Financial Aid: MWU Leave of Absence Policy

Policy

A. Any student requesting an approved leave of absence while enrolled at Midwestern University must adhere to the policies and procedures established by his/her academic dean. In addition, students receiving federal financial aid must understand and follow Federal Title IV and Title VII leave of absence regulations as stated in this policy, which may affect the amount of financial assistance received. As stipulated by federal financial aid regulations, any student, including a student receiving Title IV or Title VII assistance, shall be granted a leave of absence under the following conditions:

1. The student must request the leave of absence in writing to the program director, if applicable, with approval from the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled. The letter should clearly state the reason(s) for the requested leave of absence.

2. MWU may not charge the student for the leave of absence nor for tuition or any educational expenses during the leave of absence. However, in order to continue coverage for long-term disability insurance and health and/or dental insurance, a student on an approved leave is obligated to pay his or her premium. In addition, a student living on campus will be responsible for paying his or her rent and covered parking charges as applicable.

3. The leave of absence is limited to 90 days.

4. A subsequent leave of absence, not to exceed 90 days, may be granted for the same student due to an unforeseen circumstance such as military reason, jury duty, or a circumstance covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA).

5. Any additional leave of absences requested may not exceed a total of 180 days in a 12 month period. This 12 month period begins with the first day of the first leave of absence.

6. A student on an approved leave of absence will retain his/her in-school status.

7. There must be a reasonable expectation that a student will return from a leave of absence to continue his/her enrollment at MWU.

B. For purposes of administering federal financial aid, a student who is receiving Title IV or Title VII financial aid funds and is granted an approved leave of absence that does not meet the above guidelines will be considered to have withdrawn from MWU (for financial aid purposes only). A student who is granted an approved leave of absence by his/her academic dean that exceeds 90 days must adhere to the leave of absence policy and reinstatement procedures established by the dean.

1. A subsequent leave of absence, not to exceed 30 days, may be granted for the same student due to an unforeseen circumstance such as military reason, jury duty, or a circumstance covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA).

2. A student on an approved leave of absence will retain his/her in-school status.

C. If the student who is receiving financial aid fails to return from the leave of absence at the end of the approved period, the student will be considered to have withdrawn from MWU (for financial aid purposes only) as of the first day in which the leave of absence was granted. The Office of Student Financial Services will have 45 days after the last day of an approved leave of absence to calculate a refund and return funds to the lender(s). If a student who is not receiving financial aid is granted a leave of absence by his/her academic dean and fails to return at the end of the approved period, the disposition of such a case will be decided on an individual basis.

D. Before final consideration is given to granting the requested leave of absence, a Financial Aid Administrator will meet with the student and provide information regarding loan obligations, possible revisions in his/her aid package, deferment options, and consequences of not returning to MWU at the expiration of the leave of absence.

E. A student on an approved leave of absence may receive health, dental, and disability insurance coverage for the entire period of the leave, but must prepay the entire amount of the premiums during the leave. In addition a student may continue to live in on-campus housing for the duration of the leave, but must pay in advance each quarter or must establish a payment plan with the Accounts Receivable Office. All outstanding balances must be paid in full prior to a student's return from a leave of absence.

Procedure

A. Upon receiving written notification from the academic dean that a student has been granted an official leave of absence, the Office of Student Financial Services will take the following steps:

1. Recalculate the loan period and cost of attendance based on months of actual enrollment to determine the total amount of financial aid eligibility for the academic year and, if necessary, correct resulting overawards.

2. Notify the student and lender(s) of the following:

(a) Student's last date of attendance;
(b) Beginning and ending dates of the approved leave of absence;
(c) Revised cost of attendance and financial aid eligibility;
(d) Revised loan period, if applicable;
(e) Revised graduation date, if applicable;
(f) Revised student loan disbursement dates, if applicable.

B. The Office of Student Financial Services will promptly return to the lender any loan disbursements received during the approved leave of absence and, if applicable, request that the disbursement be reissued upon the student's scheduled return to MWU.

C. If the student fails to return at the end of the federally approved leave of absence, the student will be considered to have withdrawn from MWU (for financial aid purposes only) as of the first day in which the leave of absence was granted. The Office of Student Financial Services will perform the following functions:

1. The Office of Student Financial Services will perform refund/repayment calculations.

2. The Office of Student Financial Services will promptly return any federal funds or student loan funds to lender(s) within 45 days of receipt of notification of the student's failure to return from the approved leave of absence.

3. The Office of Student Financial Services will attempt to contact the student by telephone for a personal exit interview consultation.

4. If the student cannot be contacted by telephone, the financial aid administrator will mail exit interview materials containing information on borrower rights/responsibilities, loan repayment options, loan deferment options, consolidation, total loan indebtedness and consequences of default directly to the student.

5. The director of the Office of Student Financial Services will notify the academic dean and the program director, if applicable, of the student's withdrawal status and the impact the withdrawal has on the student's financial aid award package.