Special Arrangement for Undergraduates

Completion of 120 credits and the residence requirement does not automatically qualify any student for a degree. See Degree Requirements. Students who wish to accelerate are urged to discuss their options as early as possible with their dons. Students who seek to graduate in fewer than four years must submit a proposal to deanofstudies@sarahlawrence.edu no earlier than a full year in advance of their proposed graduation date. The proposal, addressed to the Committee on Student Work, should be in the form of an essay articulating the student’s reason for wanting to graduate early and should constitute a statement of purpose as to the student’s current and future plans and how acceleration is related to those plans. The proposal must be accompanied by a statement of academic support from the don and from at least one other faculty member, attesting to the student’s intellectual maturity and readiness to graduate early.

Matriculated undergraduate students generally take an average of 15 credits per term, but full-time tuition covers students from 12–18 credits each semester. In exceptional circumstances related to a medical condition or disability, students may request to take fewer than 12 credits and matriculate part time. Ideally, such a request should be made prior to the semester for which the status is requested. Whenever possible, but most especially during a semester, students considering a reduced course load should meet with one of the deans of studies to discuss the academic and other implications of such a decision. If a student wishes to pursue a reduced course load for a medical or disability condition, a request should be submitted, in writing, to the Office of the Dean of Studies. If applicable, appropriate medical documentation may be requested by the Office of Health & Wellness or Access and Disability Services. After review, either the directors of counseling, medical services, or the director of access and disability services will make a recommendation to the Office of the Dean of Studies. The student will be notified via email of the decision.

If a reduced course load is granted, tuition will be calculated on a per-credit basis, provided that arrangements are made prior to the semester deadlines for payment of fees. In applying for a reduced course load, students should consider implications for scholarships, loans, health insurance, and housing, some of which may require full-time status. If a medical emergency arises during the semester, students may request a reduced course load up until the 10th week of the semester; a partial refund, following the published refund schedule, may be requested for a reduced course load authorized by the Office of the Dean of Studies. The student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) will be notified of their change in status.

In instances associated with sexual assault or harassment, or other violations of the Policy on Sexual Violence, students may request to take a reduced course load.

Such requests must be made to the Title IX coordinator, Kristin Collado (titleix@sarahlawrence.edu or kcollado@sarahlawrence.edu). The Title IX coordinator, along with the Dean of Studies Office, will provide guidance for any student considering a reduced course load or leave of absence and assist the student with such an accommodation. 

Non-matriculated students are students who are not working toward a Sarah Lawrence degree but have been admitted on a temporary basis (a semester or a year). These students normally take one or two courses per semester. Registration for these students takes place during the Add/Drop period.

A student who is a degree candidate at Sarah Lawrence may not become a non-matriculated student.

A leave of absence may be granted to a student upon request up until the end of the 10th week of the semester. (Students who request a leave of absence but are subsequently suspended for academic reasons must apply for reinstatement as outlined in their suspension letter.) The student should first discuss the leave with their don and complete the Request for a Personal Leave of Absence/Withdrawal form available on the Dean of Studies MySLC page. Once approved, the student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) will be notified of the change in the student’s status. Students on leave from the College are charged a matriculation fee as designated by Student Accounts. We encourage students on a leave of absence to remain in touch with their don. A leave of absence may be extended upon request of the Office of the Dean of Studies.

A student who does not return from a leave of absence within four semesters, or who does not request to extend the leave within that time, will be withdrawn from the College.

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.

A medical leave may be requested by a student for 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 directors by contacting healthservices@sarahlawrence.edu in order 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 re-entry to the College will be reviewed by the Health & Wellness directors in consultation with the Office of the Dean of Studie. Parent(s) or legal guardian(s) will be notified of the change in the student’s status. During the medical leave, the student will be expected to obtain treatment for the condition that warranted the leave. Documentation of such treatment from the medical providers involved will need to be submitted to the director of medical services or psychological services, who will review the materials. Once the documentation is reviewed, the student will have an interview with the director of medical services or psychological services, who will make a recommendation to the Office of the Dean of Studies. Once the review is completed, the Office of the Dean of Studies will notify the student of the final decision. Requests to initiate a medical leave are to be submitted no later than November 15 for the fall semester and April 15 for the spring semester.

When requesting to return from a medical leave for the spring semester, requests are to be made by November 1 to the Dean of Studies Office with clinical documentation submitted to Health & Wellness by December 1. When requesting to return from a medical leave for the fall semester, requests are to be made by April 1 with clinical documentation submitted to Health & Wellness by May 1. Students who do not request to return from a medical leave within four semesters will be withdrawn.

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 apply for reinstatement first.

Students may request a full withdrawal from the College up until the end of the 10th week of the semester. The Request for a Personal Leave of Absence/Withdrawal form is available on the MySLC Dean of Studies page. After this time withdrawals are not permitted, and students will receive grades and evaluations for all courses in which they are enrolled.

Students who withdraw from the College and seek to return within two years of that withdrawal may request to return 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, which is available through the Office of Admission. Applications for readmission will be emailed upon request. Students seeking to return will be 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 will be reviewed by the Office of Admission and the Office of the Dean of Studies.