Sarah Lawrence College

Student Handbook

Enrollment Status

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First-Year Studies

Assignments to First-Year Studies courses are made by the Office of the Dean of Studies during the summer on the basis of the First-Year Studies selections and the student’s college admissions application.

First-year students must take courses in three different disciplines and are encouraged to fulfill distribution requirements in their first year. Two creative arts courses are not allowed for first-year students; however, with permission of the relevant department, a one-credit craft course in dance or music is permitted.

Transfer Students

Transfer students are enrolled in a five- or 10-credit new transfer seminar for their first semester or first year. The faculty member teaching this seminar also serves as their don. Prior to the start of their first semester, transfer students are invited to participate in the selection process for their new transfer seminar. Once enrolled in their seminar, transfer students are required to meet with their dons in order to participate in course registration. Transfer students may enroll in a maximum of 15 credits in their first semester. Directed studies are permitted after the first semester.

Prior to registration, new transfer students are able to review their transfer credit evaluation. Transfer students should be aware of the distribution, lecture, and other degree requirements in order to plan an appropriate program of study. Questions about transfer credits can be directed to the Registrar’s Office. Students who transfer to the College with 60 credits must earn all of their remaining credits at the Bronxville Campus.

Part-Time Enrollment

Under exceptional circumstances and after discussion with their don, a matriculated student may request part-time enrollment (11 or fewer credits) for a semester. Students are only permitted two semesters of part-time enrollment unless on an approved reduced course load. Reduced course loads are initiated by the student through the Office of the Dean of Studies via the Reduced Course Load Request, approved either by the Health & Wellness Center, Access and Disability Services, or Title IX Office. See the Reduced Course Load portion under the Special Arrangements header of this handbook.

Apart from possible interruption of advancement toward degree completion, part-time status has significant implications in multiple areas including visa eligibility, external scholarships eligibility, loan repayment, athletic team participation, and health insurance. Students are advised to discuss these implications with all relevant parties before making a decision. A Request for Part-Time Enrollement form, located on MySLC, must be submitted and approved by the Office of the Dean of Studies. Part-time enrollment reminders:

  • Request must be made by July 31 for enrollment preceding fall semester and December 1 preceding spring semester.
  • Unless granted a reduced course load, first-year students are not permitted to be part time.
  • Students must be enrolled in at least 10 credits to reside on campus.
  • Part-time students may not enroll concurrently at another institution.

Leave of Absence

A personal leave of absence may be granted one semester at a time upon student request up until the end of the 10th week of the semester. Ideally, students should request a leave of absence prior to the start of the semester. The student should first discuss the leave with their don and complete the Request for a Personal Leave of Absence/Withdrawal form available on MySLC. Once approved, the student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) may be notified. Students on leave of absence are charged a semesterly matriculation fee. Communication with the don is encouraged during the leave of absence. First-year students who take a leave of absence during their first semester are required to reenroll in a First-Year Studies course in the fall semester following their return.

A subsequent semester of leave of absence may be requested from the Office of the Dean of Studies in writing from the student’s SLC email to deanofstudies@sarahlawrence.edu. Leaves of absence may be requested for up to four consecutive semesters, after which time the student is withdrawn from the College. Students are contacted by the Registrar’s Office prior to their expected return; those who do not return from leave of absence for the expected semester are withdrawn from the College for failure to return, and must follow policy as outlined in the Withdrawal from the College portion of this handbook. Students may request to extend their leaves beyond this period by speaking with their class dean.

Students who request a leave of absence but are subsequently suspended for academic reasons must apply for reinstatement as outlined in their suspension letter.

Students who are ready to return to the College from a leave of absence must submit the Request to Return from a Leave of Absence form available on MySLC. Deadlines are November 1 for a spring semester return and April 1 for a fall semester return. Students who do not return from leave of absence for the expected semester are withdrawn from the College for failure to return, and must follow policy as outlined in the Withdrawal from the College portion of this handbook.

Students with loans or grants who are planning a leave of absence should consult with the Office of Financial Aid about any financial implications of their leave. While on leave, students are not permitted on campus or to participate in any College-sponsored/affiliated activities without advance written permission from the Office of the Dean of Studies.

Medical Leave of Absence

A medical leave may be requested by a student for health/medical reasons that interfere with the student’s ability to function academically. The deadline to request a medical leave of absence is the end of the 10th week of the semester. Students must consult with one of the Health & Wellness Center directors at healthservices@sarahlawrence.edu to make an official request. A medical leave may also be required by the Office of the Dean of Studies if the student has a medical condition that cannot be reasonably accommodated by the College.

In either case, the student’s reentry to the College is reviewed by the Health & Wellness Center in consultation with the Office of the Dean of Studies. Due to the health/safety matter, the student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) may be notified. During the medical leave, the student is expected to obtain treatment for the condition that warranted the leave and subsequently demonstrate that the issue has been sufficiently resolved to allow resumption of studies. Documentation of such treatment from the medical providers involved must be submitted to either the director of medical services or the director of counseling & psychological services to review the materials. Once the documentation is reviewed, the student meets with the appropriate Health & Wellness Center director, who makes a recommendation to the Office of the Dean of Studies. Once the review is completed, the Office of the Dean of Studies notifies the student of the final decision. Requests for a medical leave of absence are to be submitted no later than the end of the 10th week of the semester. In circumstances due to health-related issues, F-1 international students may be permitted to be enrolled as part-time through a reduced course load approved by Health & Wellness and the Office of the Dean of Studies. First-year students who take a medical leave of absence during their first semester are required to reenroll in a First-Year Studies course in the fall semester following their return.

