University of Virginia
What UVA says
Exact quotes from UVA’s official pages, checked word for word on Oct 22, 2026.
Students who plan to be away from the University in an upcoming semester (or semesters) must submit the Leaving the University form through the Student Information System (SIS)…
— college.as.virginia.edu ↗All requests for Leave of Absence must be filed prior to the first day of the semester.
— college.as.virginia.edu ↗…students may request to take a leave of absence, valid for up to two consecutive semesters.
— college.as.virginia.edu ↗Students who have been on an approved leave of absence should apply for readmission using the Returning to the University form in SIS…
— college.as.virginia.edu ↗However, students may request to take a leave of absence, valid for up to two consecutive semesters.
— college.as.virginia.edu ↗Written by AI from the quotes and pages we read. It may be incomplete or wrong; the school’s own pages win.
- UVA College students appear to file a 'Leaving the University' form in SIS.
- It looks due by the day before the semester begins, January 19, 2027.
- Returning isn't automatic; readmission through SIS seems required.
- Reasons accepted: any personal reason (No reason limits stated; College of Arts & Sciences).
- Time away allowed: Up to 2 straight semesters.
- Classes start Jan 20.
Before you decide
Check on the following…
- Will my spot be held?Check how long your school keeps your place and whether you have to apply to come back.Ask: Registrar
- Will I graduate later?A term off can push back your graduation. Ask which required classes only run in the spring.Ask: Academic advisor
- Is there a deadline to ask?Some schools want your leave request before January. Find out the exact date and the form.Ask: Dean’s office or registrar
- What happens to my scholarships and aid?Ask whether your scholarships and grants pause while you’re away or end, and what you need to do to get them back.Ask: Financial aid office
- When would I have to start repaying loans?Student loans usually stop being deferred when you’re not enrolled. After a short grace period, often six months, payments can start.Ask: Financial aid office
- Will I still have health insurance?A student health plan usually needs you to be enrolled. Make sure you’re covered from January to April.Ask: Student health office
- What about my housing?Ask whether you can leave your housing contract without a penalty and whether you’ll get housing when you come back.Ask: Housing office
- I’m on a student visa. Does this affect it?For F-1 students, not enrolling usually ends your visa status. Talk to this office before anything else.Ask: International student office
Hackathon
Student founder community
Entrepreneurship center
Hard-tech team
- Solar Car Team at UVA ↗Interdisciplinary solar/battery-electric car team, open to all majors. Official UVA Engineering page (blocks automated fetch; seen via searc
- UVA Rocketry Team ↗Builds a new rocket each year for IREC plus a multi-year hybrid motor project; open to all experience levels.
- Virginia Motorsports (Formula SAE) and other experiential learning teams ↗UVA Engineering list of teams: FSAE EV, Lunabotics space robotics, SAE Aero. Page blocks automated fetch; seen via search.
Why 86
Spend the winter building. Southbound runs Jan 11 to Apr 11, 2027 in Miami. Acceptance is rolling.
What we could find (checked Oct 22, 2026). Not final: confirm dates and aid with your school before you act. Source pages look current for 2026–27. We date pages from server timestamps, page metadata, “last updated” text, PDF dates and the Wayback Machine.