Leaves
Leave of Absence
Students can request a leave of absence, as long as s/he is in good academic standing, has no IN or AB grades, and is still within the allowed 8 years toward the Ph.D. Please submit a Request for Leave of Absence Form to The Graduate School. (DGS signature required on the form.)
If The Graduate School approves the leave of absence (this is most common), the leave will not count against the total time allowed for the degree.
Readmission to The Graduate School after an approved leave of absence is generally a formality. Ordinarily, a leave of absence may not be renewed.
According to The Graduate School, students on leave cannot make progress towards their graduate degree. Please note that while a student is on leave, s/he is not enrolled and will not have access to campus services and benefits afforded to enrolled students, including eligibility for holding student employment positions (e.g., TA or RA) or student health insurance, among other services.
Once students are approved for a leave of absence, their academic program can contact the PID Office to request affiliate status to have the student ONYEN and PID preserved only for the period of the approved leave.
A student who has not been registered during the preceding semester must apply for readmission to the Graduate School, even if no leave has been requested. Applications must be received by 1 July for readmission to the fall semester, by 1 December for the spring semester, by 1 April for the first summer session, and by 1 June for the second summer session. The Graduate School is very rigid about these deadlines, so please do not miss them.
Students taking advantage of the Parental Leave Policy do not need to file a separate Leave of Absence request.”
Parental Leave Policy
From The Graduate School Handbook:“The UNC-Chapel Hill Graduate Student Parental Leave Policy is designed to assist a full-time graduate student who is the primary child-care provider immediately following the birth or adoption of a child. This policy will ensure the student’s full-time, registered status and will facilitate their return to full participation in class work and, where applicable, research and teaching in a seamless manner. All matriculated, full-time graduate students who have been full-time for at least one academic year are eligible to apply for this leave. A Parental Leave Application Form, along with other supporting documentation as outlined in the policy, must be completed and submitted to the Graduate School at least eight weeks prior to the anticipated birth or adoption of the child.” Please notify the DGS as soon as possible so someone else can be assigned to take over your teaching responsibilities.