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Returning Students

Some students need to separate 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 Review Committee for Returning Students, which is chaired by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, is comprised of those offices involved in the student’s separation. This process enables all parties to be involved in determining whether the student is most fully prepared to return for that semester.

A student who has discontinued study in a degree-seeking program at Notre Dame and is now seeking  to return full-time to their studies must be approved by all of the following offices:

  • The College to which the student applies
  • The Office of Student Affairs
  • The Office of Student Financial Services

If you left the University for academic reasons, you may have to fulfill specific academic requirements at another institution before returning to your studies at Notre Dame. Courses taken at another college or university need to be pre-approved in order to be considered. You should contact your Notre Dame advisor before leaving the University. If you are unsure of whom to contact, please refer to the list below. You should apply to the college in which you intend to major, as long as you are in good academic standing. If you are on probation/dismissal status, you must apply to the college in which you were enrolled at the time of dismissal. In order to transfer between colleges, you must be in good academic standing.

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.1@nd.edu.

NOTE: A student on an official 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 committee to review your complete application, an applicant must also:

  • Order a Notre Dame transcript from the Office of the Registrar to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Failure to do so will result in an incomplete application.  

  • 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, the Review Committee for Returning Students  defers its decision until receiving a transcript with the student’s final grades from the current semester. 

  • If clearance from the University Counseling Center, University Health Services, and/or Office of Community Standards is required, it is the student’s responsibility to confirm with the appropriate office they have received all required documentation. 

  • 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.

Deadlines

Application Deadline:

  • Fall semester: April 15
  • Spring semester: November 1

Late applications will not be able to be considered.

Notification of decision:

  • Fall semester: June 1 - July 1
  • Spring semester: December 15 - January 5

Please note that notification dates are subject to extensions at the Committee’s discretion.

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.

Transitions Program

Once a student has been readmitted to the University, they are required to participate in the Transitions Programs 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 learning resources, strengthening skills, and connecting to the larger Notre Dame community.
 
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 Snacks and Study Tables, Workshops, Skills Mentoring, Peer-to-Peer Mentoring, and one-on-one consultations with a Center staff member. For more information, please visit the Center for Student Support and Care Transitions Program.