Withdrawal

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students who wish to interrupt their studies at any time before graduation may request a leave of absence. Requests for a leave of absence may be granted by the Registrar in consultation with other officers of the University, as appropriate. Depending on the reason for the voluntary leave, certain stipulations may be put into place for a student to return. Withdrawn students may later apply for readmission as outlined below.

Involuntary Withdrawal

Under certain circumstances, a student may be placed on an involuntary leave of absence. An involuntary leave of absence is not a disciplinary sanction. However, an incident that gives rise to a leave of absence, whether voluntary or involuntary, may subsequently be the basis for disciplinary action.

The School will provide the student with a letter stating the reason(s) the student is being placed on involuntary leave. The student will also be notified in writing of the conditions governing their leave and the terms of their return to school. During such leave, the student may not participate in student activities and, if so instructed must remain away from the University campus.

Medical Concerns Related to a Student on Leave

Please also note that if the School learns of serious concerns about the health or well-being of a student who is away from School but not on a medical leave of absence, then the School similarly may require the student to consult with Harvard University Health Services (and to grant permission to Harvard University Health Services to obtain their treatment records and communicate with their treatment providers) so that a professional assessment about the student’s stability and readiness to return can be shared with the School. In all such cases, the decision whether to allow a student to return is made by the managing director, in consultation with the faculty chair or such other person as the dean designates.

Voluntary Leaves of Absence

Doctoral students who are in good academic standing may take up to one year unpaid leave of absence from their program in order to do work that will ultimately benefit their research as an academic scholar or for other personal reasons. Leaves of absence are granted only under exceptional circumstances and must be approved by the student's Program Chair, the Faculty Chair, and the Managing Director of the HBS Doctoral Programs. Students will not be able to request more than a one year leave of absence from the program; after this point students will be required to withdraw. See withdrawal policy for details.

Returning from Leave of Absence

Students should notify the Doctoral Program Office a month prior to the start of term the student wishes to return in. Students who requested and received a voluntary leave of absence should work with the program to devise a schedule to ensure satisfactory progress toward degree. Students who were requested to or involuntarily put on a leave of absence may be required to complete certain activities or submit materials to the Faculty Chair and Doctoral Programs Office, in order to return from a leave of absence in good standing. No student will be able to take more than one year of leave; however, students may voluntarily withdraw with an option to apply for readmission at a later time within ten years of their original start of their program.

Readmission after Withdrawal

Joint students should consult the GSAS handbook to review all requirements and to find the necessary forms to apply for readmission; in addition, joint students should follow the instructions below.

All HBS doctoral students who were previously registered in an HBS Doctoral Program for a term or more wish to return to their program should notify the Doctoral Program Office a month prior to the start of the term they wish to return in. This notification should be sent to the Managing Director and include:

  • A time line which states specifically the dates by which the student expects to complete his or her degree requirements - remaining coursework, field exams, dissertation prospectus.

  • A statement of ongoing research toward a dissertation, including a concrete description of the work done during the leave, any draft papers or works in progress from that work; and 

  • A note from a faculty advisor who has agreed to advise your dissertation research.

  • Students may also be required to submit specific information, materials, or documents that were indicated as a term of readmission at the time of their withdrawal.

Based on the information provided, the faculty leaders of your program, the Chair of the Doctoral Programs, and the Managing Director of the Doctoral Programs will make the decision about the students return.

Contracts for Enrollment

The School may condition a student’s enrollment on certain terms or conditions, as set forth in a written contract between the School and the student, when the student’s conduct or circumstances have caused heightened concerns about the student’s safety and/or well-being and: (a) the appropriateness of the student’s continued enrollment; or (b) the student’s readiness to return to the Harvard community. The contract may include, among other things, compliance with a medical treatment plan, regular consultations with health care professionals, communication with administrators, and limited disclosure of relevant medical information, on a need to know basis, such as compliance with treatment and restrictions on certain activities. The decision to require such a contract is arrived at in consultation with Harvard University Health Services after an individualized assessment of the nature of the student’s conduct and circumstances and any other pertinent factors.

The School may also condition a student’s enrollment on certain terms or conditions, as set forth in a written contract between the School and the student, when, in the School’s view, the student’s conduct or circumstances have caused significant disruption in the student’s residential community or academic environment.

Financial Considerations when Returning from Leave

Students returning from a leave who wish to apply for financial aid must notify the Financial Aid Office and file the necessary application forms by mid-April for the following fall term, and by October 1 for the following spring term. Late applicants cannot be assured that their aid will be available in time for registration payment deadline.

Financial aid funds cannot be used to cover a balance from a prior term. A student will not be allowed to register in the University again until all previous term-bill charges have been paid and no loan is in default.