F-1 Leave of Absence
International students in F-1 status must always maintain full-time enrollment in order to remain in the U.S. If you encounter a situation where you need to take a break from studies, either for a semester or more, you will need to request a leave of absence from UIC and work with OIS to update your immigration record and plan for departure.
Requesting a leave of absence Heading link
Please connect with an OIS advisor to discuss your options prior to withdrawing from classes. The OIS advisor will explain the steps you must take to properly request a leave of absence and discuss your timeline and immigration steps for returning to studies in the future.