Return Review Process


Your S3 Dean will advise you through the process of requesting return. Requests to return are reviewed beginning June 15th for the Fall semester and November 15th for the Spring semester. Once your request is complete, it will be forwarded to the Chair of the Committee on Academic Performance for review.

As the Faculty Rules and Regulations state (section 1.73.5), "the Committee on Academic Performance (CAP) shall act with power on requests to return at the undergraduate level after a Personal, Medical, or Required Academic Leave." Our deans coordinate many facets of the return process but the final decision rests with the CAP.

No requests to return to the undergraduate program will be considered from any student who has received a bachelor's degree or equivalent from another institution or who is a candidate for such a degree at another institution. The return guidelines comply with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), a law designed to protect students who leave school for military service.

Students will be notified of their Request to Return status via email on or around August 10 for a Fall return and January 10 for a spring return. Returning students will be provided with a list of recommendations to help make the transition back to MIT successful. A student’s denied request will be provided with the reasons for the decision and a list of expectations that must be met before another request to return will be considered. You are encouraged to develop a contingency plan in the event that your request to return is denied.

Second Required Academic Leave

In the case of a second Required Academic Leave, a student's lack of satisfactory progress is of significant concern, and a more prolonged period of time away from MIT may be needed. It is important for the student to gain a better perspective on their problems and resolve them. In many instances, a former student with two required academic leaves may be better served by considering finishing their degree elsewhere.

Students requesting return after a second Required Academic Leave must make an appointment with their S3 dean and complete the Undergraduate Request to Return Form. The Chair of the Committee on Academic Performance may choose to interview the applicant, or ask another committee member or other member of the Faculty to do so.

A student’s request to return is decided by a vote of the full Committee on Academic Performance. If the Committee on Academic Performance approves the request, the student will be provided with a list of recommendations to help make the transition back to MIT successful.

If the Committee on Academic Performance denies the request, the student will be provided with expectations that must be met before consideration of any future request to return.

Appeal Process

Request to return decisions are reconsidered only if substantial new information has become available after the decision has been made. A request for reconsideration documenting the new information should be submitted the Chair of the Committee on Academic Performance. The Chair will decide whether to bring the request to the entire Committee on Academic Performance for a full review. The student will be notified of the decision after the review.