Standard Term of Non-Attendance

Students are eligible for a Standard Term of Non-Attendance (STNA) after they complete their first term of enrollment at Stratford University; however, students must return the following term and register for courses. For financial assistance purposes, students on STNA are considered enrolled as at least half time.As such, students are not required to repeat the admissions process; if a student does not return in the subsequent term, the last date of attendance marks the start of the non-enrolled period. A student who is not enrolled for five terms or more must follow the re-admitting process in the Academic Policies section of this catalog. Students may take one term of STNA per academic year when enrolled for the entire academic year; however, students may not take two consecutive terms of STNA and must conform to the Title IV and F-1 Visa policies below.

Title IV Recipients

If Title IV recipients are not enrolled for one term, their withdrawal status is updated in the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). If they begin courses within the academic year, their status converts to active. However, the loss in grace period is reduced by the withdrawal period. This policy is required by federal student aid regulations to ensure the loan repayment start date is not improperly extended. Students who plan to return the next term are encouraged to plan their course schedule with an academic advisor prior to leaving for the term.

Students on F-1 Visas

STNA for international students is reported to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) as a leave of absence (LOA). A leave of absence for annual vacation within the U.S. for an F-1 student are not approved if the student has not studied one academic year on F-1 status. Students taking personal leave and traveling outside of the U.S. may take a LOA as early as the second term. The student must leave U.S. soil within ten business days after the start of the term and reenter the country within 30 days of the next term. Students are required to submit their purchased itinerary to the International Student Office (ISO) with their STNA form and confirm their travel dates with their designated school official (DSO) 30 days prior to their return to the U.S. Students who do not meet any of these conditions for a leave of absence violate their visa status if they remain in the U.S. on an F-1 visa without enrolling. Students who travel outside the country, but not within the guidelines provided by the ISO may face problems with immigration when re-entering the country. All students must apply for STNA and obtain approval of required officials. Students who fail to follow the established procedure are withdrawn from the University.

All leave of absence request forms must be signed by the designated department representative. Any variations from this policy due to mitigating circumstances must be approved by the designated department representative and the campus president.