Leave of Absence

Requesting a Leave of Absence

If you need to take a Leave of Absence (LOA), you will work with both your college/graduate advisor and ISSS. The reason for your LOA determines the approval process and what effects it may have on your F-1 status.

For Medical Reasons - remaining in the U.S.

Leave of Absence for medical reasons is treated as a Reduced Course Load (RCL) in SEVIS. Students on a medical LOA are not required to exit the United States.

To request an RCL for this reason, please complete an RCL Authorization Form.

For Non-Medical Reasons or Medical Reasons - leaving the U.S.

If you will be on LOA for non-medical reasons or will leave the U.S. while on a medical LOA, you will need to:

1. Meet with your college or graduate advisor to discuss an LOA.
2. Submit a Leave of Absence petition for undergraduates or graduates. Please submit the form at least two weeks before the proposed LOA will begin.
3. Complete and submit the LOA/Withdrawal request via iGlobal -> ISSS F1 Requests.

Once approved, ISSS will terminate your SEVIS record for authorized early withdrawal, as long as you have been maintaining status. You will have a 15-day grace period to exit the United States. Please remember you are required to maintain status up until the time your LOA/Withdrawal is approved. Failure to maintain status could lead to the inability to request reactivation if you are eligible and could impact other immigration processes in the future.

Returning from Leave of Absence

The process for students to return from LOA will depend on how long you are on LOA and outside the United States, and whether or not you were able to successfully maintain F-1 status up until the time when your LOA is requested.

From medical LOA - remained in the U.S.

1. Inform an ISSS advisor via istudent@ucsc.edu that you will be returning from medical LOA.
2. Contact your college or graduate advisor to reactivate enrollment. You are not required to submit any documentation to ISSS.

From any LOA - outside of the U.S. for (less than 5 months)

1. Inform an ISSS advisor via istudent@ucsc.edu of your plans to return at least 60 days before your intended date of reentry to the U.S.
2. ISSS will add you to the Return from Absence Checklist in iGlobal and you will be asked to provide the following information:
   1. Date last attended classes at UCSC
   2. Date you left the US
   3. Anticipated date of return to US
   4. If necessary, date of visa appointment
   5. Flight Itinerary
3. ISSS will submit a request in SEVIS to return your F-1 record to Active status. Keep in mind that SEVP will have the ultimate discretion on the reactivation request, and ISSS cannot guarantee your record will be returned to Active status successfully.
4. If approved, ISSS will issue you a new I-20 and you should be able to reenter the U.S. Do not attempt to reenter before you've received the new I-20. If the request is not approved, ISSS will contact you to discuss your options and the impact of receiving a new initial I-20 with a new SEVIS ID.

From any LOA - outside of the U.S. for (more than 5 months)

1. Inform an ISSS advisor via istudent@ucsc.edu of your plans at least 2 months before your intended date of reentry to the U.S.
2. ISSS will add you to the Return from Absence Checklist in iGlobal and you will be asked to provide additional information. Note: Your previous I-20 is no longer valid and you will require a new document to enter the US.
3. Pay the I-901 SEVIS fee for the new I-20 SEVIS ID.
4. Apply for a new F-1 or J-1 visa, if necessary. If your current visa for your previous SEVIS ID is not expired, it is recommended you contact your nearest U.S. embassy/consulate about whether you must apply for a new visa.

Note: You will not be eligible for off-campus employment benefits until you are in their new status for at least one academic year.