Office of Student Support & Accountability

Medical Leave FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

General

Where may I go to get my Treatment Provider Report Form or my Assessment and Recommendation for Return from Medical Leave completed and submitted?

  • First, ensure you complete “Part 1” on either form. “Part 2” must be completed by a licensed treatment provider.

  • To complete “Part 2” of your Treatment Provider Report Form, you may want to select the licensed treatment provider that has the most information and best overall assessment of your health condition and its impact on your academic enrollment.

  • To complete “Part 2” of your Assessment and Recommendation for Return from Medical Leave, you may want to select the licensed treatment provider with the best overall assessment of the progress you have made with your health condition and who is best able to make a recommendation about your readiness to return to the academic environment.

  • The information shared by your licensed treatment provider factors substantially into the review process. To avoid any surprises, it is highly recommended that students obtain copies of the completed forms their providers are submitting on their behalf.

What if my licensed treatment provider doesn’t get my forms to the Office of Student Support & Accountability quickly?

  • Keep in mind that your licensed treatment provider will need sufficient time to complete and submit the forms necessary in the process.

  • For requests for Medical Leave, the Office of Student Support & Accountability reviews completed requests as they are received, per process guidelines.

  • For requests for Return from Medical Leave, the Office of Student Support & Accountability only reviews completed requests after each Return from Medical Leave review deadline, per process guidelines. We recommend that you give your provider plenty of time to complete and submit the Assessment and Recommendation for Return from Medical Leave (form) and to check in with them regularly to ensure it is received by the Office of Student Support & Accountability before the deadline. Missing the deadline will delay your re-enrollment at MSU and extend your time to graduation.

  • Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their licensed treatment provider submits necessary forms to the Office of Student Support & Accountability on time for review.

Before requesting a Medical Leave

How do I know if a Medical Leave is the best choice for me?

  • The answer depends upon many individual and unique factors. Simply put, a Medical Leave may not be the best choice for you, and the only way to make an informed decision about the process before making a request is to connect with the following MSU staff:

    • Undergraduate students: College Assistant/Associate Dean or designee or Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative (exploratory preference students)

    • Graduate and graduate-professional students: Graduate Program Director/Advisor/Chair

  • International students with F-1 and J-1 visas are also required to have conferred with the Office for International Students and Scholars about individual immigration status implications of taking a Medical Leave before completed requests will be reviewed.

Are there other leave or withdrawal options available?

  • Yes. Students seeking non-medical withdrawal requests should contact the Assistant/Associate Dean or designee of their College or for exploratory preference students, the Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative (NSSC).

  • For support and accommodations or to seek a withdrawal from the University related to pregnancy or parenting, students may contact the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE), within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). For support and accommodations or to seek a withdrawal from the University related to relationship violence or sexual misconduct (RVSM), students may contact the Campus Equity Navigator in the Office for Civil Rights. Contacting OIE or OCR may require the creation of a mandatory report for University Title IX requirements. The Campus Equity Navigator can discuss general options with a student who is unsure about disclosing details of a RVSM experience.

What other options exist for students experiencing medical issues that do not include a complete withdrawal?

  • Students seeking individual course drop requests or support should contact the Assistant/Associate Dean or designee of their College or for exploratory preference students, the Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative (NSSC). 

  • The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) is available to all students and employees of MSU who have a disability that substantially limits a major life activity. Students and employees can register with the RCPD and may be eligible to receive accommodations.

I use financial aid to fund my education, how will it be affected by taking a Medical Leave?

  • Each financial aid package is unique, so we recommend that students contact the Office of Financial Aid to learn how a Medical Leave would affect their aid.

If I have requested a Medical Leave for the current term, should I drop my classes on my own?

  • No. You must be enrolled in the current term in order for a Medical Leave to be processed. If you drop your classes on your own, a Medical Leave will not be possible.

How does the Office of Student Support & Accountability decide if a Medical Leave is supported?

  • Factors utilized in the decision-making process for requests for Medical Leave are detailed in the Medical Leave and Return Process Summary.

How does the Office of Student Support & Accountability decide if readiness to return is required as a condition of a “supported” Medical Leave?

  • The determination of whether a supported outcome requires readiness to return verification before a student can come back to the academic environment at MSU depends greatly on the opinion of the student’s licensed treatment provider. If information in a request does not support that a student is currently ready to be enrolled, it is highly likely that the outcome will be supported with readiness to return required.

If I take a Medical Leave for the current term…

       ...and I currently live on-campus, will I need to move out?

  • Yes. Instructions for moving out of your living space will be sent to you. For questions or concerns related to the move-out process, please contact the Housing Assignments Office.

      ...will I have access to my MSU email?

  • Yes. Your MSU email will remain active for two years while not enrolled. This is how the Office of Student Support & Accountability will continue to communicate with you while you are on Medical Leave.

      ...will I be refunded for tuition and fees?

  •  All withdrawals are subject to the Refund Policy. For more information, visit the Academic Programs Catalog: https://reg.msu.edu/AcademicPrograms/Print.aspx?Section=443

  • If you have questions about your last date of attendance and how that affects the refund amount you may be eligible for, please contact the Office of Student Support & Accountability before completing your request.

  • When a student obtains a Medical Leave from the Office of Student Support & Accountability, they do not need to separately request refund consideration through the Office of the Registrar. Office of Student Support & Accountability staff will report supported Medical Leaves on behalf of students to the Office of the Registrar for refund consideration. 

      ...and I currently am receiving treatment through MSU Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS), is it possible my treatment may continue there while on leave?

  • Each situation is unique, but is may be possible to continue with your current CAPS provider. We recommend that you connect with your provider to learn all available options.

