Division of First Professional Studies

General

The Division of First Professional Studies offers first professional degrees in occupational therapy and physical therapy. The curricula mirror the University’s philosophy that the future professionals in these career fields should be educated in an interprofessional environment to the extent possible. The intent of this philosophy is for graduates in these majors to gain an understanding and appreciation of each other’s scope of practice.

We strive to offer the highest quality online courses and classroom instruction while taking pride in making the entire educational experience accessible and interactive for students. The blended learning approach allows students to have a vast range of learning techniques at their fingertips.  All online courses were developed with an in-depth understanding of the educational needs of students—how they will best retain the information provided to them and the ease of accessibility to key University support services and staff to offer assistance along the way. Lab classes are taught in a hands-on setting, while some portions of the course content are presented through a variety of interactive distance activities and augmented by in-class discussions. Clinical internships and fieldwork experiences occur at sites located in the United States and, on a limited basis, internationally.

The following policies apply to the first professional programs. Please refer to the Student Handbook for the policies pertaining to the Master of Health Administration, Master of Health Science, Master of Nursing, Post Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy, the transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy,  and Doctor of Education degree programs.

Admission

Applicants for the first professional programs must have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution before entering the program. Applicants may apply while still enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and may be admitted contingent upon successful completion of that degree. Applicants who have already completed the baccalaureate degree, but lack the required program prerequisites, may apply and potentially be admitted contingent upon successful completion of the prerequisites prior to enrollment.

Admission Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 calculated on the program prerequisites is recommended
• A minimum GRE score of 294 (verbal and quantitative sections combined) is recommended

Note: In addition to these requirements, the Admissions Committee will consider all submitted supporting documentation as outlined below. Applicants with a felony conviction will not be admitted to a first professional degree program.

Supplemental Supporting Documentation*

In addition to the application, official transcripts, and GRE scores outlined in the general admission to graduate study, the following supporting documentation is required:

• List of required prerequisite coursework in basic sciences and social sciences and the dates each course was or is to be completed for each respective program is required. Basic science prerequisites completed more than 5 years prior to admission are subject to validation. Applicants may petition the Admissions Office to substitute a similar course or group of courses for a prerequisite. The petition should include the course description. Approval for substitution depends on course level and content as compared to the prerequisite course. The Admissions Office, in collaboration with the respective Program Director, will determine if the substitution is approved or denied and notify the applicant of the decision.
• Two reference checklists are required. Two references should be provided from therapists, respective to the program for which admission is sought, preferred or one therapist and one faculty member or academic advisor.
• Statement of purpose
• Documentation of required observation hours, if required by the program
• Current résumé
• A comprehensive background check requiring fingerprints and drug screen will be administered during the admissions process.

International Students Applying for Admission

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences does not offer English language services, including instruction. All instruction at the University is conducted in English.

Additional requirements for international or foreign-educated students and students whose native language is not English are as follows:

• Applicants who completed their education outside the United States must also provide an academic credentialing evaluation from an agency recognized by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) that provides evidence that the degree earned is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States.
• Additional requirements for domestic, international, foreign-educated students: Internation applicant from a country where English is not the primary language and who did not complete their undergraduate degree in English, or if deemed necessary by the Director of Admissions must provide an official TOEFL score report. The minimum internet-based TOEFL score requirment is 89 (including sectional minimums of 26 in speaking, 24 in writing, 21 in reading, and 18 in listening).The TOEFL may be required at the discretion of the University.

Application Due Dates

Applications and required supporting documentation should be submitted by the due date outlined below for priority processing:

• January (Spring Term)     June 15th
• May (Summer Term)        August 15th
• September (Fall Term)     October 15th

Applications received after these due dates will be considered on a space-available basis.

Interviews

The Admissions Committees evaluate applicants and issues invitations to selected qualified candidates to participate in an information exchange and interview session on campus. Qualified applicants have provided evidence of academic, professional, and/or personal achievement and promise. The personal interview provides additional information used by the Admissions Committees to determine the final admission status of these applicants.

