If you need to take a leave of absence from CCA, or withdraw from the college, you must follow all college procedures to complete the withdrawal and/or leave of absence processes

Information on withdrawing from all courses or taking a leave of absence can be found in the Student Handbook.

Both of these decisions greatly impact your F-1 non-immigrant status, so if you have questions about either process, set up an appointment with an ISS advisor.

Students can apply for an official leave of absence from CCA for one semester or one academic year. A leave of absence is requested by completing the leave of absence form and obtaining all required signatures. Once your leave of absence is approved, you will be dropped from all courses for which you are registered in the leave semester, which could include the current semester.

Students applying for a college withdrawal are requesting to leave the college for an extended period of time. A college withdrawal is requested by completing the leave of absence/ college withdrawal form and obtaining all required signatures. Once your college exit is approved, you will be dropped from all courses for which you are registered, which could include the current semester.

Impact on F-1 status and SEVIS record:

On the first day of classes for semester of your leave, ISS will report to Immigration that you are no longer taking classes at CCA, which means we have to terminate your F-1 record in the SEVIS system. This cancels your current CCA I-20. Your F-1 status ends when your SEVIS record is terminated and you need to plan to either transfer to another SEVIS approved school or leave the United States immediately. You cannot stay in the United States and maintain valid F-1 status if you are not taking classes during a required semester.

Impact on Curricular Practical Training (CPT) / Optional Practical Training (OPT) eligibility:

Immigration regulations require that a student be in F-1 status for at least one full academic year before being eligible for CPT or OPT. Withdrawing or taking a leave of absence, or both, creates a break in your F-1 status. This means that your “time-clock” for being eligible for CPT or OPT resets. This means that after returning to CCA you must maintain F-1 status continuously for at least two semesters before becoming eligible for CPT or OPT again.

Returning to CCA:

When you are ready to return to CCA, ISS will work with you to issue a new I-20 to enter the US. See information below about your F-1 non-immigrant status to return to CCA.

To request a leave of absence, please follow the instructions on the Request A Leave of Absence in Workday page with step by step instructions. Once you have completed the request in Workday, ISS will review your request and contact you with any questions or concerns.

Once you have submitted the College Withdrawal form, it will be processed by the Student Records Office, you will withdrawn from your courses, and your SEVIS record will be terminated. Your F-1 status ends when your SEVIS record is terminated and you need to plan to either transfer to another SEVIS approved school or leave the United States immediately to order to avoid accruing unlawful presence.

If you will transfer to another school instead of leaving the U.S., you must submit a Request to Transfer SEVIS Record before your SEVIS record is terminated. Please review the information about how to request the transfer of your SEVIS record on our SEVIS transfer portal page.

When you are ready to return to CCA, contact ISS. You will be required to provide a new I-20 Request form and updated financial documentation before being issued a new I-20 to return to CCA. In some cases, you may need to work with the college to reactivate your student record. Please contact ask@cca.edu if you need to reactive your academic record in Workday.

To allow enough time for issuance of your I-20 and application for a new visa (should you need one), contact ISS at least 60 days before the start of the semester in which you will return to CCA.

Eligibility for CPT and OPT after returning to CCA

Immigration regulations require that a student be in F-1 status for at least one full academic year before being eligible for CPT or OPT. Withdrawing or taking a leave of absence, or both, creates a break in your F-1 status. This means that your “time-clock” for being eligible for CPT or OPT resets. This means that after returning to CCA you must maintain F-1 status continuously for at least two semesters before becoming eligible for CPT or OPT again.