Leave of Absence and Withdrawal

When extenuating circumstances arise which require a student to take a leave of absence, all reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate the situation and enable the individual to meet the requirements for the degree program of study in which they are currently enrolled. There must be sufficient evidence that circumstances exist that make it impossible or difficult for the student to continue with their current program of study. This policy and these procedures apply to extenuating circumstances in which the student will be absent from the school for the remainder of a term or longer.

Leave of Absence

Leave of absence (LOA) is permission granted to a student to interrupt the program of study for a specified time.

Since the purpose of a leave is to relieve a student of educational obligations, students will not be allowed to enroll in courses, audit courses, or continue in scholarly or clinical work during the period of leave. A student on LOA ordinarily retains remote library privileges and e-mail access. A student on LOA is ineligible for the use of any university facilities normally available to enrolled students.

The granting of student leave must be in accordance with the Academic Progression Policy. 

Granting of Leave

Process for the student:

  1. Students are required to meet with their academic adviser and specialty/program director to discuss their plan for a LOA.
  2. Students considering a LOA are recommended to meet with the director of financial aid. Students who take a LOA during any term will have their tuition adjusted according to the same schedule used for withdrawals. See (YSN Tuition Rebate and Refund policy). A student on LOA is not eligible for financial aid, including loans, and in most cases, student loans are not deferred during periods of non-enrollment.

  3. A meeting with the student and the associate dean of student life is advised and may be required if deemed necessary as that office will be the main point of contact during their LOA. 

  4. International students who apply for a LOA must consult with the Yale Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) regarding their visa status.

  5. Students living in university housing units are encouraged to review their housing contract and the related policies of the Graduate Housing Office before applying for a leave of absence. 

  6. Students taking LOA in their first specialty year must pass the NCLEX-RN prior to their return date. If they have not passed, they will be withdrawn from the school.

  7. Students who have Yale Health Plan should consult https://yalehealth.yale.edu/topic/withdrawals-and-leaves-absence policy for information about coverage ending.   

  8. Following meetings with the adviser and specialty/program director/program chair, if a LOA is deemed necessary, the student must complete the appropriate form before a request can be considered. Forms can be found online at http://nursing.yale.edu/withdrawal-leave-absence.
  9. This form, once submitted, will be reviewed by the specialty/program director/program chair who will determine if initial approval will be granted. 
  10. After initial approval of the LOA request, it is forwarded to the associate dean of student life for review and final approval.
  11. The final approved form is forwarded to the registrar (associate director of enrollment services) for recording on the transcript.
  12. A letter, via e-mail, outlining the approval and the conditions of the LOA will be sent to the student, with a copy sent to the division chair, specialty/program director/program chair, the director of financial aid, the associate dean of enrollment management, and the executive deputy dean. 

Yale Health

Students on LOA are eligible to purchase Yale Health Student Affiliate Coverage for the term(s) of the leave. See Health Services in the chapter Yale University Resources and Services. Students in the Online M.S.N. program are not eligible for Yale Health.

Term of Leave

LOA will be granted, for a fixed and limited term, which will be a minimum of one term and a maximum of one year. The specific length of the LOA is determined by the associate dean of student life, upon receipt of recommendation from the division chair and specialty/program director, with appropriate consultation with the student.

Personal Leave

A student who wishes or needs to interrupt study temporarily because of personal exigencies may request a personal leave of absence. The general policies governing all LOA are described above. Personal leave cannot be granted retroactively. Students who are making satisfactory progress toward their degree requirements are eligible for leave any time after matriculation.

Medical Leave

A student who must interrupt study temporarily because of illness or injury will be granted a medical leave of absence based on the written recommendation of their healthcare provider. The general policies governing leaves of absence are described above. Before returning, a student on medical leave must secure a letter from their healthcare provider that they have secured medical clearance to return to school. The statement must be presented to the school before eligibility to return can be determined. This should be submitted to the associate dean of student life. 

Parental Leave

A student who wishes or needs to interrupt study temporarily for reasons of pregnancy, childbearing, or parenting, will be granted a leave of absence for parental responsibilities. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above.

Any student planning parental leave is encouraged to meet with the specialty/program director as soon as possible to discuss individualized leaves or other short-term arrangements. For many students, short-term arrangements rather than a leave of absence are possible. The deputy title-IX coordinators at YSN can also be a helpful resource. 