Academic Policies and Procedures

Credit Hour Policy

Definition of Credit Hour

It is the policy of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences to establish credit hour definitions and policies for calculation. Guidelines by the Department of Education and WSCUC suggest that a school measures credit hours in terms of the amount of time in which a student is engaged in academic activity. A credit hour should be defined as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency and reasonably approximates the following criteria:

1. One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction or student engagement and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work (preparation) each week for approximately 15 weeks for 1 semester or trimester of credit, or at least an equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. [Note: For example, a two credit hour course over a 15-week term would require at least 30 hours of direct academic engagement (2 hours/week) and 60 hours of student preparation time (4 hours/week) for the average student. If this same course was offered over 8 weeks, the same number of hours would be required for the term, but the weekly hours would change to 4 hours/week of academic engagement and 8 hours/week of out of class (preparation) work.
2. Formal laboratory instruction is also direct faculty instruction and equates to 2–3 contact hours per week per credit over a 15 week term, with documentation maintained on lab experiences and supported by the course outline/syllabi.
3. When determining online and/or face-to-face academic engagement time (excluding student preparation time), the courses should fall within certain allowable contact hours over the semester according to the number of credit hours. Courses with labs will have larger contact hours than non-lab courses.
4. An equivalent amount of work (measured in contact hours) for other academic activities established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practice, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
5. Fieldwork/Internships are calculated at 45 hours = 1 credit hour.
   Per the above, the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences further defines “other academic activities” as practice of lab techniques (usually a range of 2–3 contact hours per credit), practicum, shadowing, studying, reading, preparing for assignments, group work, service learning, or other academic activities related to a specific course.

• An institution should be able to demonstrate its measurements of time allocated for learning experiences and that the learning outcomes are accomplished.
• Review of course credit content will be performed on a regular basis by way of student course evaluations, time studies within a course and curriculum, annual reports, and programmatic reviews.
• All new courses should be reviewed for the above as part of the curriculum review process.
• All courses should have a descriptive table of how contact hours are spent in both instruction and academic activities in the course syllabus.
• Certain types of courses cannot and will not be measured in this manner, primarily due to the subjective nature of personal study/work time of each student. These types of courses include exit exams, practicum, fieldwork, clinical rotation, clinical integration, independent study, directed reading, capstone courses, products demonstrating excellence, and dissertation.

Campus Location Change

Students who want to change to another campus location must submit a Campus Location Change Request Form (available on the MyUSA portal Students tab) to their current Program Director by midterm of the trimester prior to the requested change. Such requests will be considered on an individual basis and are contingent on space availability. The student will be notified of the outcome of the location change request via e-mail by the Registrar’s Office. Please note: Program completion dates of students who change campus locations may be extended.

Academic Progression, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

The maximum time frames for students to complete their respective programs’ graduation requirements are as follows:

• Full-time DPT students have a maximum time frame of 12 trimesters
• Reduced credit load DPT students have a maximum time frame of 16 trimesters
• Flex DPT students have a maximum of 18 trimesters
• Full-time MOT students have a maximum time frame of 9 trimesters
• Reduced credit load MOT students have a maximum time frame of 12 trimesters
• Flex MOT students have a maximum time frame of 14 trimesters
• Full-time OTD students have a maximum time frame of 14 trimesters
• Reduced credit load OTD students hav a maximum time frame of 13 trimesters
• Dual degree option students have a maximum time frame of 15 trimesters

The role of the Academic Progression and Retention Committee (APRC), in conjunction with the Student Services Office, is to monitor each student’s academic progress throughout the curriculum. Grades from each faculty member are submitted to the APRC at midterm for their review. At  the end of each trimester, grades are submitted to the Registrar. The Registrar will notify students who are placed on probation or are dismissed from the respective academic program of their status. The student’s advisor and the respective Program Director are also notified.

Good Academic Standing Status

Prior to completion of 59 credits for OT and 61 credits for PT, it is expected that a student will meet the following minimum criteria:

• Complete at least 75% of all credits attempted each trimester
• At the completion of the first trimester (or 17 credit hours for OT  and PT) have a GPA of 2.0
• At the completion of the second trimester (or 38 credit hours for OT and PT) have a GPA of 2.3

The University requires that all students enrolled in the first professional programs have a 2.5 GPA after the completion of the third (full-time) trimester or (59 credits for OT and 61 credits for PT) in the academic curriculum to continue in the respective program. If a student does not achieve this cumulative GPA he or she is dismissed from the program.

