Enrolled Student
Students who are registered for one or more courses on the first day of the term of their program of study are considered enrolled students, regardless of the start date and time of their first class on their course schedule.
Registration
Unlike traditional undergraduate and graduate institutions where students individually register for courses, KCU engages in block registration for each student cohort. The student’s respective department sends enrollment information to the Office of the Registrar every term. Students are responsible for reviewing their enrollment in Workday prior to each semester to ensure they are enrolled correctly. Students may not audit courses.
Students wishing to add a course, must initiate the add process on or before the sixth business day of the term in which they’re enrolled. Students should refer to the Academic Calendar ; the first day of classes varies by program. This policy does not apply to clerkships or intersession courses.
All students are required to report on the orientation or registration date as specified in the Academic Calendar. First-year COM, CDM and PsyD students who fail to appear at the stated check-in time for orientation risk losing their seat unless other arrangements have been made.
Third- and fourth-year COM students must complete registration materials, including financial aid arrangements, by July 1, prior to participating in clerkships. Third- and fourth-year COM students are not required to be physically present on campus for registration.
All outstanding financial obligations to the University or University-affiliated clerkship sites must be cleared in order for a student to register. Students who are not in University compliance may not attend classes or participate in clerkships, off-site clinical experiences, or practicums.
Course Drops & Withdrawals
Students who wish to drop/withdraw from a single or multiple courses, but not withdraw completely from the University, must adhere to the following procedures.
Students wishing to drop a course, must initiate the drop process on or before the sixth business day of the term in which they’re enrolled. For intersession courses, the deadline to drop the courses is prior to the first class meeting. Students who wish to drop a course must officially communicate their request to their department and complete their request via Workday within the prescribed time requirements. A student who drops a course within the prescribed time requirements will have no record of the course on their transcript.
Students may withdraw from certain courses with the permission of the program director after the drop deadline and up to the withdrawal date. Course withdrawals are recorded as a W on the student’s academic transcript. Students may not withdraw from a course after the withdrawal date. Students are not eligible to withdraw from a course after the course has ended. A course has ended when all assignments and examinations have been administered and there are no future scheduled class meeting times.
Withdrawing from a course may have financial aid implications. Students are advised to talk with Financial Aid prior to withdrawal from any course. International Students are advised to talk with a DSO prior to withdrawal from any course.
CDM
The CDM academic calendar is divided into summer, fall, and spring semesters. CDM students do not have the option to drop or withdraw from individual courses. Students who need to drop or withdraw from the University must initiate that request with their college and complete the Withdraw request form on Workday. The withdrawal deadline for summer is Tuesday, July 16. The withdrawal deadline for the fall semester is Monday, October 28. The withdrawal deadline for spring semester is Friday, March 21.
Appeals to the withdrawal deadline must be made in writing to the dean of CDM. The dean of CDM will make a final determination based on the appeal.
BIOS
The Biomedical Sciences academic calendar is divided into fall and spring semesters with a summer semester for Research Track students only. The withdrawal date for fall is the Friday before Thanksgiving. The withdrawal date for spring is the last Friday in April. The withdrawal date for summer is Tuesday, July 8.
Exceptions to this policy may be granted based on extenuating circumstances only. Appeals to the withdrawal deadline are only granted following submission of a written petition, with the concurrence of the course director and the approval of the dean of COB.
PSYD
The PsyD academic calendar is divided into fall and spring semesters. Courses are offered in 10-week blocks. Each semester will consist of two 10-week blocks. The withdrawal date is the Friday of the eighth week of each block.
Exceptions to this policy may be granted based on extenuating circumstances only. Appeals to the withdrawal deadline are only granted following submission of a written petition, with the concurrence of the course director and the approval of the dean of COB.
COM
The COM academic calendar is divided into fall and spring semesters. KCU-COM students do not have the option to drop or withdraw from individual courses. Students who need to drop or withdraw from the University must initiate that request with their college and complete the Withdraw request form on Workday. The withdrawal date for fall is the Friday before Thanksgiving. The withdrawal date for spring is the last Friday in April.
COM students may be enrolled in elective coursework for a dual degree program or specialty track. Students wishing to drop or withdraw from coursework that is outside of the COM lockstep program must initiate the process on or before the deadlines listed above for either process. For intersession courses, the deadline to drop the courses is prior to the first-class meeting. Students who wish to drop or withdraw a course must officially communicate their request to their department and complete their request via Workday within the prescribed time requirements.
Exceptions to this policy may be granted based on extenuating circumstances only. Appeals to the withdrawal deadline are only granted following submission of a written petition, with the approval of both the course director and the location-specific campus dean of COM.
Student Separation from the University
Drop or Withdrawal from the University
Students may choose to voluntarily separate from the University entirely through the drop and withdraw process outlined below and are held to the grade and/or transcript implications the separation may have.
