Stuart Weitzman School of Design
102 Meyerson Hall
210 South 34th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Course load at the Weitzman School is measured in course units. Except in rare and extenuating circumstances when students request and receive permission from their Department Chair to enroll on a part-time basis, masters students are enrolled in Weitzman degree programs as full-time students and are automatically charged the full-time tuition rate during the Fall and Spring terms. The Weitzman School is a full tuition school and each degree program has established a specific curriculum for each semester that constitutes full-time. Part-time enrollment is strongly discouraged.
Weitzman School doctoral students are charged full tuition and fees for their first three years of study regardless of course enrollment. In year four, if coursework is completed the student is eligible for reduced tuition and fees.
Full-Time Enrollment applies to masters students enrolled in 3 – 5 course units in a semester (as required by the student’s department’s curriculum), and to doctoral students enrolled in 3 – 4 course units per term.
Part-Time Enrollment applies to students enrolled in less than 3 course units in a semester. All Weitzman School students are strongly discouraged from enrolling as part-time students. Students who intend to enroll in less than three (3) course units (CUs) for the upcoming term MUST self-identify as a part-time student by completing the Part-Time Status Form. The form requires approval by the student’s Department Chair. Upon receipt of the form, the Registrar will code the student’s record for a part-time tuition and fee adjustment. Doctoral students are not eligible for part-time tuition/fee adjustment based on course enrollment. Exception: Students in the following programs are considered part-time if they are enrolled in three or less course units (rather than two or less), but they must still declare part-time status using the process outlined above in order to avoid full-time billing rates:
Part-Time international students must apply for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) with International Student and Scholar Services. Note: for immigration purposes, ISSS defines Weitzman students as part-time if they are enrolled in less than three course units. International students enrolled in less than 3 course units are not eligible for a tuition/fee reduction, but must still apply for an RCL with ISSS.
All Weitzman School students are discouraged from enrolling in more than five course units in a term, as reflected in their department’s curriculum. Students MUST complete the Overload Enrollment form and obtain the approval of their Department Chair to enroll in more than five course units. The deadline for declaring overload is the end of course selection (available on the Weitzman Academic Calendar), although students are strongly encouraged to declare overload status well in advance of the deadline in order to identify any course registration problems.
Masters students who enroll in more than five course units for grades in the Fall or Spring semesters will be charged the per-CU tuition rate for the overload courses. These charges will be applied after the add/drop period for the term. Students will receive a confirmation email from the Registrar when the additional tuition has been applied to their student account. Students who are auditing a course as a sixth CU are not charged per-CU tuition for the audited overload course.
Doctoral students who want to enroll in more than four (4) course units must have departmental permission to do so, but they are not charged additional tuition or fees.
A student may be admitted to the Weitzman School on the recommendation of a department chair as a “non-degree student” for a period not to exceed one academic year. Under this status, a student is allowed to take a maximum of five (5) course units per semester. If the student is later admitted into a degree program, the department chair will evaluate course units earned as a non-degree student to determine whether they will be accepted for the degree. No more than 5 course units or 25% of the total number of credits required for the degree, whichever is less, will be accepted.
A student may voluntarily withdraw from the Weitzman School at any time. Students who voluntarily withdraw must submit a completed and approved Withdrawal form to the Weitzman School Office of Student Services. If the student is enrolled in a dual-degree program, the student must received permission from both department chairs to withdraw. Upon receipt of approval, the Weitzman Office of Student Services will make the appropriate adjustment to the student’s academic record and send confirmation by email to the student. Non-attendance does not constitute an official voluntary withdrawal. For the schedule of percentage of refunded tuition after a voluntary withdrawal, refer to the Weitzman Academic Calendar. Note:
Students who stop attending all classes without officially withdrawing or taking a leave of absence are considered Unofficial Withdrawals and will be subject to a return of federal student aid funds, the amount of which is calculated based on the last documented date of attendance as determined by the University of Pennsylvania.
Students who do not meet the Academic Performance standards of their program may be academically withdrawn. For more information, refer to the policy on Academic Performance.
Students who voluntarily withdraw may pursue re-admission within three years of withdrawing. Students who wish to be readmitted after having withdrawn must submit a written request for reinstatement to the Weitzman School Office of Student Services. Students who are withdrawn for non-attendance or dismissed for unsatisfactory academic performance are NOT eligible for readmission. The reinstatement request must include reliable evidence of measures taken during absence from the school and an explanation and plan as to how conditions relating to the original need for withdrawal will be prevented from reoccurring. If, upon re-entry, the student’s GPA is beneath 3.0 then their academic status will automatically be probationary. The department chair must endorse readmission prior to any registration process. If the student is enrolled in a dual-degree program, the student must receive endorsement from both department chairs. Credit for courses taken prior to readmission will be re-evaluated in conjunction with the degree program’s current curriculum. Departments may choose not to accept courses regardless of when they were completed for credit toward the degree. As a result, reinstatement may include additional coursework. Students must clear all holds, including financial, that may be on their record prior to being approved for reinstatement. Scholarships previously offered to students applying for readmission will not be reinstated automatically.