Academic Progression Warning

An e-mailed letter of academic concern will be issued to any student whose grade in any class at midterm is below a C level. The intent of the concern letter is to notify the student of less than satisfactory academic progress and the potential for course failure. A student receiving an academic concern letter at midterm must contact the instructor(s) by phone or e-mail or meet with the instructor(s) for the course(s) within 1 week of receipt of the concern letter. The student and course instructor(s) will discuss the student’s performance, and the student will develop a plan, approved by the instructor, to improve future performance. The student must then notify his or her advisor of the plan. If a student does not contact his or her course instructor, a note will be placed in the student’s academic file noting the failure to comply with this policy.

An Academic Warning will be given to any student who is not in good academic standing at the conclusion of any trimester. The intent of the Academic Warning is to notify the student of less than satisfactory academic progress. A student receiving an Academic Warning at the end of the trimester must contact his or her advisor during the first week of the subsequent trimester and develop a plan, approved by the student’s advisor, to improve future performance.

Academic Progression Probation

A student who makes a grade below a C in any course will be placed on Academic Probation and must undergo remediation and repeat the course for credit. Such students will be made aware in writing that they are at risk for failure to complete the program.

• A student who is no longer in good academic standing must meet with the instructor and his or her Faculty Advisor to develop a plan for remediation and monitoring. The plan may allow them to take additional coursework with the approval of the Program Director.
• The student must receive a grade of C or better to progress academically.
• If the student receives a grade of C or better, the student will be taken off Academic Probation.
• If the student receives a grade below C when retaking a course, the student will be dismissed.

Any student who is on probation may not participate in any work-study program unless approved by the Program Director. Students placed on probation are at risk of not graduating from the University and not passing the national board exams.

Any student who does not successfully complete the coursework necessary to exit probation may be at risk of being denied federal financial aid due to not maintaining satisfactory academic progress.

Dismissal and Academic Progression Appeals

A student will be dismissed if

• an F is received in any course (a student receiving a failing grade during fieldwork/internship is also subject to this policy);
• two grades of D are received;
• or
• after the completion of 52 credits for OT and 55 credits for PT, the student has a GPA below 2.5.

The Registrar notifies the APRC and the Program Director of any students who are being recommended for academic dismissal. The student will be notified of his or her dismissal by the Registrar.

A student may appeal the dismissal to the Academic Appeals Committee (AAC), who will make a recommendation to the Program Director. If an appeal is successful, a readmission agreement between the student and the Program Director (or Dean) is made to document any conditions for the student’s continuation at the University. Readmission agreements can only be appealed if there are mitigating circumstances, and such appeals can only be made to the University President or designee. Please note: A student who is readmitted upon appeal must reapply to the Director of Disability Services for any reasonable accommodations that may have been previously granted.

When a student is suspended for Academic Probation or for professional misconduct, he or she will turn in his or her student ID badge to the Registrar’s Office and remain off campus. The dismissed student may visit campus by appointment with the academic advisor or Registrar and, when on campus, restrict activities to that appointment.

Academic Evaluation and Right of Appeal

All students must sign an Acknowledgement of Appeals Procedure Form as part of the orientation process. An Acknowledgement of Appeals Procedure Form can be found on the MyUSA portal Admissions tab.

The responsibility for academic evaluation will rest with the instructor. For minor appeal issues, which are decisions that would not result in probation or dismissal, the student appeals to the faculty member involved in the particular issue. If the student is not satisfied with the faculty member’s resolution of the issue, the student has the right to appeal the issue in writing to the Program Director within 3 business days of the instructor’s decision. The Program Director then has 5 business days to research the issue and render a decision.

If the student is not satisfied with the Program Director’s response, the student can appeal the issue to the President or designee in writing within 5 business days after the Program Director’s response. After hearing the issue, the President has 2 business days to either render a verdict on the issue, or redirect the issue at that point to the Appeals Committee.

Any student who has been dismissed may formally appeal this decision in writing to the Registrar with a copy to the respective Program Director within 2 business days from receipt of the notification. If the student does not meet the stated deadline, the appeal may not be considered. In extenuating circumstances, the student may request an extension from his or her respective Program Director or designee (i.e., Registrar); however, this request must be made within the above stated deadline.

Appeal letters should address

• the rationale behind the appeal and why the student believes the appeal is warranted, and
• future circumstances that will enable the student to rectify previous poor academic performance.

The Registrar will forward the student’s appeal to the AAC within 2 business days. After discussion between the AAC and the Program Director, a decision is rendered. The Program Director will convey the AAC’s decision to the student and the Registrar.

