Leave of Absence (LOA)

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Approved Leave of Absence (LOA)

All references to a leave(s) of absence (LOA) are consistent with provisions for a student to qualify for an approved LOA for Title IV purposes.  UTI does not grant a student an unapproved LOA. As such, the student is treated as a withdrawal for Title IV purposes.

General Guidelines

UTI permits a student to request a Leave of Absence (“LOA") or multiple leaves of absence due to extenuating circumstances that require the student to temporarily interrupt their education. The total number of calendar days on LOA or multiple LOAs in combination during any 12-month period, may not exceed a total of 180 calendar days.  A student who re‑enrolls in the same department group is subject to the same LOA provisions and the 180-calendar day timeframe does not “reset" (i.e., the total number of calendar days on LOA in the prior enrollment will count against the 180 calendar day limit). The student must meet certain conditions and adhere to the guidelines set forth to qualify for an LOA.

The student must request an LOA in advance and before the start date of the LOA unless unforeseen circumstances prevent the student from doing so. In lieu of the LOA Request Form, the student may instead submit an LOA request in writing via email or text as long as all required elements of the LOA Request Form are included. These requirements apply to all types of LOA requests.

To request an LOA (initial, extension of an existing LOA, or subsequent LOA), the student must submit a completed, signed, and dated LOA Request Form along with any required documentation to the Student Services Department. The LOA request must specify the reason for requesting the leave and when the student expects to return from the LOA.

Extenuating circumstances (i.e., acceptable LOA reasons) include but are not limited to:

  • Bereavement
  • Housing issue
  • Jury duty
  • Military service requirements
  • National Emergency
  • Personal family matter
  • Student employment issue
  • Student/family medical issue/care
  • Time to resolve a financial matter
  • Transportation issues/concerns
  • Personal travel needs such as visiting family, planned events/vacation, or returning home to resolve a concern
  • Unanticipated travel requirements/difficulties
  • In addition to the reasons listed above, a student may request an LOA for scheduling purposes after the following options have been reviewed and discussed with the student and the student wishes to proceed with the LOA option based on individual circumstances:
  • Take the course in a different session if available;
  • Retake or refresh a previously completed course at no charge; or
  • Proceed to another course in the student's program of study with a pre‑requisite waiver based on the student's academic achievement, as determined by the Education Department.

1 A personal written statement may be accepted if other supporting documentation is not available. Written statements will be accepted at the discretion of the institution and must include the reason for the LOA request, the student's signature (and date), as well as the reason the student cannot obtain supporting documentation.

Student Services personnel will review the student's LOA request to ensure that all information and documentation (if required) has been provided and determine the student's eligibility for an LOA, in accordance with UTI's LOA Policy. The school must have a reasonable expectation that the student will return from the LOA, in order for an LOA to be granted. The student will be notified in writing of the decision to grant or deny the request for LOA by Student Services personnel.

Note:  Students who need to postpone attendance within the first 5 days of a start should contact Student Services to discuss options. 

Effects of LOA on Student Status and Financial Ramifications

During the period of a student's LOA, the student is not considered to have withdrawn from school. For federal student loan borrowers, the LOA will not affect the grace period and the student borrower will not be required to begin repayment of federal student loans as long as the student was enrolled at least half-time. Periods during which a student is on LOA will not be included in the maximum time frame calculation, nor included as days attended in any withdrawal‑related calculation.

A student contemplating an LOA should be aware of the following financial ramifications:

  • The LOA will extend the originally anticipated aid disbursement dates and can interrupt veteran benefits, including Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) payments for students using Chapter 33 benefits. In some cases, a loss of federal aid may occur based on the timing of the LOA relative to the federal financial aid award year.
  • During the period of the student's leave, the institution is prohibited from disbursing Direct Loan funds; however, the institution may disburse federal grant funds intended for prior terms or payment periods.
  • The student will not incur additional institutional charges and is not eligible for any additional Title IV aid during the leave.
  • If a Title IV credit balance exists on a student's account, the institution will pay the credit balance to a student on an LOA.

For these reasons, a student considering an LOA is encouraged to meet with the Financial Aid Department prior to requesting the leave.

Additionally, it's important to note that a student who fails to return from an LOA on the scheduled return date indicated in the written request will be considered as having withdrawn from the institution unless an extension of the existing LOA has been requested and approved by Student Services. This means that the student's last date of attendance prior to the scheduled return date will be reported to the U.S. Department of Education and used to determine the amount of funds the institution earned and any refunds that may be required under federal, state, or institutional policy. The determination date of withdrawal will be the date the student was required to return and did not.

Furthermore, a student who has received federal student loans must be aware that failure to return from an LOA may have an adverse effect on their loan repayment schedules. Federal loan programs provide students with a "grace period" that delays the student's obligation to begin repaying their loan debt for six months (180 days) from the last date of attendance. If a student takes a lengthy LOA and fails to return to the institution after the conclusion of the LOA, some or all of the student's grace period may be exhausted, forcing the student borrower to begin making loan repayments immediately.

If a student is not able to return on day 1 but wishes to remain enrolled, it's important to consult with Student Services on available options.

LOA for International Students

Generally, a student attending school on an M‑1 visa is not eligible for an LOA. If a student has a medical condition that is documented by a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or licensed clinical psychologist, a reduced course load (RCL) option may be considered as long as the student plans to remain in the United States. A student may not be on a reduced course load status for more than an aggregate of five (5) months.