Deadlines for submitting materials for reapplication are the same as the deadlines for new applicants, and can be found on the Admissions page.
A student who has not received full academic credit for the term and who is called to service through enrollment in a military reserve unit, or through enlistment in military service, shall be refunded full tuition and general fee, provided a written request, substantiated by the proper evidence, is submitted to the Weitzman School Office of Student Services.
Requesting a Leave of Absence
Doctoral students requesting a leave of absence should refer to the the PhD policy here and complete the PhD Leave of Absence Request Form.
Masters students wishing to take a leave of absence must complete the Leave of Absence Request Form. The request should include the reason for the leave and planned date of return. The form must be approved by the student’s academic department chair. Dual-degree students need approval from both departments when requesting a leave of absence. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor and/or department chair to discuss their leave request prior to submitting the form. The completed and approved form should be submitted to the Weitzman School Office of Student Services for processing. If applicable, the student’s bill will be adjusted based on the tuition refund schedule as found in the Weitzman Academic Calendar. Students receiving Title IV/federal loans who take a leave of absence or withdraw before the 60% mark in the semester are subject to the Return of Federal Student Aid (Title IV) policy, and should review this carefully before requesting a leave. Students will receive email confirmation that their approved leave request has been processed.
When a leave of absence is requested outside the academic dates of the semester, the effective start date for the leave of absence is the date of last academic activity of the prior semester. For example, if a student requests a leave of absence in July while not taking any classes, the date of separation will be the last day of the spring semester term. International students on a visa need to pay particular attention to how this policy overlaps with the requirement to depart the U.S. within 15 days of a leave of absence being processed.
Discontinuance of study without permission from the University does not constitute a leave of absence. If students request a leave after the beginning of the semester, normal drop and withdrawal deadlines apply. Students who are requesting a leave of absence for medical reasons will be required to provide documentation from their treating clinician. Leaves of absence may be granted for up to one year. Requests for extension of the leave are handled on a case-by-case basis by the student’s academic department chair and the Weitzman School Office of Student Services.
Types of Leave
There are two Leave of Absence Categories:
Preparing for a Leave of Absence
Students with health insurance plans through the University are strongly encouraged to consult with Student Health Services prior to their leave to ensure they understand coverage, policies, and procedures during the leave. Students who have private insurance plans are also encouraged to check with their provider regarding health coverage during their leave. Some insurance providers discontinue coverage if a student is not enrolled full-time at a college or university.
International students should consult with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) prior to submitting the leave of absence forms. Per ISSS and immigration policies, international students must leave the U.S. within 15 days of their leave being processed. Students also must apply for a leave with ISSS after their request for leave has been processed and confirmed by the Weitzman School Office of Student Services. Students who are completing or did complete CPT during the summer are not eligible for a leave of absence in the Fall term immediately following summer CPT.
Students are strongly encouraged to review the Leave of Absence/Withdrawal checklist available through the Student Registration and Financial Services. This includes the Return of Federal Student Aid policy, which requires the University to calculate a return of federal student aid funds for students who withdraw (officially or unofficially) from all classes or start a leave of absence on or before the 60 percent attendance point in the semester and for students who withdraw from any module-based courses.
While on Leave
Students who are granted a leave of absence cannot earn credit for courses given by another institution while on leave. Weitzman School students maintain access to email while they are on leave. However, their Weitzman School login and their PennCard are deactivated. Students may not maintain studio space while on leave.
Students who start a leave of absence in the middle of a semester for which they have already paid the clinical fee will continue to have access to Student Health & Counseling for the remainder of that semester. However, if a student takes a leave at the start of the semester before paying the clinical fee, was enrolled in a status that did not charge them the clinical fee, or begins a second consecutive semester of leave, access to Student Health & Counseling is paused until the student returns from the leave of absence.
Students on a leave of absence may not have access to their Penn+Box data. While it is possible that data stored on Penn+Box may remain intact for the duration of the student's leave, students are encouraged to save their data on Penn+Box to another location before going on leave.
Returning from Leave
To return from a leave of absence, the student must submit their return request in writing (via email is acceptable) to the Weitzman Registrar at des-studentservices@design.upenn.edu. The Registrar will activate the student’s record and provide the student with the relevant details regarding returning to Weitzman. When the student returns, they will hold the same academic standing (for example, probation) as prior to their leave. Students must clear all holds, including financial, that may be on their record prior to their leave in order to return to their program of study. As noted above, students who have been granted a medical leave of absence must also provide documentation from their treating clinician that they are ready to resume their studies and rejoin the campus community. Failure to return from a leave of absence or apply for an extension will result in the student’s withdrawal from the Weitzman School for inactivity. Students who are withdrawn from the Weitzman School for inactivity are not eligible for readmission.
Weitzman School scholarships will be reinstated when the student returns from leave, assuming that they left in good academic standing. Weitzman school-based aid is reinstated when the student returns from leave.