There are two different types of leaves of absence:
- An Academic Leave of Absence
- An Immigration Leave of Absence
Academic Leave of Absence
An Academic Leave of Absence is when a student takes a break from studying at Mason.
Students need to work with their academic department to apply for an Academic Leave of Absence.
If an international student on an F-1 student visa will not maintain a full course of study at an SEVP-certified school, and is not approved for a reduced course load, the student will need to apply for an Immigration Leave of Absence and leave the United States.
Immigration Leave of Absence
An Immigration Leave of Absence is when a student takes a break from studying in the United States and as a result, is required to end their F-1 immigration record.
Students should work with OIPS to apply for an Immigration Leave of Absence.
International students may take courses online from outside of the United States while on an Immigration Leave of Absence.
What happens to your visa status?
OIPS will terminate your SEVIS record for Authorized Early Withdrawal when you submit the withdrawal form. You must submit the form before you stop attending classes. Once your SEVIS record is terminated, you must leave the U.S. within 15 days.
To leave the U.S., apply for an Immigration Leave of Absence with OIPS by completing the following steps:
STEP 1: Meet With Your Academic Advisor
- Ask about your eligibility to return and find out the required steps for re-enrollment.
- Undergraduate Students: If you plan to return within the permitted time frame, you need to complete the Leave of Absence form with the University Registrar. Visit Before Leaving Mason.
- Graduate Students: After speaking with your advisor, program coordinator, or the Graduate Division visit Graduate Leave of Absence Resources for more details.
STEP 2: Speak With Student Accounts
- Check with Student Accounts to make sure you do not owe money to the university before leaving.
STEP 3: Appointment with an OIPS Advisor
- Schedule an appointment with an OIPS Advisor to discuss the actions that must be taken on your immigration record. During the appointment, the advisor will discuss completing the OIPS Withdrawal Form and SEVIS Reactivation vs. New Initial Immigration record, including how your OPT/CPT eligibility may be impacted.
STEP 4: Complete the OIPS Withdrawal Form
- Visit F-1 and J-1 Foms to complete the OIPS Withdrawal Form.
- Drop all your classes after submitting the OIPS Withdrawal Form.
STEP 5: Leave the United States
- Leave the U.S. no more than 15 days after OIPS terminates your record for Authorized Early Withdrawal.
To continue your studies at George Mason University, select the appropriate course of action to Return from a Leave of Absence:
Less than 5 months: SEVIS Reactivation
If less than 5 months pass between the last day you attend classes and the day you continue classes, request OIPS to reactivate your I-20/SEVIS record by completing the following steps. If the U.S. government approves the reactivation, you can maintain your current SEVIS record and you can keep any time accrued for CPT and OPT eligibility.
- Talk to your Academic Department to make sure you are eligible to return and find out the required steps for re-enrollment.
- Complete the Return from Temporary Leave of Absence form found at the F-1 & J-1 Forms and Requests page and submit it with required documents at least 45 days before your planned return.
- Have a valid passport, visa, and travel signature upon your return.
Note: The U.S. government must approve the request from OIPS to reactivate your record. Therefore, it is important for you to confirm with OIPS your SEVIS record has been reactivated before you return to the U.S. to avoid problems at the U.S. Port of Entry.
More than 5 months: New Immigration Record
If more than 5 months pass between the last day you attend classes and the day you continue classes, request OIPS to issue you a new initial I-20 by completing the following steps. You will lose any time earned towards CPT and OPT eligibility since you are “starting over” with a new initial immigration record.
- Talk to your Academic Department to make sure you are eligible to return and find out the required steps for re-enrollment.
- Complete the Return from Temporary Leave of Absence form found at the F-1 & J-1 Forms and Requests page and submit it with the required documents listed on the form.
- Pay the SEVIS fee on your new SEVIS number at fmjfee.com.
- Contact the consulate in your home country to find out if you need to apply for a new visa.
- Return no more than 30 days before classes start.
- After returning to the U.S. complete International Student Check-In.