The AAC will meet six scheduled times per calendar year (See Academic Calendar). These meetings will convene 2 days prior to the first day of classes of each trimester and at midterm of each trimester. Procedures for the meetings are as follows:

Prior to Trimester Meetings: The AAC will convene within 2 days prior to the first day of classes of the next trimester or at the earliest convenience for both the student and the committee members. The student must appear personally before the AAC at its convenience. A written recommendation will be given to the Program Director within 2 business days of adjourning the meeting with the student.

Academic Progression During the Appeals Process: The first professional student will be allowed to attend scheduled classes throughout the entire appeal process.

In the best interest of the student and clinical site, a student will not be allowed to progress to a clinical education experience when appealing a University dismissal. If the appeals process upholds the dismissal, the student will be dismissed from the university. If the appeals process reverses the dismissal from the university, the student will be placed on a readmittance contract and be required to remediate to meet all course requirements before entering a clinical education experience.

Midterm Meetings: The AAC will convene on or about midterm of each trimester or at the earliest convenient time for both the committee and the student. The student must appear personally before AAC. The AAC will give a written decision to the Program Director within 2 business days of adjourning the meeting with the student.

In the event of extenuating circumstances, if a student is unable to meet at the University’s designated AAC meeting times, the student may request an alternate meeting time. This request must be submitted to the chair of the AAC in writing with detailed rationale supporting the
student’s need for an alternate time.

Students geographically distant from the University of St. Augustine campus may be allowed to appear before the AAC via phone conference solely at the discretion of the AAC.

Should the student not agree to the decision of the AAC, the student has the right of an appeal to the President or an appointed designee. The appeal must be submitted, in writing, within 5 business days to the President. Upon request, the President or designee will review pertinent records, at his or her discretion, including a review of the process to ensure that it was correctly followed, and may meet with the AAC and the student. The President or designee will follow the process as established in the Student Handbook and ensure that the process is followed. If the final decision by the President results in dismissal, the student will no longer be permitted to remain in any courses.

Dismissal policies will be implemented as fairly and equitably as possible considering all extenuating circumstances.

Once a final appeals decision on academic dismissal has been rendered, the student does not have access to the appeals process for this same issue again.

Degree Completion

Acceptance into the University and payment of tuition (on a trimester - trimester-basis) is not a contract assuring that the student will graduate with the degree for which he or she applied. Graduation will depend on satisfactory GPA, professional conduct, issues of safety, and the satisfactory completion of clinical internship/fieldwork experiences and exit exams (where applicable). Students in the first professional DPT program must also complete the courses in their final trimester in order to participate in the commencement ceremony. The Student Handbook and the course syllabi detail what is considered satisfactory.

Continuing Education Policies

Students will not be excused from scheduled classes, internships, or fieldwork to attend Continuing Education courses.

Tuition and Fees Policies

The University has established specific policies, procedures, and guidelines defining its relationship with its students. These are outlined in the Enrollment Agreement that is included in each admission acceptance packet. Each student is required to submit a signed copy of the Enrollment Agreement to the Student Services Office as part of the acceptance acknowledgement process. As a prospective student, you are encouraged to review this Catalog prior to signing the Enrollment Agreement. For our California campus students are also encouraged to review the School Performance Fact Sheet, which must be provided to you prior to signing the Enrollment Agreement.

Tuition

Refer to program-specific tuition and fees information in the previous Financial Information section. Student fees, textbooks, professional fees, health insurance, travel to and from clinical training sites, as well as meals and lodging costs, supplies, and lab wear, are not included in tuition and will be extra. These extra additional school expenses are expected to be approximately $5,000–$7,000 for each program; these costs are subject to change. Please refer to the program cost-ofattendance sheets located on the University’s website.

Candidates are required to submit a $500 deposit within 30 days of acceptance into a program. This deposit is deducted from the first trimester tuition balance. The remaining balance is due on registration day. Any excess loan proceeds (beyond the first trimester tuition and fees) will be refunded to the student according to the student disbursement schedule.

After the first trimester, any tuition balance not paid at the time of trimester registration will receive a 10% late penalty and both tuition and late penalty must be paid in full no later than the close of business on the last day of the week in which classes begin. Students will be removed from class after this point if not paid in full. The only exception is students whose financial aid has been delayed through no fault of their own.

Notice of Cancellation

Cancellation Policy—Texas Campus

A full refund will be made to any student who cancels the enrollment contract within 72 hours (until midnight of the third day excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) after the enrollment contract is signed. A full refund will also be made to any student who cancels enrollment within the student’s first 3 scheduled class days, except that the school may retain not more than $100.00 in any administrative fees charged, as well as items of extra expense that are necessary for the portion of the program attended and stated separately on the Enrollment Agreement.

