Postponement

​Returning from a Leave of Absence

Medical Leave of Absence

1. Petition for a Medical Leave of Absence: Students who wish to take a medical leave of absence should consult with their residential college dean, who will guide them through the process. Students are also welcome to consult with the Associate Dean of Residential College Life (time.away@yale.edu) in the Office of Student Affairs. Students may wish to discuss the full range of options, including potential accommodations that might allow them to remain enrolled, with their residential college dean; a consultation with Student Accessibility Services may also be helpful. Students who wish to pursue a medical leave of absence should also discuss the process for returning to their studies with their dean. The form to initiate a medical leave of absence is available at https://forms.sis.yale.edu/url/YCMLOA. 

   1. To request a medical leave of absence, students meet with a Yale Health clinician—the Chief of Student Health, the Chief of Mental Health and Counseling, or one of their official designees—who will conduct an individual assessment to determine if a medical leave of absence is appropriate. Students under the care of a non–Yale Health clinician may ask their external clinician to submit medical documentation in order to inform the assessment of the Yale Health clinician. To arrange the meeting, students should email either studenthealth.chief@yale.edu or mhc.chief@yale.edu. 

   2. If the Yale Health clinician determines that a medical leave of absence is appropriate, they will do so in writing, including the basis for the decision, a recommended length of leave, and any conditions the student must satisfy before a return, including, but not limited to, completing the medical clearance process for return. The Chief of Student Health, the Chief of Mental Health and Counseling, or one of their official designees will generally provide the student with a recommended duration of leave, which will ordinarily be based primarily on the student’s (or their representative’s) request and any assessment from the student’s treating provider, unless there is a reasonable basis to look beyond that request and/or assessment.

   3. With the support of the Yale Health clinician, the student may submit a medical leave of absence request to the residential college dean. The dean will forward this request to the Committee on Honors and Academic Standing (CHAS) for approval, which will ordinarily be granted. A student may revoke a leave by contacting their residential college dean in writing within three (3) days of CHAS’s approval. This revocation period may not be waived.

   4. In the unlikely event that a request for a medical leave of absence is not granted, the student will have seven (7) days from the date of notification to appeal the decision in writing to the Dean of Yale College. The appeal should include the student’s reasons for wanting a medical leave of absence, along with any supporting clinical documentation that the student wishes to be considered.

   5. Students on other forms of time away (leaves and withdrawals) may also petition for a medical leave of absence, even if their time away has already begun.

