Carnegie Mellon University
Pre-College Programs  ›  Admitted Students  ›  Absence from Campus Request

Absence From Campus Request

Absence From Campus (AFC) Requests are required to be submitted online each time a student wants to leave campus in any of the following circumstances:

  • For an extended period of time that is over 4 hours

  • Overnight (Please note that students are not permitted to return to the residence halls after curfew. In those circumstances an overnight AFC would be required.)

  • In a private vehicle (i.e., a vehicle not affiliated with Pre-College Programs)

Absence From Campus Procedure:

  1. The appropriate AFC Request must be completed and submitted at least 48 hours in advance of a student’s planned departure. AFC Requests received after 11 PM will not be considered until the following day.

  2. Once the request has been received and reviewed, a residential staff member will contact the student’s parent/guardian by telephone to verify the proposed absence. If the student’s parent/guardian is not reachable, the absence will not be approved.

  3. Upon verification of the absence, the student and parent/guardian will be notified by a residential staff member that the absence request has been approved.

Absence From Campus Policies:

  • In the event of an emergency or for any AFC Request submitted less than 48 hours in advance, verification and approval by the Assistant Director for Pre-College Student Affairs will be required. We cannot guarantee that late requests will be approved.

  • This request may not be used as a method to be late for curfew. Students may not enter or exit the residential buildings during curfew hours. There are no exceptions to this policy.

  • The supervising adult listed on the AFC Request must be someone who is at least 21 years or older and has been authorized by the student's parent/guardian.

  • If a student's parent/guardian does not answer or return the verification call from our residential staff or does not approve the absence, the request will be denied.

  • If a student has a medical emergency during curfew hours, the Pre-College staff will accompany them to the appropriate medical facility and an AFC Request is not required.

  • If a student misses a class due to an absence from campus, it will be their responsibility to contact their academic director and instructors to coordinate making up any work that will be missed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Requests should be submitted at least 48 hours prior to leaving campus. This gives our staff ample opportunity to review the requests, reach out to parents/guardians, make any approvals or rejections, and send confirmations. Please Note: Any requests that are submitted late and are not an emergency situation may not be approved.

No. All students are required to submit an AFC Request to ensure their safety and that all proper parties know that they will not be on campus. Any student that leaves campus without submitting an AFC Request and/or without having an AFC Request approved will be subject to disciplinary action.

Students are responsible for contacting their teachers and academic directors, and making up any missed work.

No. We need a completed AFC Request in order to approve the absence. Parents/guardians will be called to confirm the request for the absence.

Yes. The need for advanced permission applies to anyone (including the student’s parents/guardians and other family members) who will accompany the student off-campus for an extended period of time (over 4 hours) or who will transport the student in a private vehicle. This is our only way to keep track of which students to expect on campus and at curfew check-ins.

No. Only parents/guardians who are legally responsible for the student and are listed on the Emergency Contacts enrollment form can approve an AFC Request.

If a student has not received a confirmation on their AFC Request, they should reach out to their dorm's Community Advisor (CA) for further information and/or instruction.

Yes. A separate AFC Request is required for each absence. Blanket permission requests are not acceptable. In these circumstances please contact the office of Pre College Student Affairs (pclife@andrew.cmu.edu) directly.

Yes. A separate AFC Request is required for each absence. Blanket permission requests are not acceptable.

Yes. An AFC Request is required for riding in a private vehicle.

No. The person who accompanies the student off-campus or transports the student in a private vehicle must be a responsible adult at least 21 years old.