Time Away & Return

Students considering taking time away from the College should schedule an Impactful Time Away Consultation with the Office of Academic Support to discuss their reasoning and goals for the leave of absence and what impact it may have on their progress towards their degree. In some cases, a staff or faculty member at the College may initiate the conversation with the student and connect them with the Office of Academic Support for an Impactful Time Away Consultation.

After a decision to go on a leave is made, a Notice of Departure will be filed by the Office of Academic Support, which will include the type of leave and the length of time the student is expected to be away. A copy of the Notice of Departure will be emailed to students and the offices of the Registrar, Student Accounts, Residential Life and Student Engagement, and Financial Aid will be notified. If a student chooses to take a leave during the semester, their faculty will be notified and students should reference the Refunds and Withdrawal site. Regardless of the type of leave, students are expected to be away for a minimum of one (1) full semester. 

While away from the College, students are encouraged to maintain ties with the College community by keeping in regular contact with friends, faculty, deans, and other supports. The Office of Academic Support is available to meet with students throughout the duration of their leaves through Impactful Time Away Consultations.

Students may decide to engage in coursework while away to pursue transfer credit and will need to complete the Transfer Credit Approval Application form for the Registrar’s office and discuss this in the Impactful Time Away Consultation.

When a student is ready to resume their studies at the College, they will need to apply for re-enrollment and be approved to return. Please follow the instructions on the Return page.

Students thinking about taking a leave of absence or who are currently on leaves of absence are welcome to schedule a meeting with one of the Office of Academic Support RS Mentors. The RS Mentors are students who have taken time away from the College and have successfully returned to their studies. The RS Mentors can share their perspectives with students and can answer questions about the time away and return process.

If students would like to speak to one of the RS Mentors, they can request to meet with one of them during their Impactful Time Away Meetings with an Academic Coach. The Academic Coach may also offer or recommend a meeting with one of the RS Mentors during the Impactful Time Away Meeting, as well. 

Our current RS Mentors:

• Megan McDonald (she/her) is one of the RS Mentors for the Office of Academic Support and a senior. She took a year away between her sophomore and junior year for mental health reasons. Megan was originally an English Lit major, but she switched to Chemistry after her return in her junior year. Outside of being an RS Mentor, Megan also is a member of the XC/track team and works as a writing center tutor. She attributes finding community through the XC/track team and proactively reaching out for help through Academic Support as some of the ways she felt successful in her first semester back at Bryn Mawr. Megan is here to offer the student perspective and support for students thinking about taking a leave, currently on a leave, and returning from leaves of absence. 
• Natalie Eaton (she/her) is one of the RS Mentors for the Office of Academic Support. She is a second semester junior in the fall semester and will be a December 2025 graduate of Bryn Mawr. She took three years away after her first year due to COVID, academic, and mental health related reasons. She is a psychology major and excited to be working with other re-enrolling students. Natalie found success in her time back through the regular meetings with the Office of Academic Support, close contact with her professors, and utilizing other resources on campus like Career and Civic Engagement. She is available to help students who are thinking about taking a leave, that are on leaves, and in their first semester back at the College after a leave.