2. ​​Involuntary Medical Leave of Absence: In rare circumstances the Dean of Students may require a student to take a medical leave of absence. This action would only be taken after an individualized assessment concludes that (i) there is a significant risk to the student’s health or safety or to the health or safety of others, or the student’s behavior severely disrupts the University environment, and (ii) that no reasonable accommodations can adequately reduce that risk or disruption. This standard is not met solely because a student has a particular diagnosis or is receiving a particular treatment.
   1. ​​The Chief of Student Health or the Chief of Mental Health and Counseling will conduct the individualized assessment. That assessment will include, where possible, input from the student or the student’s treating provider. The Chief of Student Health or the Chief of Mental Health and Counseling will strongly consider input from the student’s treating provider unless there is a reasonable basis to discount it. If the Chief of Student Health or the Chief of Mental Health and Counseling conclude that a student should be placed on an involuntary medical leave of absence, they will make that recommendation to the Dean of Students, including an explanation and a recommendation for the length of the leave. A student may also be placed on an involuntary medical leave of absence if they refuse to cooperate with efforts deemed necessary by Yale Health and the Dean of Students to make the assessment discussed above. 
   2. The Dean of Students will review the relevant information and determine if an involuntary leave of absence is necessary. The circumstances of each student’s situation are assessed individually, with attention to the possibility that reasonable accommodations would permit the student to continue to participate in Yale’s academic and residential community. 
   3. The Dean of Students’ decision to place a student on an involuntary medical leave of absence will be in writing and will include the basis for the decision, a timeline for student’s departure from campus, a recommended length of leave, and any conditions the student must satisfy before a return, including but not limited to completing the medical clearance process. It will also include information about the appeal process. The Dean of Students will ordinarily not impose reinstatement conditions unrelated to the circumstances that led to the leave, but may do so when a student is withdrawn for academic and/or disciplinary reasons or when a student is away for more than four terms.
   4. A student who is required to take a medical leave of absence will have seven (7) days from the date of notification to appeal the decision in writing to the Dean of Yale College. During the appeal process, they are expected to comply with the leave of absence requirements.
3. Considering Options While in In-Patient Treatment Settings: In a medically appropriate time and manner, students in these settings will be provided options for next steps, including but not limited to returning to campus, seeking accommodations, and/or requesting a medical leave of absence. Yale College administrators are available to answer questions about any of these options.
4. ​Coursework in Process: Students on medical leaves of absence may not attend classes or submit additional coursework as of the date of their leave. Ordinarily, they are withdrawn from any courses in process. See “Withdrawal and Leave of Absence from Yale College” under “Withdrawal from Courses” in the Yale College Academic Regulations. In some cases, when students have already completed all or most of the coursework for a given class, they may receive a passing grade based on the work already completed. See “Work Incomplete at the End of Term” under “Completion of Coursework” in the Yale College Academic Regulations.
5. Representative: Students may designate an advisor to assist them in explaining the process and help the student make decisions in any part of the medical leave and appeals process. But an advisor may not act in lieu of the student unless required by law.
6. Duration of Medical Leaves of Absence: The recommendation for the length of the leave will be individualized and based on a clinical assessment. Students may remain on a medical leave of absence for as long as they wish. Students may also request to return early, before the recommended date, or choose to extend their leave beyond the initial recommendation. Yale students typically remain away for at least one full term, not including the term in which the leave occurred, before returning to Yale College, but this length will vary based on individual circumstances. The medical leave is intended to allow students to achieve the level of sustained stability needed to support a successful return, and students are encouraged to take the time they need. 
   1. ​​Note: When new students take medical leave without completing their initial fall term, they will remain in the new student category. When they return, they must do so in a fall term and participate in all new student activities, including the Camp Yale orientation programs. They are not eligible for spring term reinstatement.
   2. Note: Coursework Requirement for Students Away for More than Four Terms: Following an extended absence of any kind, students are required to prepare for their return by completing two term courses or their equivalent, either in Yale Summer Session or at another accredited four-year Bachelor's degree-granting college or university, and to receive grades of A or B. These courses must be completed and graded before the start of the term in which the student plans to return, and no more than two years before that date. Students should email the Committee on Reinstatement (reinstatement@yale.edu) with the details of the courses they plan to take, including the institution, in order to verify that the courses will meet the requirements. Students facing availability issues and/or financial hardship may petition to take courses at a community college. Students on financial aid who are required to complete course work will have their Student Share waived for the year in which they are reinstated.
7. ​Activity While on Leave: Students on medical leaves of absence are expected to receive appropriate medical treatment for the condition(s) that resulted in the leave. Many students also find it helpful to engage, when possible, in other focused activities—e.g., part-time coursework, volunteering, employment, and so on—but this is not required in most situations. Students are encouraged to prioritize medical treatment. 
8. Finances: The financial consequences of the medical leave of absence will depend on the timing, and on whether the student purchased tuition insurance. See “Rebates of Undergraduate Charges” under “Financial Services” in the Yale College Undergraduate Regulations. Students receiving financial aid should contact the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid prior to requesting a leave. The office will help answer questions students may have regarding if and how their leave might affect financial aid and help identify any impacts to their financial obligations (including student loan information). Students taking a medical leave of absence who have received long-term loans will be sent information about loan repayment obligations, which in most cases begin six months after the last day of formal enrollment at Yale.
9. Campus Access: Except as set forth in ¶ 15 below (Yale Summer Session Classes), students on medical leave may be present on Yale’s campus as guests or visitors and must follow all relevant university policies. Students living in on-campus housing at the time of a medical leave of absence are expected to move out within a few days, usually within 72 hours. Special considerations regarding moving out may arise when students are in in-patient treatment settings. Yale evaluates any such considerations on a case-by-case basis. If invited as a guest in the dorms by other students, they must abide by the three-day limit. See “Guests” under “Conduct in the Dormitories” in the Yale College Undergraduate Regulations. Students on leave may usually participate in undergraduate activities and registered student organizations as a guest but may not hold leadership positions or participate in university sponsored or funded international travel.
10. Email, Library, and Other Access: Students on leave ordinarily retain remote library privileges and email access for three years from the date of their leave. Students will generally also have access to certain other services, such as the Office of Career Strategy, if reasonably possible.
11. Campus Employment: Students on leave may hold student employment jobs; they may also work at Yale in other employment categories. 
12. Disciplinary Violations: A leave of absence does not preclude students from being charged with disciplinary violations of the Undergraduate Regulations in relevant circumstances.
13. Parental Notification: Residential college deans ordinarily notify parents or guardians when a student goes on a medical leave of absence. See Parental Notification for full details.
14. Health coverage: Students going onto a medical leave of absence who are already enrolled in the Yale Health Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage have the option to enroll in the Yale Health Affiliate Coverage for Students for one year. This enrollment is not automatic. The Time Away Resource will offer assistance. Students are responsible for completing and submitting the appropriate enrollment forms and full payment to Member Services within 30 days of going on leave. Some financial support may be available for students whose YHH/SC plan was covered by their financial aid. Application forms and details about medical coverage while on a medical leave of absence may be obtained from the Member Services Department of Yale Health. 
15. Yale Summer Session Classes: Students on a medical leave of absence are eligible to enroll in Yale Summer Session. Students on a medical leave of absence are eligible to apply for Yale Study Abroad summer opportunities. See Yale Study Abroad for full details.
16. Denial Of Access: Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, Yale College may restrict a student’s access to campus, classes, and/or services if it determines that (i) there is a significant risk to the student’s health or safety or to the health or safety of others, or the student’s behavior severely disrupts the University environment, and (ii) that no reasonable accommodations can adequately reduce that risk or disruption.