Students Right to Cancel—California Campus

Students at the California campus may cancel their Enrollment Agreement for school and obtain a refund of charges paid through attendance at the first class session or the seventh day after enrollment, whichever is later.

Cancellation Policy—Florida Campus

Students must notify the University in writing of cancellation. All monies paid by an applicant other than books, supplies, materials, and kits that are not returnable from use are refunded if cancellation occurs within 1 week (7 days) after signing the University’s Enrollment Agreement and making an initial payment. If cancellation occurs after 1 week (7 days) from the signing of the University’s Enrollment Agreement, all application and registration fees in excess of $100.00 are refunded to the student.

Tuition Refund Policy

Cancellation and Tuition Refund Policy

University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences institutional refund policy has been established in accordance with current state and federal regulations and applicable accrediting standards. A refund to the student or fund source may result from the application of the University’s institutional refund policy.

Notice of Cancellation

Students must notify the University in writing of cancellation. 

$500 Deposit Refund Policy First Professional Programs

Refund of Tuition Deposit for Withdrawal Within the First Seven Days:  If notification of withdrawal from the University is submitted within seven days of submission of the tuition deposit, a full refund of the tuition deposit will be returned to the student.

Refund of Tuition Deposit for Withdrawal After the First Seven Days But Before the Start of the Trimester:  If notification of withdrawal from the University is submitted after seven days of submission of the tuition deposit up to the start of the trimester courses, a partial refund of $400 (the University retains $100 as an admissions fee) will be returned to the student.

Tuition Refund Policy First Professional Programs

The University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences has an established add/drop period that is the first week (7 days) of each semester. All tuition and fees will be refunded to students or to student loans who withdraw from a program or a course within the add/drop period.

If a student withdraws from the program or a course after the add/drop period but prior to completion, the student may be eligible for a tuition refund in accordance with the following policy:

Withdrawing from a Program - Refund of Tuition after the Start of Trimester Courses: For students who withdraw from ALL classes during days 1-7 of the trimester (Add/Drop period), 100% of tuition/fees will be refunded to the student and/or to the loan. For students who withdraw from ALL classes after day 7 but before 60% of the term has elapsed, USAHS will calculate the refund using a percentage formula and return the refund to the student and/or to the loan. If more than 60% of the term has elapsed, there will be no refund.

Withdrawing from a Course - Students withdrawing from 1 or more course(s), but not the program, will have their refund calculated under the same percentage formula as those withdrawing from a program.

Step 1: Determine the percentage of the enrollment period the student attended before withdrawing (days attended divided by total days in the period).If over 60%, then no refund is due.

Step 2: Determine the amount of tuition earned by school by multiplying the total tuition/fee charged by the percentage of time enrolled.

Step 3: Compare the amount of tuition earned by school to the amount received by the school. If more funds were received by the school than tuition earned by school, determine the amount of funds that must be returned by subtracting the tuition earned by school amount from the amount received by the school.

Step 4: Distribute this calculated amount as a refund to the student or to student loan.

Refunds are made within 30 days of the date the University determines that the student has withdrawn.

For students who receive federal financial aid who withdraw (including transfers and leaves of absence) from ALL classes on or before 60% of the term has elapsed, a portion of your tuition will be returned to the lender. Please see the University’s R2T4 policy for further information.

Tuition Refund Policy for Maryland Residents

For students residing in Maryland, USAHS complies with the state of Maryland’s refund policy. This policy will supersede USAHS’ refund policy, unless USAHS’ policy is more beneficial for the Maryland student. The minimum refund that USAHS shall pay to a Maryland student who withdraws or is terminated after completing only a portion of a course, program, or term within the applicable billing period is as follows:

Leave Policies

Emergency Leave

A student may be granted up to 2 weeks of emergency leave by the Program Director. After this time the student can return to classes but is responsible for the material covered in all classes during the leave time. If the emergency leave extends beyond 2 weeks, the student will be required to take a leave of absence (see below). Under such circumstances, the student’s tuition will be applied to the following trimester.

Leave of Absence

To request a leave of absence, a student must complete a Leave of Absence Request Form (on the MyUSA portal Students tab) and forward it to the Program Director for approval.

