There are two kinds of circumstances in which a student is withdrawn from the University: If the student chooses to withdraw, versus if they are withdrawn by the University.
Student-Initiated Withdrawals
Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor or other administrative or financial personnel prior to withdrawal in order to receive support in the decision-making process as to whether or not to withdraw. This will also involve discussion of potential options that are other than having to withdraw.If the student does decide to withdraw from the University, the student must submit a signed, written statement to: academicrecords@meridianuniversity.edu or if in hard copy, to the Student Services Team, Meridian University, 2450 Colorado Avenue, Suite 100E Santa Monica, California 90404 This statement should address the student’s reasons for withdrawing.Student initiated-withdrawals are effective as of the day received by the University, except in the case of a student who requests to withdraw while on a Leave of Absence. If the withdrawal request is submitted while the student is on leave or immediately upon return from leave, the withdrawal date will be the day before the leave began. Students may also request to be withdrawn effective as of a future date, such as at the end of a quarter.
Administrative Withdrawals
A student will be withdrawn when academic engagement cannot be confirmed or for other reasons per the Administrative Withdrawal policy in the Student Handbook, even if the student has not notified the Student Services Team of their wish to withdraw. The withdrawal date will be the last date of confirmed academic engagement as determined by the Student Services Team in compliance with applicable policies and regulations. For coursework students, this is determined by the last date the student was engaged in their course(s). For students that are in their doctoral project period, withdrawal date would be determined based on the end date of the quarter in which they were last engaged. Based on the effective date, the student may receive a prorated refund.
Request for Re-Admission
Meridian welcomes applications from earlier students interested in returning to complete their degree.If a withdrawn student wishes to return to the University, they do not submit the regular Admissions Application but instead submit the Application for Readmission, which is submitted along with the readmissions fee via the University's website.The Readmissions Application requires the submission of a Personal Statement discussing in detail the personal circumstances at the time of withdrawal, the person's academic goals now - at the time of seeking readmission - and to discuss in what ways their circumstances have now perhaps changed to permit timely completion of program requirements (1 page, minimum).The readmissions process entails assessment of the student’s academic record by the Student Development Committee for potential return. If readmissions is a possibility, the committee will then map out a plan for completion of coursework which is sent to the student for review. The Committee’s decision is based on the academic, and other circumstances relevant to the students’ prior withdrawal. Re-admission requests are subject to review; acceptance is not automatic or guaranteed. The University may require that additional conditions - beyond those of the degree program’s current graduation requirements - be met.Students must be in good financial standing in order to re-enroll. All past due tuition and fees must be paid in advance of readmission. No student will be re-admitted without first settling their financial obligations to the University.The Student Services Team will be available to provide guidance regarding re-enrollment dates, academic offerings, financial considerations, and other variables related to a return to the University. The Student Services Team will notify the student of the outcome of the request for re-enrollment, and any conditions upon readmission.The readmissions process varies based on the circumstances of the student's prior enrollment. The process may include an interview with one or multiple members of the Student Development Committee and/or one or multiple designees. The process may include additional steps and requirements and may require the student to make certain agreements for their progress and/or adherence to professional conduct standards. The Committee is authorized at its discretion based on its academic judgement to assess and enforce additional requirements given the challenging nature of Meridian's graduate-level degree programs.