returning from a medical leave of absence

Medical leaves are intended to give students time to receive treatment and focus on their health and wellbeing. The medical clearance process by which students return is intended to allow students to demonstrate that they will be able to adequately monitor their own health and function effectively in the autonomous student environment at Yale, without risk to their health or significant disruptions to others in the campus community. The goal is for students to be able to return to campus and be successful in their academic, co-curricular, and extra-curricular pursuits. The medical clearance process will therefore usually be limited to a determination regarding whether the conditions that led to the leave have been sufficiently addressed for the student to return with or without reasonable accommodations based on an individualized assessment.

Publication of Data

Yale publishes the number of students who take medical leaves of absence each term, the number of requests for reinstatement from such leaves each term, and the number of such requests that are granted or denied each term. See Statistics on Students Taking, and Returning From, Medical Leave of Absence for full details.

Withdrawal

There are four types of withdrawal: academic, disciplinary, financial, and personal.

Academic Withdrawal

1. Timing of Return: Students wishing to return from a disciplinary withdrawal may request to do so when they feel ready, once the period of the required withdrawal has passed. Requests to return early will not be considered. There is no time limit on how long a student may remain withdrawn.  

   1. Returns must be at the start of a fall or spring term. 

   2. Note: A student with additional pending disciplinary charges will not be eligible for Yale College reinstatement, re-enrollment, or a Yale College degree until the student's case has been adjudicated by the Yale College Executive Committee or the University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct.

2. ​Reinstatement Requirement: The disciplinary board may or may not require participation in the reinstatement process. 
   1. ​If the disciplinary board has not required a student to go through the reinstatement process, the student may return by notifying their residential college dean no later than the first day of the term in which they wish to return.
   2. Students who are required to live on campus, or who wish to do so, must be in contact with their dean well in advance to make those arrangements. Students who are required to go through the reinstatement process should follow the instructions below.
3. Deadlines for Requesting Reinstatement: To return for a fall term, reinstatement requests and all accompanying materials must be submitted by 5 p.m. (EST) on June 1. To return for a spring term, reinstatement requests and all accompanying materials must be submitted by 5 p.m. (EST) on November 1. These deadlines are strictly enforced. Students who have missed the deadline may send inquiries to reinstatement@yale.edu; permission for late requests is granted only in exceptional circumstances.
4. Materials to be submitted: 
   1. ​Online Reinstatement Request form. Email reinstatement@yale.edu to request form.
   2. Brief statement (approximately 500-750 words) describing the circumstances that led to the disciplinary withdrawal, the activities pursued while away, and the student’s own sense of their readiness to return to Yale College. 
   3. For students who have been away for more than four terms: Verification that the student has completed two term courses or their equivalent, either in Yale Summer Session or at another accredited, four-year, Bachelor's degree-granting college or university, with grades of A or B. Courses may be in process at the time of the request but must be completed and the grades received before the start of the term in which the student wishes to return. (See details above.)
   4. Documentation of having met any additional requirements imposed by the disciplinary board.
5. ​Individual Assessment of Request: The Committee on Reinstatement will review all the information provided, make an individualized determination as to whether the student has met the criteria to be cleared for return, and notify the student. 
   1. ​When the Committee on Reinstatement clears a student for return, they will assess the number of remaining course credits and allocate additional terms of enrollment as necessary. Reinstated students are not required to take these additional terms but are encouraged to do so in order to avoid taking an academic overload. Students are eligible to apply for financial aid for these additional terms.
   2. If a student is not cleared for return, a written explanation will be provided to help the student understand the reasons behind the Committee’s decision and recommended steps they might take to be more successful in future requests. 
6. ​Appeals Process: Most students are cleared to return. If a student is not cleared, they may appeal the decision. The appeal must be made in writing to the Dean of Yale College no later than seven (7) days from the date on which the student is notified of the decision. A student can also request reinstatement again in future terms.

