Special Circumstances
Leave of Absence / Readmission Information
Extension of the Time Limit
Inter-institutional Registration
Alternative Major/Minor Request
Leave of Absence / Readmission
Within the five-year limit, a student in good academic standing may request one leave of absence from graduate study for a definite, stated period of time (up to one year) during which the student does not plan to make academic progress. To be eligible for a leave of absence, a student must not have received an extension of the time limit for the degree and must not have temporary grades of IN or AB on courses taken. A leave of absence between degrees is not allowed.
In advance of the leave period, the student must complete and submit a Request for Leave of Absence Form to The Graduate School. This form requires approval by the academic program. If The Graduate School approves the leave of absence, the time of that leave will not count against the total time allowed for the degree. Readmission to The Graduate School after an approved leave of absence is generally a formality. Ordinarily, a leave of absence may not be renewed.
Note: If you are considering a one semester only LOA, it is not necessary to request a formal LOA unless you are in danger of running out of time. You have the option of simply not registering for a fall or spring semester but MUST fill out a readmission form in order to enroll for the semester you wish to continue taking classes.
Deadlines for readmission are:
July 1 (Fall Semester)
December 1 (Spring Semester)
April 1 (First Summer Session)
June 1 (Second Summer Session)
Extension of Time
When extenuating circumstances warrant, The Graduate School may grant an extension of the degree time limit. The student must first complete the Request for Extension of Time Form and receive approval from their academic program, after which time the program’s director of graduate studies may forward a petition for extension to The Graduate School.
Inter-Institutional Registration
Students may take a maximum of two graduate-level courses through inter-institutional registration during a fall or spring term or a maximum of one graduate-level course during a summer term, provided that the student is also registered for the balance of his/her normal load (at least three credit hours) at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Students may take these courses at North Carolina State University, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, North Carolina Central University, or Duke University.
No inter-institutional course may be taken pass/fail (satisfactory/unsatisfactory, etc.) and all courses must earn a specific grade.
To register for an inter-institutional course, the student must complete an Inter-Institutional Approval Form and obtain his/her director of graduate studies’ signature certifying the following requirements:
• the course is appropriate for the student’s degree program, and is a graduate-level course according to the current numbering schemes below:
Duke – 200 and above
NCCU – 4000 and above
NCSU – 500 and above
UNC-C – 5000 and above
UNC-G – 500 and above;
• an equivalent course is not available on this campus; and
• the course does not earn a pass/fail grade.
The student then submits the request form to the UNC-Chapel Hill Office of the University Registrar for approval and processing.
Courses taken by inter-institutional registration earn residence credit as if they were courses on this campus.
The exchange of inter-institutional grades between universities is a time consuming process and grades may not appear on a student’s record at the same time as grades from their home campus. Students opting to take inter-institutional courses during their final semester should closely monitor their academic record for posting delays that may prevent graduation.