Readmission After a Leave of Absence

[changes effective September 4, 2019]

Undergraduate Readmission from a Leave

Undergraduate students may take a Leave of Absence from the College for a period of up to two years. During this two-year period, students are eligible for readmission to the College through the Office of Student Success. Readmission to a Performing Arts BFA program is contingent upon course sequencing and space within the program. Students planning to return to the College must contact the Office of Student Success by the established deadline for the semester under consideration and submit a Request for Readmission Form. Students who took a Health Leave of Absence on or after September 4, 2019, must also submit the Health Readiness to Return Form and comply with all other requirements specific to readmission from a Health Leave of Absence.

There is no guarantee of readmission and formal approval for readmission is required. If granted readmission, students will fall under the same academic and social standing as when they left. Once readmitted, students will be contacted by a staff member from the Office of Student Success in order to register for classes. Credit for Emerson work previously completed is subject to course approval, and the student would follow the catalog in effect for the term in which he or she is readmitted.

The Office of Student Success processes all undergraduate requests for readmission. Please review the current readmission dates, deadlines, and information for readmitted students and contact the Office of Student Success at (617) 824-8650 or studentsuccess [at] emerson.edu (studentsuccess[at]emerson[dot]edu) with questions.

Graduate Readmission from a Leave

Graduate students may take a Leave of Absence from the College for a period of up to one year and are renewable up to an additional year. Within this period, graduate students can be readmitted to the college through the Office of Graduate Studies without having to reapply through the Office of Graduate Admission. Students returning from a leave of absence must file a Request to Re-register from a Leave of Absence Form with the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies at least 30 days (domestic students) and 90 days (international students) prior to the start of the semester in which they plan to return. Students who took a Health Leave of Absence on or after September 4, 2019, must also submit the Health Readiness to Return Form and comply with all other requirements specific to readmission from a Health Leave of Absence.

Students who apply to be readmitted more than two years from the date of their last enrollment are subject to current admission standards. There is no guarantee of readmission. Graduate students who wish to return should review the readmission process information. Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies at (617) 824-8612 or graduatestudies [at] emerson.edu (GraduateStudies[at]emerson[dot]edu) with questions.

Readmission from a Health Leave of Absence

1. The College expects the student to seek appropriate treatment and to take time away of sufficient length to allow the student to address the issues that necessitated the HLOA.
2. Students wishing to return to the College following a HLOA must complete the steps below by the published readmission deadlines in order for the Office of Student Success to consider the readmission request. On rare occasions, in its sole discretion, the Office of Student Success may grant exceptions to these deadlines.
   • Submit the Online Readmission Request to return to the College.
   • Submit the Health Readiness to Return Form to the Office of Student Success. The form should be completed by the student’s licensed health provider, who cannot be a family member or legal guardian of the student, indicating that the student has the ability to actively participate in, and is able to benefit from, the academic life of the College by:
     1. demonstrated compliance with treatment recommendations;
     2. amelioration of the health condition that prompted the HLOA;
     3. the ability to function safely and productively at the College; and
     4. recommendations for any continued treatment.
   • The student must authorize the health provider completing the form to speak with a representative from Emerson’s Wellness Center.
3. A committee comprised of representatives from the Office of Student Success, Emerson Wellness Center (CHW), Emerson Counseling and Psychological Services (ECAPS), Student Care and Support, Student Accessibility Services, and Academic Advising will review the Health Readiness to Return Form and any supporting documents. The committee will consult with other departments as needed. CHW or ECAPS may speak with the student’s health provider as needed.
4. Students who have completed all steps above in a timely fashion will be notified in writing whether the College has determined that they are ready to return within two calendar weeks of submission of the Health Readiness to Return form, provided that CHW or ECAPS is able to speak with the student’s medical provider, if needed, within that time frame. 
5. As with a return from any student leave of absence, students’ academic, conduct, and account standing are also reviewed in determining readmission eligibility from a leave of absence. Any holds on a student’s account must be resolved before readmission is granted.
6. Students approved to return from a HLOA must participate in a consultation with CHW or ECAPS before returning to campus to review any ongoing treatment recommendations.
7. Upon returning to the Boston campus, the student must meet with one or more of the following support offices, as designated by the Office of Student Success, within the first two weeks of classes: Office of Student Success, Student Care and Support, Student Accessibility Services, Academic Advising, or other campus resources. The purpose of the visit(s) is to discuss and assess the student’s transition back to campus thus far and review available resources. Students who will be at Kasteel Well or the Los Angeles campus upon their return will be required to meet with an appropriate staff person there, as designated by the Office of Student Success, and may be referred to additional internal or local resources.
8. Students who have not yet completed their Emerson Residency Requirement should contact the Office of Housing and Residence Life at 617-824-8620 or reslife [at] emerson.edu (reslife[at]emerson[dot]edu) to discuss housing plans for their return.
9. Students who wish to appeal the outcome of their request to return from a Health Leave of Absence may submit a written appeal via email to the Office of Student Success for review by a committee comprised of the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President of Enrollment Management, and Vice President and Dean of Campus Life, or their designees. The student must submit the written appeal within seven calendar days of receipt of the College’s original decision. The grounds for an appeal include: a) a lack of fairness in the procedures or process that may alter the outcome; or b) significant new information which may alter the outcome. Absent extenuating or unusual circumstances, a representative of the committee will respond within ten calendar days to indicate whether the appeal has been approved.  If an appeal is granted, the student must comply with all other facets of the return process as outlined above.