Re-Entry, Deferrals, and Leave of Absence

Re-entry

Re-entry is defined as a student-initiated process to formally rejoin a degree program after an absence of one calendar year or more. This is done through a petition process; learners should contact Student and Academic Support for assistance if their NetID is no longer active.

Learners who have been away from the program for less than one year do not need to formally apply for re-entry. Learners can register when their time ticket is active. If you do not have an active time ticket, notify Gies Graduate Programs with your intent to register.

Re-entry does not apply to learners who were formally dismissed from the University. Dismissed learners must follow the reinstatement process as outlined by the Graduate College and Gies Graduate Programs.

Admission Deferrals

Learners must submit an application for admission to the University of Illinois. This application is reviewed by both the Gies College of Business and the Graduate College. If admitted, the admission is applicable for that term only, however learners may defer their admission for up to one year (i.e., Spring to Spring).

Beyond one year, learners will be required to re-apply to the University of Illinois and Gies College of Business. Learners who enroll but do not complete a course are also required to defer or re-apply.

Leave of Absence

Gies Online does not currently have a formal leave of absence policy. Learners who stop taking courses can do so without notifying the program; however, it is best practice to notify the program and ensure that the learner is not registered for the upcoming term. Learners will need to submit a re-entry petition if their leave exceeds a year. Learners should also keep in mind their time to degree limits (5 years for degree and 2 years for a graduate certificate). If this time limit is reached, learners must submit a Time Extension for Graduation petition to the Graduate College explaining the reasons for the requested extension.

Any learners awarded an admission scholarship are required to notify the department (i-support@illinois.edu) of a leave of absence in order to retain their scholarship after the leave.