Withdrawal and Leave of Absence from the University

• Withdrawal: a student would withdraw from the University of Tampa when they have no intention of returning to the University of Tampa
• Leave of Absence: a student will take a leave of absence if they intend to return to the University of Tampa. The student would still be considered an active student and receive communications from the University of Tampa, including registration information for future terms.

Any student who desires to leave the University prior to the end of a current term or after a term has ended and has no intention of returning to the university must follow the prescribed withdrawal procedures. Failure to withdraw officially or withdrawing after published withdrawal deadlines will result in a failing grade in each course in which the student is registered.

To initiate a withdrawal, students should fill out the University of Tampa Withdrawal Form and indicate that they have no intention of returning to the University (available in SpartanNet under the Academics/Forms and Information tab). The Registrar’s Office receives Withdrawal Form submissions and is the designated office to accept notification of official withdrawals.

Any student who desires to leave the University prior to the end of a current term or after a term has ended and intends to return to the university within the next two semesters must follow the prescribed Leave of Absence procedure. If the student is not enrolled for longer than two continuous semesters, they must follow the procedures for re-admittance to the University. Please refer to the Former Student Returning Policy.

To initiate a leave of absence, students should fill out the University of Tampa Withdrawal Form and indicate that they are intending to return to the University (available in SpartanNet under the Academics/Forms and Information tab).

Withdrawing or taking a Leave of Absence can have billing and Financial Aid implications. Please refer to Changes in Enrollment policy in the UT Catalog, and call the Bursar (813-253-6202) and Financial Aid (813-253-6219) for more information.

International students must submit the SEVIS Leave of Absence/Withdrawal request through their ISSS portal to the International Programs Office before they withdraw from classes to ensure immigration compliance. Completed forms should be forwarded to the Registrar's Office or email registrar@ut.edu.

For questions about the withdrawal or leave of absence process, undergraduate students may contact the Academic Success Center or email advising@ut.edu.

A petition for a late withdrawal ("W" with no academic penalty) from an entire course schedule (for information about individual course withdrawals refer to the Dropping & Adding Policy) must be initiated by the 7th week of classes of the subsequent fall or spring semester. Undergraduate students must utilize the Academic Petition for this process. The Academic Petition must include the Academic Petition form, a personal statement, and all available documents supporting the necessity of a withdrawal. If health documentation is provided it must come from a licensed healthcare provider. (A health documentation form is available in SpartanNet under Academics/Forms and Information tab.) For graduate student petitions please refer to the Graduate Academic Appeal Process.

If health justification was used to support the need for a late withdrawal, the Spartan Support office will place a hold on the student’s account that will prevent the student from being re-admitted or re-enrolled without properly petitioning to return as outlined in the Medical Clearance Process http://www.ut.edu/deanofstudents/policies/. If the student is already registered for a future semester, the student’s courses may be administratively dropped.

Health Clearance Process to Return to UT

Contact the Spartan Support Office at ssp@ut.edu or (813) 257-3901 if prior to the term in which the student would like to return.

Submit the Health Clearance Form within two weeks of contacting the Spartan Support Office indicating the intention to return. The deadlines for submitting the Health Clearance Form are August 1 for the fall term, January 2 for the spring term and May 1 for the summer terms. The form should be completed by a licensed professional appropriate for the health issue(s) which necessitated the withdrawal. The University will return insufficient documentation for additional information/clarification, if needed.

Submit a release of information in order to share pertinent health information relevant to the desired clearance form from your doctor or medical professional and the Dickey Wellness Center staff. This release of information may be obtained from the treating professional or from the Dickey Wellness Center by calling (813) 253-6250.

Confirm with the Spartan Support Office that both the Health Clearance Form and the release of information have been received. You may also ask any additional questions at this time. The University retains the right to grant final clearance.

Documents to Submit:

• Release of Information: Please complete a Consent to Release Information form, provided by your clinician(s), for each treatment provider you saw during your leave.
• Clinical Documentation: Please have each treatment provider complete, sign and submit a Health Clearance Form. This form can be provided to you by emailing a request to ssp@ut.edu or by downloading the form at http://www.ut.edu/uploadedFiles/Student_Services/Health_and_Wellness_Center/Medical-Clearance-Form.pdf.