Students withdrawing from the University may only receive W’s for coursework if withdrawing prior to the withdrawal date for their program. Students may request to withdraw from the University after the withdrawal deadline by appealing to the appropriate dean. Any withdrawals after the withdrawal deadline will result in failing grades for any enrolled courses.
Students who have been referred to their program’s Student Progress Committee (SPC) or qualify for an automatic referral based on academic performance must wait for the SPC determination prior to requesting a withdrawal and prior to the student-initiated withdrawal being approved.
Any student considering separating from the University should first talk with their faculty advisor, director of student success, program director, and/or campus dean as appropriate. Separating from the University may have financial aid implications. Students are advised to talk with Financial Aid prior to dropping or withdrawing from the University. See the Tuition & Fee Refund Policy. International students are advised to talk with a DSO prior to dropping or withdrawing from the University.
In order to initiate a drop or withdrawal, student must complete the Program Withdrawal request in Workday before the withdrawal date for their program of study. The Workday Program Withdrawal request initiated by the student will be reviewed by the appropriate campus dean and the vice provost for Student Services. If the request has been approved, the student will receive notification via their KCU student email detailing the steps to complete in preparation for separation from the University. Failure to complete the required separation steps may cause the University to withhold readmission and/or registration from the separating student, which also remains subject to applicable readmission requirements.
The following list details general expectations of the University for students prior to formal separation through voluntary student drop or withdrawal:
- The student’s KCU ID badge must be surrendered to KCU Safety and Emergency Management (SEM).
- All materials borrowed from the library must be returned.
- All KCU property must be returned to the appropriate department (including the “bone box” issued to COM students).
- Students who withdraw from KCU may keep institution-issued personal technology (i.e., iPad).
- Students who withdraw from the institution may also retain any pin or white coat issued by KCU.
Administrative Withdrawal from the University
In some cases, students may begin coursework but stop attending all courses during the term. If the Office of Financial Aid and the Office of the Registrar are notified by an academic department that a student has unapproved/unexcused absences in excess of 2 weeks for all courses and the student has not responded to any outreach for the entire duration, the student will be administratively withdrawn. A student receiving all grades of fail (F), withdrawal (W) or administrative withdrawal (AW) in any combination may be subject to the Return of Title IV funds calculation (R2T4) if it is determined that the student should be administratively withdrawn.
The Offices of the Registrar and Financial Aid will contact and request from course instructors confirmation of the date the student ceased attending their courses through graded class assignments, documented group project work or other documentation from the instructor. When instructors provide confirmation of the last date of attendance or coursework completed, the date provided will be used to calculate the R2T4 and federal funds to return.
If a last date of attendance cannot be confirmed, the half-way point of the semester may be used and 50 percent of the aid used to pay direct educational costs (tuition and fees) must be returned to the U.S. Department of Education on the student’s behalf. The Office of Financial Aid will use the policy for the Return of Title IV Aid in order to return the funds.
Students may be administratively withdrawn from the University when they:
- Exceeded program length restrictions
- Fail to submit a Student Request for Reinstatement by the agreed-upon date in the LOA approval letter
- Have been absent from all coursework for 2 or more weeks without approved leave and have not responded to any contact/outreach from the University
- Are unresponsive to outreach and have not attempted to continue enrollment for one or more semesters
Administrative withdrawal action is also taken when the University has been notified of the death of a currently enrolled student or a student who was anticipated to continue enrollment.
Administrative Withdrawal from a Secondary Program
Students may be administratively withdrawn from honors tracks, dual-degree programs and/or fellowships if:
- The student fails to maintain the academic requirements for continued participation
- The SPC determines that the student cannot continue as a requirement of Academic Warning or Academic Probation
Dismissal from the University
The University reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to dismiss any student at any time prior to graduation in the event of a violation of the Code of Professional Conduct, any policy or directive set forth in the University Catalog & Student Handbook, or other KCU policy, or failure to satisfy any requirement for graduation; provided, however, that all procedures for review or action be adhered to.
Students who receive a formal decision of dismissal from the institution have the right to appeal that decision. See information related to the Student Progress Committees (SPC) for details related to appealing an SPC decision.
Any student wishing to appeal a formal dismissal decision must do so by the deadline detailed in the official dismissal letter. If a student does not appeal the decision by the deadline detailed in the official dismissal letter, then the student is bound by the dismissal decision.
Dismissal is recorded on the students’ transcript.
Leaves of Absence
A Leave of Absence (LOA) may be granted from the University for the following reasons:
- Parental Bonding
- Medical Emergency or illness
- Financial Emergency
- Personal Emergency
- Military Service
- Pursuit of an Educational Endeavor other than the regular classroom work, either on campus or at another recognized educational institution
- Mandated LOA required by the vice provost for Student Services or college dean
LOA Requirements
Request for LOA: Students seeking an LOA must submit the Student Request for Leave of Absence via Workday including all required supporting documentation.
