What is a leave of absence?

At NXU, we understand that some situations may require you to temporarily pause your studies.

A Leave of Absence (LOA) allows eligible learners to temporarily pause their studies and return at a later date without withdrawing from the university. LOAs are scheduled to begin on the 1st day of the month after the learner’s current course is completed. In urgent situations, learners may also need to withdraw from active course(s) before the LOA begins.

The LOA policy applies only to learners enrolled in degree programs. Learners enrolled in single courses, certificate programs, or currently on suspension are not eligible for an LOA.

The maximum cumulative LOA allowance depends on the learner’s program:

• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) learners: up to 8 cumulative months
• All other degree program learners: up to 4 cumulative months

LOA requests must be submitted in advance and may only apply to future months. Approved LOAs always begin on the 1st day of the approved month.

If the LOA begins during the first month of a term, the learner will not be enrolled in a course for that term. If it begins during the second month of a term, the learner will be withdrawn from the active course according to university withdrawal policies.

Learners are expected to complete all coursework and receive final grades before the LOA start month. Otherwise, they will automatically be withdrawn from the course effective on the first day of the LOA.

If emergency or extenuating circumstances occur while actively enrolled in a course, the LOA cannot begin immediately and will instead begin no earlier than the first day of the following month. During this time, the Learner Success Team may help identify alternative support options.

Taking an LOA may not be the best option if you have simply missed deadlines, are struggling academically, or feel temporarily overwhelmed. In these situations, learners are encouraged to work with their professors and Success Advisors on a learning plan and available support resources.

In general, LOAs are granted for:

• Serious medical conditions
• Extreme family obligations
• Extreme employment obligations

During an approved LOA:

• Tuition billing is paused
• Unused tuition is credited toward future study
• Access to Canvas and learning systems is temporarily suspended

Reminder emails will be sent 25, 15, 10, and 5 days before the scheduled return date. Learners must confirm and resume studies by the end of the month prior to their scheduled return. Failure to return or respond may result in dismissal from the university.

To request an LOA, submit an Academic Request and select “Apply for Leave of Absence” as the request type. Learners are also encouraged to discuss their situation and return timeline with their assigned Success Advisor before submitting the request.

All LOA requests are subject to university approval.

For complete details, please refer to the University Catalog.