawal application provided by the Office of Student Development, students must indicate the last day of class attendance. The Office of the Registrar will then assign the grade appropriate for that point in the semester. A student withdrawing prior to the mid-semester date withdraws without penalty and is assigned a grade of W. If a student withdraws officially after the deadline for individual course withdrawals and up to two weeks before the end of the semester, s/he will receive a "W" with a grade which indicates the quality of his/her work up to the time of withdrawal. No credit is issued for grade of W. Once a student has entered the last two weeks of classes, s/he is committed to that coursework and is ineligible to withdraw from college.

What happens to a previously assigned grade of Incomplete?

Even though you may not be enrolled for the full semester, previous semester incompletes must be made up by the specified dates. Incompletes not made up by those dates will revert to failure per college incomplete policy.

Can I stay in my residence hall while not attending classes?

No. If you are not earning credit for courses at Oneonta State, your residence hall contract is not in effect. Students are expected to vacate their residence hall room within 48 hours of submission of their withdrawal application. You must follow the residence hall checkout procedure.

What happens with my board plan/Dragon Dollars?

As part of the checkout procedure, you will need to checkout with the ID/Dining Card Office. You are encouraged to ask questions about your account at that time. OAS provides for a pro-rated refund taking into account an administrative overhead cost incurred, and the number of weeks which have passed at the time the student leaves the College. Details of the refund policy as well as a copy of that policy are available by calling OAS at 436-3367.

What if I want to attend Oneonta State in the future?

Any student whose continuity of attendance is interrupted to the extent that s/he fails to finish a semester or is out a semester must apply for readmission. All applicants for readmission are reviewed by the college Committee on Student Progress and Status. Application for readmission does not imply automatic readmission. All requests for readmission are considered in light of current college policies and conditions.
Applications for readmission may be obtained from the Office of Academic Advisement, Netzer Administration Building, Room 100 or at www.oneonta.edu/development/advise/.
Note: There is a $20 readmission application fee.
Readmission applications must be filed prior to:
July 1 - for consideration for Fall semester readmission
November 1 - for consideration for Spring semester readmission
May 1 - for consideration for Summer session readmission
Students who have withdrawn for medical reasons are required to contact the Health Center prior to readmission. Students are required to submit a statement of clearance from their attending physician. If the absence has been greater than one academic year, the student must submit a new Health Report.
Readmission does not guarantee on-campus housing. The student must initiate contact with the college Housing Office to be considered for a room in a residence hall.
If a "Hold" has been placed on a student's record while in attendance, or after withdrawal, the "Hold" must be cleared before the application for readmission will be processed.

Can I file a withdrawal application to be processed after completion of the current semester?

Yes. You can file the withdrawal application and return it for end of semester processing. If you are academically dismissed, you will not be allowed to withdrawal from college.

Refund Information for Non Academic Leave of Absences and Voluntary Withdrawals

Refund Guidelines

College Fee: Refundable only if student withdraws prior to the first day of classes.
Tuition: Withdraw during: Percentage of charge refunded:
First Week 100 percent
Second Week 70 percent
Third Week 50 percent
Fourth Week 30 percent
Remainder of semester No refund
Comprehensive Student Fee: Fully refundable before the first day of classes. On and after the first day of classes, pro-rated the same as tuition refunds for the first four weeks of school only.
Parking Fee: Refundable only if student withdraws prior to the first day of classes. If paid in advance for following semester, that semester's fee will be refunded.
Vehicle Registration Fee: Non-refundable.
Room: Withdraw during: Percentage of charge refunded:
1st thru 4th week: 75 percent
5th thru Mid-term: 50 percent
Remainder of semester: No refund
For refund purposes the withdrawal date for students living on-campus is determined to be the date on which the student vacates his/her room in the residence hall.
Dining: Policy provides for a pro-rated refund taking into account an administrative overhead cost incurred, and the number of weeks which have passed at the time the student leaves the College. Details of the refund policy as well as a copy of that policy are available by calling OAS at 436-3367.
Student Health Insurance: Refundable only if the student withdraws prior to the first day of classes. If the insurance charge is not refunded, coverage will remain in effect to the expiration date of coverage.

Student Leaves and Withdrawals

Voluntary Withdrawal

Refund Information for Non Academic Leave of Absences and Voluntary Withdrawals