Students may experience life circumstances or physical or mental health conditions that compromise their health, safety, or academic success. In such circumstances, students may need to leave the university and their studies and resume the pursuit of their academic and co-curricular goals later. The student, the student’s representative, or Southern may initiate a medical leave of absence. At all times, however, if initiated by a party not the student, the student retains full agency in the decision.
A completed Academic Petition Form with appropriate supporting information should be submitted to the Records and Advisement office. The Records and Advisement office processes Medical Withdrawal requests upon receipt of the appropriate supporting information. The timeframe for requests is within 30 days of the last day of attendance, but in no case later than two weeks prior to test week. A ‘W’ is recorded for all classes dropped.
Students are encouraged to speak with a Student Finance counselor prior to withdrawal to determine how a withdrawal will impact current and future charges, financial aid, scholarships, and Satisfactory Academic Progress. Refunds for withdrawals are calculated according to the standard refund policy.
The full Medical Withdrawal policy is available at www.southern.edu/records