Matriculation, Registration, Leave of Absence

Registration and Leave of Absence

Registration and Enrollment

No student will be permitted to enroll if they are not registered full-time and physically present at SIPA by the end of SIPA’s registration period for any given semester.  Students who fail to enroll by the end of the registration period without prior approval from the Office of Student Affairs will be withdrawn from the School and required to re-apply through the Office of Admissions, with no guarantee of re-admission.  

Leave of Absence

A student currently enrolled at SIPA with a compelling justification may request a leave of absence (LOA) for one or two (maximum) semesters.  Students are ineligible for LOA consideration after the final day of classes for any given semester.  Any student who does not return from an LOA within the approved time frame will be withdrawn from the School and required to re-apply through the Office of Admissions, with no guarantee of re-admission. 

The processing of Leaves of Absence is centralized by Columbia University and is managed through its Withdraw or Request a Leave of Absence site.  Students should review the information contained therein before submitting a request for LOA approval. In the case of SIPA, students must speak with their advising dean before submitting a request for LOA approval or within 3 days of making a request through the University site or the request will be denied. Students must confirm and record that they have spoken with an advising dean by completing the Form to Request a Leave of Absence.

Matriculation and Five-Year Requirement

All students must complete their degrees within five years of matriculating at SIPA.