When will my grades be updated in my student account?

  • Generally, the Office of Student Support & Accountability sends supported Medical Leaves to the Office of the Registrar on a weekly basis. Once sent, it may take a few days for students to be formally withdrawn from their requested term and for grades to be updated. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Student Support & Accountability.

If I take a Medical Leave for a previously completed term…

      ...what will happen if I am currently enrolled in classes at MSU when I request a Medical Leave for a previously completed term and my outcome is supported with readiness to return required?

  • You will be immediately dropped from your current classes and “W” grades will be issued for the term for which you requested Medical Leave, regardless of any assigned grade(s).

  • The reason a student in this situation would not be able to maintain current enrollment is because documentation submitted did not support that the student was currently ready to be enrolled, thus, the student would need to complete the Return from Medical Leave process before being able to enroll again.

      ...and I currently live on-campus, will I need to move out?

  • If the outcome of your request is supported with readiness to return required, yes. Instructions for moving out of your living space will be sent to you. For questions or concerns related to the move-out process, please contact the Housing Assignments Office.
     
  • If the outcome of your request is supported without readiness to return required, no.

      ...will I be refunded for tuition and fees?

  • All withdrawals are subject to the Refund Policy. For more information, visit the Academic Programs Catalog: https://reg.msu.edu/AcademicPrograms/Print.aspx?Section=443
  • If you have questions about your last date of attendance and how that affects the refund amount you may be eligible for, please contact the Office of Student Support & Accountability before completing your request.
  • When a student obtains a Medical Leave from the Office of Student Support & Accountability, they do not need to separately request refund consideration through the Office of the Registrar. Office of Student Support & Accountability staff will report supported Medical Leaves on behalf of students to the Office of the Registrar for refund consideration. 

      ...and I currently am receiving treatment through MSU Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS), is it possible my treatment may continue there while on leave?

  • Each situation is unique, but is may be possible to continue with your current CAPS provider. We recommend that you connect with your provider to learn all available options.

When will my grades be updated in my student account?

  • Generally, the Office of Student Support & Accountability sends supported Medical Leaves to the Office of the Registrar on a weekly basis. Once sent, it may take a few days for students to be formally withdrawn from their requested term and for grades to be updated. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Student Support & Accountability.

During a Medical Leave

What should I do while away from MSU on Medical Leave?

  • First and foremost, we hope you will focus on your health and wellness. It is expected that students on Medical Leave will prioritize their wellbeing by engaging in treatment, as deemed medically necessary and/or appropriate by the student’s licensed treatment provider.
     
  • Additionally, we recommend that students on Medical Leave participate in activities that are personally fulfilling and which complement any medical treatment in which the student is engaged, as recommended by the student’s licensed treatment provider.
     
  • Lastly, we hope you will stay in touch with the Office of Student Support & Accountability if your return plans change.

The outcome from my request for Medical Leave was supported with readiness to return required. What do I need to do to return to MSU?

  • You will need to complete the Return from Medical Leave process and receive a “supported” outcome in order to re-enroll at MSU. Requests for Return from Medical Leave are not discussed on a rolling basis, rather, they are determined four times per year – with specific review deadlines leading up to each term.
     
  • Consider what term you plan to return to MSU and reference the Return from Medical Leave review deadlines, then ensure that your student request form is submitted (available on the Office of Student Support & Accountability website). You will receive a reply from the Office of Student Support & Accountability with instructions for completing your request, which includes a form that your licensed treatment provider will need to complete and send directly to the Office of Student Support & Accountability before the deadline. This form is called the Assessment and Recommendation for Return from Medical Leave.

The outcome from my request for Medical Leave was supported without readiness to return required. What do I need to do to return to MSU?

  • You will not need to complete the Return from Medical Leave process.
     
  • You may keep any planned future enrollment and will not have a hold or service indicator placed on your student account related to your Medical Leave.
     
  • You should contact your primary unit (College/Department/Major) advisor to plan a successful return to studies.
     
  • If you have been away from MSU for more than three consecutive semesters, you will need to apply for readmission prior to enrolling.

Returning from Medical Leave

How does the Office of Student Support & Accountability decide if a request for Return from Medical Leave is supported?

  • Factors utilized in the decision-making process for requests for Return from Medical Leave are detailed in the Medical Leave and Return Process Summary.

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

Can I request more than one Medical Leave during my time at MSU?

  • A student may receive a Medical Leave (including Medical Leaves for previously completed terms) for a maximum of 2 terms during enrollment in an educational program.
  • Students who have already received two Medical Leaves in an educational program may petition the Dean of Students or designee for additional requests for Medical Leaves, who will confer with the University Physician or designee and University ADA Coordinator in making determinations to equitably consider additional requests.

Process Transition

When did the new Medical Leave and Return Process become active?

  • The new Medical Leave and Return Process (MLRP) became effective at the start of the Fall 2020 term. The MLRP replaced the Medical Withdrawal Procedure, a previous University process.

I’m currently not enrolled at MSU due to taking a medical withdrawal through the previous University process. How do I request to return?

  • Students who are currently not enrolled at MSU because they took a Medical Withdrawal and who need to complete readiness to return before coming back will follow the new “Return from Medical Leave” process, outlined in the new MLRP.

  • To request to Return from Medical Leave, click the “Make a Request” on the Medical Leave page on the Office of Student Support & Accountability website. You may submit your request directly to the Office of Student Support & Accountability (you no longer initiate your request with your College or NSSC. Additionally, you and your provider no longer submit forms to the University Physician – all forms go to the Office of Student Support & Accountability.) Instructions for completing your request will be sent to you via your MSU email shortly after you submit the student request form.

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