Returning Students
Some students need to take time away from the University during the course of their studies. While the reasons vary, as long as a student has not been permanently dismissed, the University seeks to determine the best time and manner for a student to return to the rigors of full-time study.
To that end, the Time Away Coordinators in the Center for Student Support and Care are here to assist in navigating the different steps to a return to the University. This team works with students to think through questions of readiness and submitting their request to return to the University. The Time Away office, along with key campus partners, reviews requests to return and determines whether the student is most fully prepared to return for the upcoming semester.
If you have specific questions regarding your Time Away from the University and the steps you need to complete in order to return, please reach out directly to the Time Away Coordinators at timeaway@nd.edu.
This team will connect you to the right department or college and will work to assist you in navigating each step of your request. Students who are seeking to return to the University will not be considered if they have an outstanding student account balance.
Contact the Office of Student Accounts to inquire about any balance or payment procedures: (574) 631-7113 or stdacct@nd.edu.
NOTE: A student with an approved personal leave of absence from the University does not need to submit an application to return.
Application Instructions
The applicant must submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions a completed Return to Studies Application by the deadline. In order for the request to be reviewed, an applicant must also:
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Upload a transcript for any courses taken since leaving Notre Dame to their Applicant Status Portal as soon as it is available. In most cases, return decisions are conditional upon receiving a transcript with the student’s final grades from the current semester.
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If you are requesting a return after a health leave of absence, your treating providers will complete the return medical documentation. All documentation must be submitted to the Time Away Coordinators by the stated deadlines. The Time Away team will send you a copy of the required form and assist you in the process. If you have questions, please reach out directly at timeaway@nd.edu.
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If there is an outstanding balance with the Office of Student Accounts, the balance must be resolved prior to consideration. Contact Student Accounts with any questions at (574) 631-7113 or stdacct@nd.edu.
Deadlines
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Applying to Return in Spring 2026:
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Application opens: September 15
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Priority Deadline for Spring Registration: October 20
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Final Deadline to Apply: December 1
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For complete applications, decisions will be released on a rolling basis beginning in mid-October.
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Applying to Return in Fall 2026:
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Application Opens: February 1
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Priority Deadline for Summer Course Registration: March 1
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Priority Deadline for Fall Course Registration: April 1
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Final Deadline to Apply: June 15
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For complete applications, decisions are released on a rolling basis beginning March 1.
Please note: Late applications will not be considered.
Financial Aid Application Procedures
If financial aid is important to your re-enrollment at the University, carefully review the financial aid information. Please note that the University does not automatically reinstate your previous financial aid award. For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid at (574) 631-6436 or finaid@nd.edu.
Housing
While every attempt is made to provide housing to returning students who are eligible to live on campus and wish to do so, the availability of on-campus housing is not guaranteed to returning students. The Office of Residential Life maintains a waiting list for returning students who desire to live on campus. Students may apply for waiting list housing through homeunderthedome.nd.edu only after confirming their enrollment to the University and submission of the confirmation deposit.
Students who originally matriculated to Notre Dame as a new first-time student in fall 2018 or later are subject to the six-semester residency requirement and will automatically be included in the lottery for waitlist housing, whether or not they apply for on-campus housing. For more information, visit our returning students Residential Life website. You may also contact the Office of Residential Life at (574) 631-5878 or residentiallife@nd.edu.
STAR Program
Once a student has been readmitted to the University, they are encouraged to participate in the STAR Program facilitated by the Center for Student Support and Care. The program consists of orientation events and a series of discussion groups at the start of the semester—all aimed at building community and strengthening skills in order to succeed here at Notre Dame.
As part of its commitment to the long term success of returning students, the Center for Student Support and Care offers additional resources throughout the academic year, including skill-building courses, skills mentoring, peer-to-peer mentoring, and one-on-one consultations with a center staff member. For more information, please visit the STAR Program website.