Faculty of Education: Leave of Absence and Withdrawal Process

The leave of absence and withdrawing from the BEd processes below is for Faculty of Education students only.

If you are not a Faculty of Education student, see Enrolment Service's Withdrawing from Laurier page for the correct process.

Leave of Absence

You must meet with your Faculty of Education academic advisor and with your practicum placement officer before you complete the request for a leave of absence. 

Requests for leave of absence from the BEd program will be considered only under serious medical circumstances or for compassionate care reasons. 

Maximum Time Limit for Requests

A leave request must be for one academic year due to the structured nature of the BEd program. For example: If you request for a leave at the beginning of the winter term, you will be returning the winter term of the following academic year. 

A leave can be requested for a maximum of one academic year because the maximum time limit that the program must be completed is three academic years from the date you first register.

Placements During Leave

Because you must withdraw from Laurier during your leave, you may not attend your placement site for the remainder of the academic year without the approval of the school principal and your placement officer.

Returning from Leave

To confirm your intention to return to the program, you must request your return at least six weeks before the term registration period. 

When you return: 

• You may be assigned to a new placement for the year. 
• You must register in and complete all courses that were not completed successfully previously.

Complete the Form

If you are going ahead with the leave of absence request after reviewing the information above, and speaking to your academic advisor and practicum officer, complete the Faculty of Education Leave of Absence form. 

Permanent Withdrawal Process

You may choose to leave the Bachelor of Education (BEd) program on a temporary or permanent basis. 

If you are planning on leaving the BEd, you must follow the steps below: 

1. Meet with your Faculty of Education academic advisor. 
2. Meet with your practicum officer to discuss the process of informing your Laurier partner school and the next steps in handling your practicum experiences.
3. Drop all your courses on LORIS. Note that: 
   • Non-attendance does not mean an official withdrawal. 
   • Dropping your courses by the last day to drop within a given term will prevent "Fs" from appearing on your transcript.
   • You may be eligible for a tuition refund depending on when you drop your courses. 
4. Email financial aid if you receive OSAP.
   • The financial aid team will make the necessary changes to your OSAP application. 
   • You should review the implications of course load/registration changes. 
5. Update your mailing address on LORIS.
6. Complete the BEd Withdrawal form and the Laurier Withdrawal form.

Before you leave Laurier:

• If you have a credit on your account after dropping your courses, request a refund.
• If applicable, complete a tuition/late registration fee appeal. Appeals are for extenuating circumstances only – you must read all the information prior to submitting a request.
• If you have funds remaining on your OneCard, email the OneCard office with your full name and student ID.
• Make sure all library materials are returned and any outstanding fees have been paid.