It's a good idea to talk with your college adviser about your options before taking any leave. Here is a brief guide on steps you may take:

•  If you plan to leave UCSC indefinitely, cancel your registration for the upcoming term by filing a Cancellation Form with the Registrar's Office prior to the first day of the term.  If you cancel your registration, you will be dropped from all courses for the upcoming term, will not be responsible for registration fees for that term, and will need to file a readmission application if you would like to return to UCSC.

•  If you plan to take time off from UCSC and return within two years, request a Leave of Absence by filing the Petition for Withdrawal/ Leave of Absence with your college.  If you are eligible for a leave of absence with a specified return term, your college will approve your leave and a $70 LOA fee will be assessed to your account.  In general, students who are making satisfactory academic progress and who have completed at least one quarter at UCSC are eligible for a Leave of Absence.  If you are not eligible for a Leave of Absence, you may still withdraw from the university and apply for readmission -- contact an adviser at your college about this process.

•  If you plan to enroll at a different institution while away and then return to UCSC, talk with an adviser about your plans before you leave.  Academic policies may limit the number of transfer credits that can be applied to UCSC degree requirements, and your number of quarters of UCSC enrollment eligibility can be affected by transfer credit.

•  If you need to withdraw from UCSC while a term is in session, file a Petition for Withdrawal/Leave of Absence with your college.  The academic calendar includes the withdrawal deadline for each term; after the deadline you may only withdraw for documented medical or emergency reasons.  File the Request for Medical Information form with your Petition for Withdrawal/ Leave of Absence if you are requesting withdrawal after the deadline.  Students who withdraw for documented medical reasons must submit documentation from their health practitioner verifying readiness to return when applying for readmission.

• For withdrawals while a term is in session, the effective date for determining a refund of fees is the student's official notice to their college of intent to withdraw:  see http://registrar.ucsc.edu/fees/refund.html. Information about how financial aid is affected by withdrawing is available through the "withdrawal calculator" at http://financialaid.ucsc.edu/faqs/calculators.html.

• Withdrawn students may be eligible to purchase voluntary insurance coverage for a limited period of time if they have also been enrolled in UC SHIP the immediately preceding term. You must enroll within 30 days; no late enrollments will be allowed.  For more information, see http://healthcenter.ucsc.edu/billing/insurance.shtml or call (831) 459-2389.

•  More information about withdrawing or taking a leave of absence is available in UCSC's online procedure manual, The Navigator.