When requesting to return from a medical leave, students must submit the Request to Return from a Leave of Absence form available on MySLC. For spring semester returns, requests are due by November 1 to the Dean of Studies Office with clinical documentation submitted to the Health & Wellness Center by December 1. Fall semester requests to return are due to the Dean of Studies Office by April 1 with clinical documentation submitted to the Health & Wellness Center by May 1. Leaves of absence may be requested for up to four consecutive semesters after which time the student is withdrawn from the College. Students are contacted either by the Registrar’s Office or Health & Wellness Center prior to their expected return; those who do not return from medical leave of absence for the expected semester are withdrawn from the College for failure to return, and must follow policy as outlined in the Withdrawal from the College portion of this handbook.

While on medical leave, students are expected to absent themselves from participating in or organizing on-campus as well as off-campus College-sponsored/affiliated activities, and to visit only with permission, given in advance, by the Office of the Dean of Studies. Failure to abide by this expectation may adversely affect the decision to readmit. Students who are on a medical leave but are subsequently independently suspended for academic reasons must first apply for reinstatement.

Course Withdrawal

The Course Withdrawal period begins once Add/Drop ends and continues through the 10th week of the semester. Students who experience a significant issue that impedes their ability to successfully complete a course may request to withdraw. First, students must discuss the withdrawal with their don and the instructor, then seek approval from the class dean who provides the Course Withdrawal Request form. Forms are not accepted by the Registrar’s Office without required approvals. Ceasing to attend a course does not constitute an official withdrawal; failure to officially withdraw from a course results in a grade of F appearing on the official transcript. Official course withdrawal results in a grade of WD on the official transcript.

Course withdrawal may impact a student’s enrollment status, which may impact financial aid, housing, visa eligibility for international students, and eligibility for external scholarships. Students are advised to consult the Financial Aid Office, the international student adviser, or relevant agencies before withdrawing from a course. View the Part-Time Enrollment section for further information.

The Course Withdrawal period for summer and intersession is between the first and second class meetings. Students may not withdraw from a directed study once the semester/session has begun. There is no reduction of tuition charges for courses dropped once the Add/Drop period has ended and the Course Withdrawal period begins. First-year students are not permitted to withdraw from a course and should reach out to their don or the first-year dean to discuss academic concerns. Only one course withdrawal over a maximum of two semesters is permitted.

Second-Semester Seniors

Second-semester seniors are eligible for a partial course load (and prorated tuition) in their final semester only when the College has official transcripts of all their prior degree credits and if residence, lecture, and distribution requirements have been fulfilled. Those transcripts must be received by the Registrar’s Office by December 1 for May graduates and September 1 for December graduates. Special arrangements cannot be made on the basis of transcripts expected but not received.

Seniors who register for a part-time semester are billed only for enrolled credits and must receive approval from the Office of the Dean of Studies by December 1 for spring completion and May 1 for fall completion. International F-1 students who only need a part-time course load in their final semester must also request permission from their DSO (designated school official) in compliance with visa regulations. In applying for a part-time load, students should consider implications for scholarships, loans, health insurance, and housing, some of which may require full-time status. Seniors who register for a directed study over the summer to complete their remaining credits are billed for those credits.

Second-semester seniors who are enrolled full time may take one additional course (excluding directed study) beyond the 120 credits required for graduation without charge if they were a full-time student the preceding semester. To receive this benefit, they must register for the additional course during the second week of the semester. Seniors who enroll in more than 126 credits are billed for each additional credit.

Senior Finishing Off-Campus

Students in their final year who have met the residency requirement may request to complete their degree at another institution. Requests for part-time study at another institution are approved by the Office of the Dean of Studies, and full-time study is approved by the Office of Global Education. The Senior Finishing Off-Campus Request is available on MySLC and must be submitted by December 15 for the subsequent spring semester and July 15 for the following fall semester. Submission of the above form and appropriate approvals are required to ensure accurate enrollment status and transferability of coursework. The host school’s semester dates determine for which graduation conferral date a student is eligible. An official transcript must be requested by the student to be sent directly to the Registrar’s Office for credit evaluation. See the Transfer Credit section for details on eligibility criteria.

Graduation Policy

Students who have completed requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree during the academic year are invited to participate in the commencement graduation ceremony in May. Students who are within five credits of completion at the end of the spring semester and have plans to finish during the summer may request to participate in commencement. These students should submit the Request to Participate in Commencement form available on MySLC. If final requirements are completed during the summer, the students are eligible for August degree completion.

Withdrawal from the College

Students may request a complete withdrawal from the College up until the end of the 10th week of the semester. Students not withdrawn by this date for the current semester receive grades and evaluations for courses in which they are enrolled. Students may request at any time to withdraw from the College for future semesters. For a temporary departure, view the Leave of Absence portions of this handbook.

Students who withdraw from the College and seek to return within two years of that withdrawal may request to do so through the Office of the Dean of Studies. Students who have withdrawn from the College and seek to return after an absence of more than two years must complete a readmission application available through the Office of Admission. Students seeking to return are asked to provide transcripts for any college-level work completed and to detail what activities they have been involved in during their time away from the College. Applications are reviewed by the Office of Admission and the Office of the Dean of Studies.