• An approved leave of absence is restricted to a cumulative total time of 3 trimesters. Leave may be taken for 1 trimester at a time or for an entire calendar year but not more than a total of 1 calendar year. Leave taken at any time during a trimester is considered as an entire trimester of leave and students must retake the entire trimester of coursework. A year-long leave begins from the date of the beginning of the trimester of the leave of absence. A student must notify the Registrar of his or her intention to return to the program at least 30 days before the start of the term.
• Scholarship students who are granted an approved leave of absence for academic reasons forfeit any scholarship funds upon their return. For scholarship students who are granted an approved leave of absence for medical reasons, the scholarship will be suspended and will resume upon their return from the leave of absence.
• Currently enrolled students who are granted an approved leave of absence will be refunded any tuition due based on the University refund policy.
• If a student is approved for a leave of absence within 2 months of the beginning of a term, a credit in the amount of tuition paid for that trimester less any refunds will be applied to his or her account and available for use up to 1 year from the date of leave of absence. This credit is forfeited after 1 year.
• Students should be aware that any leave from the institution may have a financial aid impact and should consult with the Financial Aid Office. In compliance with federal regulations, for federal financial aid purposes, a leave of absence is treated the same as a withdrawal. If you are considering taking a leave of absence, please be aware of the following:
  • In accordance with financial aid regulations, a leave of absence cannot exceed 180 days. If your leave of absence exceeds 180 days your loan will go into repayment status.
  • You must make a written request to be granted a leave of absence.
  • You will be required to complete exit counseling prior to beginning an approved leave of absence.
  • It will be necessary to reapply for loans upon return to school.
  • You must notify the Financial Aid Office upon your return to school, so that your lender, guaranty agency, and National Student Loan Data System, (NSLDS) can be notified.
• The University reserves the right to reassess the “Essential Functions for Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy” of any student returning from any leave of absence and to decline or conditionally approve his or her resumption of classes if he or she is unable to meet the essential functions with reasonable accommodations.
• Upon returning from a leave of absence, a student who has been receiving reasonable accommodations must reapply to the Director of Disability Services to have accommodations reinstated.
• If a leave is greater than 1 year, a student is no longer considered enrolled and must re-apply as a prospective student to the University.

Leave of Absence - Effective Spring 2018

USAHS expects its students to maintain continuous registration in an academic program. However, the University understands situations may arise during a student’s time at USAHS that may warrant a break in registration.  To accommodate these situations, the University has developed the following LOA policy.

Emergency LOA:

To request an Emergency LOA, a student must complete the LOA Request Form, located on the myUSA portal Students tab, and forward the completed form to an Advisor for approval.  A student should apply in advance for an Emergency LOA. If a student fails to provide documentation, or does not receive approval for an Emergency LOA, the student may receive failing grades for all courses for that term which may result in dismissal from the program.

If a student is unable to apply in advance for an Emergency LOA due to unforeseen circumstances, the University may grant the request if the LOA Request Form and sufficient documentation is submitted upon the student’s return.

An Emergency Leave of Absence will be considered for review only if the request meets the following criteria:

1. The request is for a medical emergency (student or immediate family member) or bereavement (death of an immediate family member.) Immediate family member is defined as spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild; a spouse’s parent, child, sibling, grand parent, grandchild; and a child’s spouse.
2. The request is for a financial hardship (job relocation, job termination, loss of housing).
3. The LOA Request Form includes the student’s signature, date of request, and any supporting documentation for the request (i.e. medical documentation, obituary, eviction notice, etc.)

An Emergency LOA is limited to 180 days in one calendar year. Students requesting an Emergency LOA should keep in mind the following:

• 2 weeks or less
  • If the Emergency LOA is shorter than or equal to two weeks (14 calendar days) the student has the option to come back within the current trimester. However, it is the student’s responsibility to stay in communication with the instructor(s) and to make-up any work during the Emergency LOA.
• More than 2 weeks
  • Students taking more than two weeks will be withdrawn from all courses and will be required to repeat the courses in a subsequent term. Students cannot return from an LOA longer than 2 weeks in the middle of a term.

The student must return at the start of a subsequent term within 180 days. Students who are unable to return within 180 days are subject to withdrawal from the program. 