Academic Leave

A student must follow the plan of study for their degree program. In the event that a student is not making satisfactory academic progress, they may need to take an academic LOA. The determination of the need for an academic leave is per the Students in Academic Difficulty policy. The general policies governing LOA are described above.

Involuntary Medical Leave

In rare circumstances, the school reserves the right to place a student on a mandatory medical leave of absence when, on the recommendation of a healthcare provider, the director of Yale Health, director of Yale Mental Health and Counseling, or the dean of the School of Nursing determines that, because of a medical condition, the student is a danger to self or others, the student has seriously disrupted others in the student’s academic communities, or the student has refused to cooperate with efforts deemed necessary by Yale Health and/or the dean to make such determinations. Each case will be assessed individually based on all relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the level of risk presented and the availability of reasonable modifications. Reasonable modifications do not include fundamental alterations to the student’s academic, residential, or other relevant communities or programs; in addition, reasonable modifications do not include those that unduly burden university resources.

An appeal of such a leave must be made in writing to the dean of the School of Nursing no later than seven days from the effective date of the leave.

An incident that gives rise to voluntary or mandatory leave of absence may also result in subsequent disciplinary action.

Students who are placed on medical leave during any term will have their tuition adjusted according to the same schedule used for withdrawals. (See Tuition Rebate and Refund Policy in the chapter Educational Expenses and Financial Aid.)

Before re-registering, a student on medical leave must secure written permission to return to school from their healthcare provider, directory of Yale Health, or the director of Yale Mental Health and Counseling. The letter must be presented to the school before the student resumes studies following a mandatory medical leave. 

Return after Leave

A student on LOA has the right to return to the school to complete the requirements for the degree at the date the LOA expires, provided that:

  1. The student notified the school, via e-mail, to the associate dean of student life and their program chair/director, by the date specified in the original letter granting the LOA, confirming intent to return;
  2. The student has complied with any written conditions of the LOA by the time the LOA has expired; and
  3. In the case of a medical LOA, a medical statement has been provided in accordance with the above terms, and the division chair, specialty/program director, and Associate Dean of Student Life have determined that the student is eligible to return

Returning students are recommended to meet with the YSN Office of Financial Aid. A student who, for any reason, does not indicate their plan to return at the expiration of the LOA shall be determined to have terminated association with the school, and will be withdrawn.

Records

When LOA is granted, appropriate materials will be filed in the student’s record regarding date and length of leave. The associate dean of student life will notify the registrar and the Financial Aid Office so that they may communicate with Student Financial Services, Yale Health, and other offices as deemed necessary. They will follow the same procedure if leave is extended and/or ended by the student’s return or termination of the student’s association with the school.

U.S. Military Leave Readmissions Policy

Students who wish or need to interrupt their studies to perform U.S. military service are subject to a separate U.S. military leave readmissions policy. In the event a student withdraws or takes a leave of absence from YSN to serve in the U.S. military, the student will be entitled to guaranteed readmission under the following conditions:

  1. The student must have served in the U.S. Armed Forces for a period of more than thirty consecutive days;
  2. The student must give advance written or verbal notice of such service to the associate dean of student life. In providing the advance notice the student does not need to indicate an intent to return. This advance notice need not come directly from the student, but rather, can be made by an appropriate officer of the U.S. Armed Forces or official of the U.S. Department of Defense. Notice is not required if precluded by military necessity. In all cases, this notice requirement can be fulfilled at the time the student seeks readmission, by submitting an attestation that the student performed the service.
  3. The student must not be away from the school to perform U.S. military service for a period exceeding five years (this includes all previous absences to perform U.S. military service but does not include any initial period of obligated service). If a student’s time away from the school to perform U.S. military service exceeds five years because the student is unable to obtain release orders through no fault of the student or the student was ordered to or retained on active duty, the student should contact the associate dean of student life to determine if the student remains eligible for guaranteed readmission.
  4. The student must notify YSN within three years of the end of the U.S. military service of the intention to return. However, a student who is hospitalized or recovering from an illness or injury incurred in or aggravated during the U.S. military service has up until two years after recovering from the illness or injury to notify YSN of the intent to return; and
  5. The student cannot have received a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge or have been sentenced in a court-martial.

