What Is A Leave Of Absence? 

A Leave of Absence allows RU students to temporarily suspend their studies.  A Leave of Absence is a period of time when a student is not enrolled in classes but typically intends to reenroll.  Reasons can include studying abroad, medical conditions, death in the family, or other emergencies. In terms of Leaves related to mental health, schools have different policies and procedures depending on the circumstances. They can be considered Leaves of Absence, Medical Leaves of Absence, Emergency Leaves, or, in some cases, involuntary Leaves of Absence.

Leave due to Medical Reasons

F-1 students are eligible to take an LOA due to medical reasons. Students have the option to return to their home country or remain in the U.S. to receive medical treatment if recommended by a doctor. Students who wish to remain in the U.S. must obtain a doctor’s letter recommending the LOA for medical reasons. 

• If your leave is for a medical reason, you can be authorized for a reduced course load based on medical conditions. In this situation your SEVIS record will remain active and you are allowed to stay in the US.
• You must have documentable proof that you cannot physically attend classes from a medical physician recommending leave for a specific period or semester.

Maximum Length of a Leave 

Leaves of absence are granted for one academic term only. Requests for additional terms must be provided in writing to the Office of Registrar prior to the end of the first academic term on leave. Extensions for one additional term will be granted only upon presentation of exceptional circumstances (i.e., LOA form, letter of explanation and supporting documents officially provided).

Student Actions Required for Leave of Absence Requests 

1. Submit the Leave of Absence Request Form.  >>> Go to Leave of Absence Request Form
2. Complete the form and submit it with supporting documents in the LOA request form. 

Please note: 

Students are responsible to submit LOA Request Form in a timely manner with supporting documents accurately. 

Please note that any form of evidenced medical documents must be from a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy or licensed clinical psychologist.

Verifying a Leave 

Students do not receive notification when a leave is approved. Authorized advisors can check the Information System to see if the student’s leave of absence has been recorded. The student’s first semester on leave and his/her first semester back are noted under the letters LOA (Last date of Attendance).

If you want to request a copy of your official document(s) from the school, please see the instructions below:

1. Submit Document Request Form

Please click this link HERE >>> Official Document Request 

2. Make a Payment

There will be a $10 charge for pickup/email per each document. ($13 for mailing).

Once your request is submitted and approved, we will process your request accordingly.

Please Note:

• Requests for Official Electronic Documents (PDF) are processed within 3-5 business days of the request being placed. 
• The processing and mail delivery time for Official Paper Documents is usually 7-10 business days.
• 1-Day Express Service Fee – $ 10 additional for each document
• International Shipping Fee – $ 50 additional charge 

Self-Registration Steps

1. Log into the Academic Portal (Populi) and go to the “Registration” page.
2. Select your “Department” to browse classes in your Degree Program. 
3. “General Studies” applies to all programs.  
4. Add the desired courses to your semester schedule and “Save”

Please Note

• See the instructional video that walks you through the process. >>> Go to RU SELF-REGISTRATION
• Understand that before your enrollment is finalized, your self-registration choices will be reviewed by an advisor. You will be notified of any changes via your school email. 
• Registration is complete only after payment has been made (Finance tab of your profile in Populi).  

Tuition Payment

1. When you register for Fall classes, you will have a billing statement (Tuition & Fees) posted on your Student Account.
2. Billing information will be located in your Populi Portal under the My Profile tab. 
3. You can pay online with a debit or credit card through Populi. Please Go to My Profile > Financial > Make a Payment. 
4. *** The University no longer accepts cash for payment of student accounts.*** Note that you should stop by our financial office (suite 206) for your payment if you wish to pay with money order or check. 
   

Class Delivery Format 

Each individual class will be delivered in one of the following formats:

1. ON-CAMPUS 
   The instructor facilitates live lectures and discussions in real time either in person or via Google Meet at the days and times listed on your class schedule.
2. ONLINE CLASS
   No online lectures or discussions will be held in real time. Students will work independently and must pay close attention to class deadlines for submitting assignments, tests, and other work. Classes are 100% online.

Registration Policy for F-1 Students

International students on F-1 Visa at Reformed University are required to maintain a minimum 12 units every Fall and Spring semesters. If you wish to enroll in an online course, only one (or three units) class may count towards your full course of study requirement. This is not to be confused with the number of online courses you can take; but rather, on the number of units that count towards your full course of study requirement. For example, you may register in 6 units of online courses; however, you must enroll in 9 more units that are not online courses to count towards your 12-unit requirement.

At Reformed University, International students may take online classes, but only a maximum of three-credit hours of these may apply to the international student’s full-time status each semester. This means only one 3 credit online course per semester may count towards the student’s full-time status. Therefore, undergraduate students who are enrolled in twelve credits must take nine of those credits in regular classroom-taught classes and graduate students who are enrolled in nine credits must take six of those credits in traditional classroom-based classes. 

*Per Semester:

Bachelors – 12 credit units (minimum requirements)

• 12 units (4 courses) in regular classroom-taught classes 
• 9 units (3 courses) in regular classroom-taught classes + 3 units (1 online course) in online class available.

Masters – 9 credit units (minimum requirements)

• 9 units (3 courses) in regular classroom-taught classes 
• 6 units (2 courses) in regular classroom-taught classes + 3 units (1 online course) in online class available.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@runiv.edu.

If you are considering withdrawing from Reformed University, we encourage you to connect with your academic advisor or any advising staff at the Office of Student Affairs to discuss your situation before doing so. 

A withdrawal form is used to withdraw from a class or all classes at Reformed University.

Please click the link below to submit your Withdrawal Request Form.

Go to Withdrawal Form

Note: 

If you are withdrawing for medical reasons, your physician must submit a letter stating that you are unable to continue your coursework due to medical reasons. 

This letter (no faxes accepted) should be sent directly from your physician to: 

Registrar’s Office

Reformed University

1724 Atkinson Rd. Lawrenceville, GA 30043

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@runiv.edu or call us at 770-232-2717 (Press #1 and then Press #3).

Graduation Application Form