Carleton University
What Carleton says
Exact quotes from Carleton’s official pages, checked word for word on Oct 22, 2026.
A student who is not present at the University is considered to be absent from the University.
— calendar.carleton.ca ↗Degree students who have been absent from the University for nine consecutive terms will be inactivated effective the term subsequent to the ninth term and must apply for readmission through Admission Services.
— calendar.carleton.ca ↗Ceasing to attend or participate in classes, or informing an instructor of intent to withdraw, does not constitute withdrawal.
— calendar.carleton.ca ↗A student who is not present at the University is considered to be absent from the University.
— calendar.carleton.ca ↗Written by AI from the quotes and pages we read. It may be incomplete or wrong; the school’s own pages win.
- Domestic undergraduates appear able to simply not register for a term and stay in their program.
- Readmission seems needed only after nine consecutive terms away; international students may need a formal leave.
- If already registered, ask your registrar or advising office; just stopping attendance doesn't appear to count as withdrawal.
- Reasons accepted: no leave request needed (No reason needed; only long absences trigger readmission).
- Time away allowed: Under 9 terms in a row.
- What to file: nothing to file.
- Classes start Jan 6.
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
- cuHacking ↗Carleton's official 36-hour hackathon; 2026 edition July 10-12, 2026.
Student founder community
- Innovation Hub Founders Program ↗Application-based program for Carleton students building their own ventures, run by the Innovation Hub.
Entrepreneurship center
- Carleton Innovation Hub ↗Supports student entrepreneurs with mentorship, workspace, programming and funding access.
Hard-tech team
- CU InSpace ↗Carleton's rocketry team designing high-power rockets for IREC and Launch Canada; 2026 launch vehicle listed.
CS club
- Carleton Computer Science Society (CCSS) ↗CS student society running events, Jobuary and the Hack the Tunnels hackathon; active 2026-27.
Why 94
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.