Southern Methodist University
What SMU says
Exact quotes from SMU’s official pages, checked word for word on Oct 22, 2026.
To start the official leave process, students must submit their requests via my.SMU or clicking the link below.
— smu.edu ↗Leaves of Absence (LOA) can be requested at any time.
— smu.edu ↗If requesting a Leave of Absence, students can request for LOA for up to two consecutive long terms.
— smu.edu ↗Students who withdraw from the University in good standing may re-enroll within one year or two regular terms (fall, spring) without reapplying.
— smu.edu ↗There are a variety of reasons why a student might be interested in taking a leave, including, but not limited to, personal challenges, family challenges, or illness.
— smu.edu ↗Written by AI from the quotes and pages we read. It may be incomplete or wrong; the school’s own pages win.
- A Leave Request through my.SMU, after talking with your advisor, appears to be the route.
- Requests seem possible any time, covering one or two long terms.
- If you're already enrolled for spring, you may also need a course cancellation; ask Student Success and Retention.
- Reasons accepted: any personal reason (Reasons are open-ended; requests go to Student Success and Retention).
- Time away allowed: Up to 2 long terms.
- Classes start Jan 19.
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
- HackSMU ↗SMU's student 24-hour hackathon; HackSMU VII ran April 11-12, 2026 (Devpost).
Entrepreneurship center
- Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship (SMU Cox) ↗SMU Cox's entrepreneurship institute for students and alumni; runs pitch competitions and a launch accelerator.
- Hart Institute for Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship ↗Lyle/Cox institute for tech innovation and entrepreneurship, with prototyping resources and technical mentorship.
Hard-tech team
- Hilltop Motorsports ↗Student motorsports team listed among Lyle's active student organizations.
- Mustang Rocketry ↗Student rocketry team listed among Lyle's active student organizations.
CS club
- SMU Computer Science ↗CS student org listed among Lyle's active student organizations; runs HackSMU.
Why 88
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. Some source pages show no date or blocked our automated check. Confirm the details with your school. We date pages from server timestamps, page metadata, “last updated” text, PDF dates and the Wayback Machine.