*This notice is for students who wish to take a leave of absence next semester.

Leave of Absence Application Period: today ~ July 31^st, 2025(KST)

If you wish to take a leave of absence, complete the attached form(‘Application for Leave of Absence’), and submit it via email (gsis@ajou.ac.kr) with a copy of your flight ticket back to your country. 

[Important Notes]

① Under the law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you must leave Korea within 30 days after you apply for a leave of absence. If your ARC expires before then, you must leave before the expiration date. We strongly recommend you to leave within 2 weeks of having your Leave of Absence processed. 

• If you do NOT leave Korea after your Leave of Absence has been processed, you will become an illegal alien and may face difficulties in applying for any type of visa in the future - including a student visa and a job-seeking visa.

② Once you take a leave of absence, your visa will be terminated. When you apply for Study Resumption you will have to re-apply for your student visa. If you wish to know the process, check our most recent Study Resumption notice within our GSIS Noticeboard. 

③ You will be granted the same scholarship that you have been granted when you resume your studies the following semester.

• e.g.: If you have been granted 50% scholarship for the 2025 Fall semester and have applied for a Leave of Absence, you will receive the same 50% scholarship when you resume your studies for the 2026 Spring semester. 

[GSIS Academic Rule of Leave of Absence]

Article 17 (Leave)

① Any student who wishes to take a leave of absence due to illness, military service, or any other unavoidable reasons must submit a written request for leave of absence.

② The period of leave shall not exceed two (2) semesters at a one time and four (4) semesters in total. Wherein a student intends to extend his or her leave, the student must submit a written request for the extension of leave of absence. However, any leave of absence due to military service, illness, pregnancy, childbirth, and/or parenting (of children under the age of 8) may be taken for a total of up to two (2) years. (Amended on December 5, 2016)

③ A student on leave shall retain his or her school register even during the period of leave.