On August 5, 2025 the Graduate School will be updating GradForms. GradForms will be offline as of 7 p.m. on July 29. For questions and updates, please contact GRAD-osi@osu.edu.

GradForms: Leave of Absence from Program How To Guide

Note: The Leave of Absence from Program form has two versions. One is for post-candidacy PhD students, and the other is for all other students.  Students will be automatically directed to the right version by the system when creating a new LOA form. 

The Leave of Absence (LOA) form is used to request a temporary break in enrollment from your graduate program with a specified semester indicated for the student’s return. 

 

Important Notes: 

  • A Leave of Absence may be requested for up to one year at a time. 
  • Students must submit the request before the term of leave begins. 
  • A leave means the student will not make progress towards degree requirements or utilize academic resources during the leave period. 
  • The five-year candidacy status for post-candidacy students will be paused during the leave period. 
  • Refer to Graduate School Handbook Section 3.1 for full policy. 

 

Submission Instructions: 

  1. Log in to GradForms. 
  1. Navigate to Forms > Enrollment. 
  1. Click “Create New” next to Leave of Absence From Program. 
  1. Review the Student Information section: This section is for informational purposes only.  Consult Buckeyelink for the most up to date information about your academic record. If the “Missing Grades” field shows “Yes”, review your advising report on Buckeyelink. 
  1. Graduation Level and Plan 
  • Use the dropdown to identify your Degree Level 
  • Use the dropdown to identify your Degree Plan  
  1. Advisor/Program Approvals: 
  • Select your advisor from the dropdown menu. 
  1. Leave Term and Reason: 
  • Enter the first term you wish to take leave (e.g., Autumn 2025). 
  • Enter the last term you wish to take leave (can be the same as first term or a future term). 
  • Select the reason from the dropdown 
  • Provide an explanation of the circumstances. 
  1. Supporting Documentation: Required for post-candidacy PhD students: 
  • Medical: Doctor’s note or healthcare documentation. 
  • Military: Deployment or activation of orders. 
  1. When complete: 
  • Review the acknowledgements at the bottom of the screen (post-candidacy PhD students only) 
  • Click Save to return later, or 
  • Click Submit to begin the review process. 

Approval Workflow: 

  1. Initial Review: Routed to your advisor and graduate program. 
  1. Grad School Review: The Graduate School reviews the request and supporting documentation. 
  1. Once approved, your enrollment will be paused for the specified term(s). 

After Submission: 

  • Monitor approval status on your Home page or via Search > Forms. 
  • Use the History tab for a record of submissions and approvals. 

Returning from Leave: 

  • You must notify your graduate program of your intent to return before the next enrollment registration window opens. 
  • No new application is required, but your program may ask for confirmation of readiness or updated documentation if needed. 

Tips and Considerations: 

  • Leaves cannot be used to pause funding clocks, time-to-degree limits at the program level, or progress milestones unless explicitly approved. 
  • You are not permitted to use university academic resources during the leave period. 
  • For international students, coordinate with Office of International Affairs (OIA) before requesting leave.

 

GRADFORMS Support

GRADFORMS Help Page

Alternatively, you can reach out to:

The Ohio State University Graduate School
250 University Hall, 230 N Oval Mall, Columbus OH 43210
Phone: 614-292-6031 | Fax: 614-292-3656
Graduation Services Email: Grad-SchoolGraduationServices@osu.edu
Registration Services Email: Grad-SchoolRegistrationServices@osu.edu