If unforeseen circumstances prevent a student from appropriately submitting the Student Request for LOA through Workday, the request may be granted by exception.
For any student referred to the Student Progress Committee, a request for LOA will only be considered after the SPC has issued a decision in the student’s case.
If LOA is granted, University support resources such as those offered through Thrive, Counseling Services, and Student Services may remain. However, access to University provided academic resources may be denied (learning management systems, supplemental products, etc.).
Classification: Leaves of Absence shall be classified as either short-term or long-term. An LOA shall be classified as short-term if the student will, upon reinstatement, continue with the program cohort that they belonged to when initiating the leave. An LOA shall be classified as long-term if the student will, upon reinstatement, join a subsequent program cohort than the one they belonged to when initiating the leave.
Reinstatement from long-term LOA must coincide with the appropriate program term start-date. For students granted long-term LOA, KCU reserves the right to require the student to retake coursework.
Meeting: Students requesting an LOA must meet with the vice provost for Student Services or designee to describe the circumstances; the vice provost for Student Services will determine if an LOA is warranted.
Academic Failures: Leaves of Absence cannot be used to avoid a course, Board, or COMAT failure or to avoid dismissal for academic or disciplinary reasons.
Students who are failing one or more courses at the time of an LOA request are required to meet with the appropriate dean prior to receiving approval for an LOA.
A student who is approved for long-term LOA after the withdrawal date for any given term may receive a failing grade for each course enrolled. In exceptional, unforeseeable, and unpreventable extenuating circumstances that are outside the student’s control, a properly completed and approved Exception to Academic Policy Request form may be submitted to the Registrar’s Office, allowing a student to withdraw from enrolled courses after the withdrawal deadline has passed.
Mandated LOA: In extenuating circumstances, including, but not limited to, instances of physical or mental health impairment, violation of any college or program-specific professionalism policies outlined by the student’s program of study, or participating in any form of disciplinary procedure, the following have the authority to place a student on mandated LOA:
- Vice provost for Student Services
- College deans
Students placed on Mandated LOA will be notified in writing regarding specific conditions that must be satisfied to potentially qualify for reinstatement. These expectations will reflect appropriate remediation of the circumstance(s) that occasioned the mandated leave.
Request for Reinstatement: Students are not required to submit the student request for Reinstatement to be reinstated from short-term LOA. Students on short-term LOA will be reinstated based the effective LOA end date specified in the LOA approval letter. Students granted short-term Medical Emergency LOA may be required to provide a medical release from their treating licensed health-care provider.
Students seeking reinstatement from long-term LOA must submit the Student Request for Reinstatement via Workday including all required supporting documentation by the agreed-upon deadline specified in the LOA approval letter.
Failure to submit the Student Request for Reinstatement by the agreed-upon date specified in the LOA approval letter will result in administrative withdrawal from the University.
Professionalism: Students on LOA are required to comply with all college or program-specific professionalism policies outlined by the student’s program of study. Violation of any applicable ethical or professionalism expectations while on leave may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the University.
COM Clerkship students: Third- and fourth-year COM students taking an LOA from clerkships may not be able to return to their original clerkship placement upon their return, and may be required to return to their home campus for clerkships.
Board exams: Students on long-term LOA, excluding those on Academic Endeavor LOA, may not register for or sit for National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) exams. KCU cannot certify any student who is on long-term LOA to register or sit for National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) exams.
Maximum Leave Time: More than one LOA may be granted or mandated for a student while pursuing a single degree program. However, the maximum total combined LOA time granted while pursuing a single degree program may not exceed 52 weeks. Should a student wish to take more than 52 weeks total LOA time while pursuing a single degree program, they must appeal to the vice provost for Student Services. Such appeals are only granted in situations where there is a compelling, legitimate reason.
Student Request for LOA Supporting Documentation
Documentation may be addressed to the vice provost for Student Services and should be uploaded along with the student request for LOA. Explanation of appropriate documentation for each leave type is provided below.
