Annual Vacation Term

Current Students

F-1 and J-1 students may take one vacation term per calendar year. Summer quarter/semester is the traditional vacation term, but students may choose to take the vacation term in fall, spring, or winter quarter if they meet eligibility requirements in the section below.

Employment During Vacation Term

On-Campus

Students may work on-campus full-time (more than 20 hours per week) during the approved annual vacation term. Certain on-campus work awards may require enrollment, please confirm with the supervisor. 

See the On-Campus Employment page for more information.

Off-Campus

Students may be approved for other off-campus employment authorizations during the annual vacation term. See the employment page for more information. 

Travel During Vacation Term

During your annual vacation quarter you can remain in the U.S. or travel internationally. See travel for more information.

Summer Vacation Term

Summer term is the traditional vacation term, unless this is the first or last term of enrollment. Students in semester degree programs are only eligible for a vacation term in the summer. If summer will be your annual vacation term, you do not need to inform ISSS or take any additional action. 

Non-Summer Vacation Term Eligibility

To be eligible students must:

  • Complete three quarters of full-time enrollment at DU prior to the non-summer vacation term
  • Plan to enroll full time in the quarters before and after the non-summer vacation term
  • Enroll full-time in the summer quarter (Note: Verify that appropriate courses are offered in the summer term)
  • Get approval from ISSS prior to the start of the vacation term

Students cannot take more than one vacation term in a calendar year.

Students in semester degree programs are not eligible for a non-summer vacation term.

Application

Submit the Non-Summer Vacation Term Request online in the ISSS Portal. 

How to Drop Classes during Non-Summer Vacation Term

Approval of the non-summer vacation term DOES NOT inform the academic department of the student's intent to not enroll/enroll part-time for the vacation term. Students must notify the department or academic advising.

  • Graduate Students

    Graduate students are generally expected to enroll in each academic term (fall, winter, spring quarters). If you are not going to enroll in one of these quarters or if you need to drop all classes, you must follow the Personal Leave of Absence process.

    If you have questions about this process, contact the Office of Graduate Education.

Potential Loss of DU Benefits Including Health Insurance

Potential Loss of DU Benefits Including Health Insurance
During a non-summer vacation term especially if not enrolled in any classes, you may lose certain DU benefits during the vacation quarter and possibly for the rest of the academic year. Please speak with the appropriate campus offices for verification. These lost benefits may include things such as:

  • Health insurance
  • Campus housing
  • On-campus employment
  • EcoPass
  • Campus building access

If you will not enroll in any classes during your non-summer vacation term, you must contact the DU Health & Counseling Center (HCC) to make sure that your student health insurance coverage is not dropped. Corresponding with HCC is especially important if you are taking off for Spring or Fall quarter when the insurance payments are paid to the University.