Planned Educational LOA:

The Planned Educational LOA is intended to provide students with an opportunity to pursue other activities outside the University related to their educational or professional goals.  Students requesting a Planned Educational LOA must have a definitive objective that contributes to their educational goals. To request a Planned Educational LOA, a student must complete the LOA Request Form, located on the myUSA portal Students tab, and forward the completed form to an Advisor for Approval.  Approval of a Planned Educational LOA is contingent on the following:

1. The student must be in good academic standing.
2. The student must submit the request at least one week prior to the start of the trimester. A Planned Educational LOA will not be granted if the request is submitted once the trimester has begun.
3. The student has support from the Program Director to take a Planned Educational LOA.
4. The Planned Educational LOA request is no longer than one full trimester (105 days).
5. The student includes a statement describing how the Planned Educational LOA will contribute to their educational goals.

Students who have been approved for a Planned Educational LOA must notify the Registrar in writing of their intention to return to the program as soon as possible and no later than 1 week prior to their scheduled return date for scheduling purposes. Please note: Financial aid may be delayed depending on the time frame in which the student notifies the Registrar’s office of their return. 

Military LOA:

Current students called to active military service will be required to follow the same procedures for requesting any other LOA. Acceptable supporting documentation for this type of request is military orders. Students who begin Military LOA during a term will be refunded their tuition for that term. A Military LOA may be for the duration of military service and is not limited to the leave time frame set forth in the Emergency LOA and Planned Educational LOA guidelines. 

Administrative LOA:

The University reserves the right to place students on Administrative LOA. The student must return at the start of a subsequent term within 180 days. Students who are unable to return within 180 days are subject to withdrawal from the program. 

Issues to Consider Prior to Requesting a LOA

Scholarship students:

Depending on the specific scholarship guidelines, students on a Planned Educational LOA may have to forfeit their scholarship funds upon their return. Scholarships will not be affected for students who are on an Emergency LOA.

Students with private education loans:

Students with private education loans requesting an LOA of any type, must consider how it will impact their loan status. Specifically, students should consider how this will impact the grace period for repayment of the loan. Prior to requesting an LOA of any type, the University recommends students receiving private education loans contact their lender.

Students receiving Title IV Funds:

Students receiving Title IV Funds (Federal Student Loans) should be aware that an LOA from the University may impact their financial aid.  A university-approved LOA may not qualify a student for a loan payment deferral as it relates to federal financial aid. The student must consult with the Financial Aid Office prior to submitting the LOA request form. If a student receiving Title IV funds is considering taking a Planned Educational LOA or an Emergency LOA lasting longer than 14 calendar days (two weeks), they must be aware of the following:

• In accordance with Federal Financial Aid regulations, the total amount of leave taken by the student must not exceed 180 days in any 12-month period. The 12-month period begins on the first day of the initial Leave of Absence.
• If a Title IV student is withdrawn from the University due to failure to return from an LOA this may affect the student’s loan repayment terms, including the expiration of the student’s grace period.
• Students approved for an LOA are required to complete exit counseling prior to the beginning of the leave.

International Students:

International students must meet with an Advisor before submitting an LOA Request Form to ensure compliance with their visa status.

General Notice to Students Considering an LOA:

• If a student fails to return from an LOA, the student will be withdrawn from the University. The student’s withdrawal date will be the date the student began the leave.
• Students who are withdrawn or dismissed for failure to return from an LOA, may reapply as a prospective student to the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.
• A student cannot exceed 180 days in any 12-month period. (This excludes Military LOA). The 12-month period begins on the first day of the initial LOA.
• The University reserves the right to reassess the “Essential Functions for Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy” of any student returning from any LOA and to decline or conditionally approve his or her resumption of classes if he or she is unable to meet the essential functions with reasonable accommodations.
• Upon returning from an LOA, a student who has been receiving reasonable accommodations must reapply to the Director of Disability Services to have accommodations reinstated.

Termination of Enrollment—Austin Campus

The school shall terminate the enrollment of a student who accumulates the lesser of the following amounts of absences:

1. More than 10 consecutive school days
2. More than 20% of the total course time hours in a program with course time of more than 200 hours
3. More than 25% of the total course time hours in a program or individual class with course time of 41 to 200 hours
4. More than 25% of the total course time hours for seminars, individual classes, or programs with course time of 40 hours or less
5. Any number of days if the student fails to return as scheduled from an approved leave of absence

Audit Policy

Auditing of a class is permitted, if space permits, with approval of the Program Director and course instructor. Auditing of a class requires payment of full tuition for that course. The student who is auditing may not take the practical or written exams in that course.