- Parental Bonding LOA: Students who would like to take Parental Bonding LOA must discuss their plans with the appropriate student success team member(s), faculty, and/or clinical education coordinator prior to submitting the student request for LOA. In order for a short-term Parental LOA request to be considered, the student must upload evidence satisfying all of the following criteria:
- Confirming that the appropriate student success team member(s), faculty, and/or clinical education coordinator is/are fully informed regarding the leave
- Detailing the specifics of the request, including anticipated effective start and end dates
- Verifying that appropriate scheduling adjustments can be made considering the planned leave
- Medical Emergency LOA: A detailed letter from a licensed health-care provider satisfying all of the following criteria must be submitted:
- Include the provider’s National Provider Identifier (NPI) number
- Be dated no more than six weeks prior to initiating the request
- Attest that the student requires a medically necessitated leave of absence from studies
- Include the provider’s signature (electronic signatures may be accepted)
- The student should have an established relationship with the provider; therefore, a letter provided after an Urgent Care or telehealth visit with a provider who does not have an established relationship with the student is not appropriate supporting documentation
- Financial Emergency LOA: In order for any Student Request for a Financial Emergency LOA to be considered, a detailed personal statement and supporting documentation verifying the emergency financial situation and all steps taken to date to address the financial emergency must be submitted. The statement and supporting documentation must satisfy all of the following criteria:
- Address family support sought and provided
- Detail all steps taken to secure any available financial aid
- Provide evidence of Student Hardship Fund application submission
- Personal Emergency LOA: A detailed personal statement and supporting documentation satisfying the criteria below must be submitted:
- Describe the personal emergency situation
- Detail comprehensive plan for utilizing the leave time to resolve issues of concern prior to returning to studies
- The vice provost for Student Services or designee will consult with Student Affairs panel and appropriate dean to determine if a Personal Emergency LOA is warranted based on statement and supporting documentation submitted
- Academic failures or potential academic failures do not meet the standard of “personal emergency”
- Military LOA: Formal documentation of military orders must be submitted
- Student must provide documentation specifying start and end dates for military commitment in as timely a manner as possible
- Educational Endeavor LOA: Formal documentation from KCU or the external educational institution verifying the student’s acceptance in an approved program meeting each of the following criteria must be submitted:
- Detail the specific program, location, and sponsoring institution
- Include specific program start and end dates
- Mandated LOA: Students placed on Mandated LOA may not submit the Student Request for LOA via Workday or supporting documentation. Students placed on Mandated LOA will receive a letter from the vice provost for Student Services or appropriate college dean verifying the Mandated leave and specific conditions to be met to potentially qualify for reinstatement. These expectations will reflect the appropriate remediation of the circumstance(s) that occasioned the Mandated LOA.
Student Request for Reinstatement Supporting Documentation
Documentation may be addressed to the vice provost for Student Services and should be uploaded along with the student request for Reinstatement. Explanation of appropriate documentation for each leave type is provided below.
- Parental Bonding LOA: Students are not required to submit the student request for Reinstatement to be reinstated from short-term LOA. Students on short-term Parental Bonding LOA will be automatically reinstated based the effective LOA end date specified in the LOA approval letter
- Medical Emergency LOA: A detailed letter from a licensed health-care provider who is not employed by KCU satisfying all of the following criteria must be submitted:
- Include the provider’s National Provider Identifier (NPI) number
- Be dated no more than six weeks prior to initiating the request
- Attest that the student’s mental and physical health have been evaluated, and the student is released to return to the full rigors of either graduate (BIOS) or professional (CDM, COM, PsyD) school, including participation in all aspects of the curriculum (e.g. hands-on and virtual activities), studying up to10-12 hours per day, taking high stakes exams, and (for professional programs) provision of patient care.
- Include the provider’s signature (electronic signatures may be accepted)
- The student should have an established relationship with the provider; therefore, a letter provided after an Urgent Care or telehealth visit with a provider who does not have an established relationship with the student is not appropriate supporting documentation
- Financial Emergency LOA: A detailed personal statement and supporting documentation verifying that student has the financial capability to pay tuition, fees, and all personal expenses must be submitted
- The Office of Finance will review documentation submitted and advise the vice provost for Student Services regarding whether student meets the requisite financial standards to be considered for reinstatement’
- Personal Emergency LOA: A detailed personal statement and supporting documentation verifying that the student’s personal emergency has been resolved must be submitted
- The vice provost for Student Services will review documentation provided to determine whether student should be considered for reinstatement
- A student may be required to meet with the vice provost, college dean, and/or their designee(s) to determine eligibility for reinstatement
- Military LOA: No supporting documentation is required for reinstatement assuming student submits the Student Request for Reinstatement by the deadline detailed in their Military LOA approval letter
- Educational Endeavor LOA: No supporting documentation is required for reinstatement assuming student submits the Student Request for Reinstatement by the deadline detailed in their Educational Endeavor LOA approval letter
- Mandated LOA: Official documentation from the vice provost for Student Services or college dean verifying that the student has met all specific conditions necessary to potentially qualify for reinstatement
In the circumstance that an LOA results in any student being withdrawn from their coursework, the student will be reported to the U.S. Department of Education through the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) as withdrawn. LOAs have a significant impact on a student’s federal financial aid status. Students must contact the Office of Financial Aid regarding financial implications of taking a leave of absence. International Students are advised to speak to a DSO prior to requesting a LOA.
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