A student who meets all of these conditions will be readmitted for the next term, unless the student requests a later date of readmission. Any student who fails to meet one of these requirements may still be readmitted under the general readmission policy but is not guaranteed readmission.

Upon returning to YSN, the student will resume education without repeating completed course work for courses interrupted by U.S. military service. The student will have the same enrolled status last held and with the same academic standing. For the first academic year in which the student returns, the student will be charged the tuition and fees that would have been assessed for the academic year in which the student left the institution. YSN may charge up to the amount of tuition and fees other students are assessed, however, if veteran’s education benefits will cover the difference between the amounts currently charged other students and the amount charged for the academic year in which the student left.

All students in clinical programs who are away from YSN for more than two consecutive terms are required to pass a reentry assessment to demonstrate clinical safety and proficiency. This assessment will normally consist of a written exam, written cases, and demonstration of a comprehensive history and physical exam with relevant SOAP note documentation. The assessment will include content from the student’s clinical specialty area encompassing relevant didactic and clinical courses completed prior to the leave of absence. In the case of a student who is not prepared to resume studies with the same academic status at the same point at which the student left or who will not be able to complete the program of study, YSN will undertake reasonable efforts to help the student become prepared. If after reasonable efforts, YSN determines that the student remains unprepared or will be unable to complete the program or after YSN determines that there are no reasonable efforts it can take, YSN may deny the student readmission.

Withdrawal

Reasons for Withdrawal

Withdrawal is termination of the student’s association with the school. Withdrawal may be initiated by the student or by faculty, and the student may be eligible or ineligible to return. In rare cases, at the discretion of the dean, the school may withdraw a student if it is determined that the student is a danger to self or others or if the student is unable to act on the student’s behalf to prevent academic and/or financial jeopardy. Students who do not register for a term by the end of the add period, will be administratively withdrawn from the school.

Withdrawal Procedures

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students who initiate withdrawal are required to complete and submit the withdrawal form that is available at http://nursing.yale.edu/withdrawal-leave-absence. It is strongly advised that students considering withdrawal meet with their adviser, program director, and associate dean of student life to discuss their decision. Upon receipt of the withdrawal form from the student, the associate director of enrollment services will notify the YSN Financial Aid Office. Tuition charges will be adjusted as specified in Tuition Rebate and Refund Policy in the chapter Educational Expenses and Financial Aid.

  1. International students who are planning to withdraw must consult with the Yale Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) regarding their visa status.
  2. Students living in university housing units are encouraged to review their housing contract and the related policies of the Graduate Housing Office before withdrawing. 
  3. Students who have Yale Health Plan should consult https://yalehealth.yale.edu/topic/withdrawals-and-leaves-absence policy for information about coverage ending.

Involuntary Withdrawal 

If a student is withdrawn from the school due to academic failure, the specialty/program director and the student’s academic adviser will meet with the student to notify the student that the student is being withdrawn from the program. The specialty/program director will follow up with an official letter of withdrawal that includes: (1) date the student was notified of the withdrawal, (2) rationale for withdrawal, (3) term of withdrawal, and (4) signature of the director. The letter of withdrawal is sent to the student and copied to the associate dean of student life, the associate director of enrollment management, the associate director of enrollment services, the division chair, and the executive deputy dean.

Dismissal 

In the circumstance that the student is dismissed pursuant to the school’s academic or disciplinary procedures, the student will be withdrawn and ineligible to return. The student’s transcript will state “Withdrawn—Dismissed, ineligible to return” and a letter will be placed in the student’s file by the registrar’s office.

Petition for Readmission

The student who is ineligible to return to the program, and desires readmission, must first meet with the specialty/program director and follow up with a petition to the school for readmission no later than three months prior to the start of the following academic year. The written petition should be sent to the specialty/program director, the associate director of enrollment services, and the associate dean of student life along with updated transcripts and a résumé or CV. Petitions will be reviewed by the specialty/program director with the program faculty, and notification of the decision will be sent to the student within a month of receipt. If the student is permitted to return to the program, the specialty/program director will identify the expectations and requirements, including but not limited to courses. If more than two terms have lapsed, the student will be required to establish clinical competency either through a comprehensive exam or by retaking a clinical course.