Office of Student Support & Accountability

Medical Leave FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for medical leave?

The MLRP is available to most MSU students, except those in the College of Human Medicine, College of Law, and College of Osteopathic Medicine. Students in these colleges may seek leave information directly from their college’s student affairs office.

What wouldn't be considered a medical leave?

The OSSA medical leave process is not intended for students who plan to take time away from MSU in the future and do not need to address their grades or enrollment from current or previous semesters. Students who are planning to take time away in the future should inform their academic advisor or advising/student affairs office in their college. The OSSA medical leave process also does not apply to students seeking support for pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy-related, or parenting needs. Students should contact the Office of Civil Rights to request supportive measures or modifications related to these needs.

How long am I able to stay unenrolled while on leave?

The length of time you are on medical leave does not have maximum duration. However, students who are unenrolled for three consecutive semesters (including their semester of leave and the summer semester) must go through the readmission procedure.

The length of a medical leave is a personal decision. MSU encourages students to take time to attend to their well-being and put needed support systems in place.

How many medical leaves can I take?

Students are permitted a maximum of two medical leaves during their time in an educational program. Only the term withdrawn with the approved medical leave designation counts towards the two-term limit.

  • Ex: If a student withdraws during the Spring 2025 semester and remains unenrolled for Summer 2025, they have only taken one medical leave. However, if this same student returned in Fall 2025 and took a medical leave for that same semester, they would have exhausted both leave opportunities.
  • Summer semesters are considered one singular term. The request for a medical leave can not be differentiated to only include summer session 1 or summer session 2 courses. If a medical leave is granted, all enrollment for the summer term is impacted.

How does a medical leave impact...? 

My transcript

If withdrawn on or before the midpoint of all classes, the transcript indicates a withdrawal date but does not list specific courses. If withdrawn after mid-point of any class, all classes will be listed and assigned W grade indicating “withdrawal.”  There is no specific indication on the transcript that the withdrawal is medical in nature. However, students are welcome to self-disclose this when submitting transcripts for jobs, graduate school applications, etc. 

Housing

If you live on campus and seek a current term medical leave or you have accepted a previous term medical leave with readiness to return required, you will be required to move out of your on-campus residence and return the room/apartment key to your primary service center. Contact the Residence Education and Housing Services Housing Assignments Office for more information, including details on any outstanding financial needs and refund practices.

Financial Aid

If you receive federal, state, or institutional financial aid (such as scholarships, grants, loans, and/or work study), contact the Office of Financial Aid to learn how a withdrawal could affect your aid package. The Financial Aid Refund Policy provides additional information about the impact of dropping credits and withdrawing, including an example of a Title IV return of funds calculation. Medical Leaves are subject to the Medical Withdrawal Policy for Class Tuition and Fees Refund Policy. For most supported requests, students receive a $500.00 lump sum tuition refund for the term the medical leave is granted for.

My MSU email address

Students are typically able to maintain access to their Outlook email and other Microsoft suite services until they have been unenrolled for three consecutive semesters including the semester of withdrawal and summer. If a student loses access while still within this time frame, please contact MSU IT.  

My ability to see my on-campus provider 

Each situation is unique, but it may be possible for students continue with their current on-campus provider. We recommend that students contact their providers through CAPS, Olin, Center for Survivors, etc. to learn all available options to continue treatment while on leave.  

My on-campus job

Unfortunately, students on medical leave are unable to continue in their student employment roles while on leave. Students are encouraged to speak with their supervisor about opportunities to return to the role in the future.

How should students spend their leave when required to demonstrate readiness to return?

The short answer is... spending time doing the things that help them feel well and make the progress towards the goals they set with their providers!

How the time spent on leave looks different for each student. Students may use the time to engage in treatment agreed upon by their provider. OSSA recognizes the beneficial impact of engaging with a support system, keeping in a routine, and finding personally fulfilling activities during this time of leave.

While students are not able to enroll at MSU while on medical leave, some students find maintaining academic engagement at a local community college helpful to their success in transitioning back to MSU. Transfer MSU contains helpful tools and resources to understand credit equivalencies. Envision Green is a partnership between Lansing Community College and MSU to help students navigate between the institutions. Students can also connect with their academic advisor or college contact to discuss options.

What resources are available to help students transition back to MSU?

MSU has many programs, offices, and employees dedicated to supporting students on their Spartan journey. Resources specifically focused on assisting students with health matters include, but are not limited to:

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