Financial Withdrawal

University regulations require that all financial obligations to the University be paid as a condition of enrollment. Students who have not paid or made arrangements for payment of their term fees by the due date will be placed on financial withdrawal. See “Payment of Fees” under “Financial Services” in the Yale College Undergraduate Regulations. Students whose financial situations have changed should reach out to the Office of Financial Aid for a reassessment of their aid level. 

1. Duration of Financial Withdrawals: The financial withdrawal is lifted as soon as the student’s financial obligations have been settled.  

2. Campus Access: Students on financial withdrawal may be present on Yale’s campus as guests or visitors and must follow all relevant university regulations as such. Students living in on-campus housing will have a few days (usually 72 hours) to vacate their room after withdrawing. If invited to campus by other students, students on withdrawal must abide by the three-day limit on guests, as stipulated in the Yale College Housing Regulations. Students on financial withdrawal may usually participate in undergraduate activities and registered student organizations as guests but may not hold leadership positions or participate in university sponsored or funded international travel.

3. Email and Remote Library Access: Financially withdrawn students usually will retain email access for three years from the term of withdrawal. Remote library access is periodically reset to include only active students, dropping students who are withdrawn. 

4. Campus Employment: Students on financial withdrawal may not hold student employment jobs but may work at Yale in other employment categories.

5. Yale Summer Session Classes: Students on financial withdrawal may not enroll in YSS classes.

6. Finances: The financial consequences will depend on the timing of the withdrawal. See “Rebates of Undergraduate Charges” under “Financial Services” in the Yale College Undergraduate Regulations. Students receiving financial aid should contact the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid. The office will help answer questions students may have regarding if and how their withdrawal might affect financial aid and help identify any impacts to their financial obligations (including student loan information). Students who have received long-term loans will be sent information about loan repayment obligations, which in most cases begin six months after the last day of formal enrollment at Yale.

7. Disciplinary Violations: A withdrawal does not preclude students from being charged with disciplinary violations of the Undergraduate Regulations in relevant circumstances. 

8. Parental Notification: Due to the change in enrollment status, residential college deans ordinarily notify parents or guardians when a student is withdrawn.

9. Health Coverage: Students on financial withdrawal are not eligible for medical coverage or treatment through Yale Health. 

Returning from a Financial Withdrawal

Students are automatically reinstated once their financial obligations have been settled.  

Personal Withdrawal

Students may withdraw form Yale College for personal reasons at any time in the term.

Returning from a Personal withdrawal

U.S. Military Service Reinstatement Policy

Students who interrupt their studies to perform U.S. military service are subject to a separate U.S. military leave reinstatement policy.

In the event that a student withdraws or takes a leave of absence from Yale College on or after August 14, 2008, in order to serve in the U.S. military, the student will be entitled to guaranteed reinstatement under the following conditions:

1. Students must have served in the U.S. Armed Forces for a period of more than thirty consecutive days.
2. Students must give advance written or verbal notice of such service to their residential college dean. In providing the advance notice students do not need to indicate whether they intend 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 requirement of giving notice can be fulfilled at the time the student seeks reinstatement, by submitting an attestation that the student performed the service.
3. Students must not be away from the University 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 University 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, such students should contact their residential college dean to determine if they remain eligible for guaranteed reinstatement.
4. Students must notify Yale within three years of the end of the U.S. military service of their intention to return. However, students who are hospitalized or recovering from an illness or injury incurred in or aggravated during the U.S. military service have up until two years after recovering from the illness or injury to notify Yale of their intent to return.
5. Students may not 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 reinstated for the following term unless the student requests, in writing, a later date of reinstatement. Any student who fails to meet one of these requirements may still be eligible for reinstatement under Yale’s general reinstatement policy but is not guaranteed reinstatement. Upon returning to Yale, such students will resume their education without repeating completed course work for courses interrupted by U.S. military service. They will have the same enrolled status last held and will be in the same academic standing. For the first academic year in which such students return, they will be charged the tuition and fees that would have been assessed for the academic year in which they left the institution. Yale may charge up to the amount of tuition and fees that other students are assessed, however, if veterans’ 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. In the case of students who are not prepared to resume their studies with the same enrollment status and academic standing as when they left or who will not be able to complete the program of study, Yale will undertake reasonable efforts to help such students become prepared. If, after reasonable efforts, Yale determines that the student remains unprepared or will be unable to complete the program, or Yale determines that there are no reasonable efforts it can take, Yale may deny reinstatement.

rebates of Undergraduate charges