Leaves of Absence

A. Voluntary Personal Leave of Absence

A personal leave of absence may be granted for up to one year at a time.  A student may request a personal leave of absence when, because of unexpected circumstances, the student is not able to actively pursue their graduate program of study. Graduate students who request a leave of absence must petition their Graduate Program Director who, in turn, provides justification for the request to the Graduate Dean. If the Dean grants a leave of absence, the student's statute of limitations is extended appropriately. Graduate students on leave of absence must maintain continuous enrollment by paying the Continuous Enrollment Fee every semester during their leave.

B. Voluntary Medical Leave of Absence

A student may request a medical leave of absence for reasons related to a medical concern which, in the opinion of the student’s treating physician or mental health professional, significantly impacts their ability to fulfill academic obligations in their role as a student.

• The Medical Director of University Health Services (UHS) will review and make determinations on all such leave of absence requests. A form is provided by UHS to request a Medical Leave of Absence.
• The effective date of the withdrawal is based on the student’s last date of attendance. The student's Graduate Program Director can provide advising to the student for the academic effect of the leave of absence.
• Both the official transcript and the internal record will list each course grade as defined by the Academic Calendar based on the leave of absence effective date.
• Any student who takes a voluntary medical leave for a set length of time or with set conditions for return may seek early return from, or an extension of, the set length of time, or a change in the conditions for return. This request will be considered after an individualized assessment of the student and appropriate medical evidence.
• The length of voluntary medical leave and any conditions for return will be based on an individualized assessment of each student and the best available medical evidence, with careful consideration given to the opinions and recommendations of the student’s treating physician or mental health professional, if available.
• When the effective date of the leave of absence falls prior to the last day of add/drop for the semester in which the leave is taken, the Graduate School will register the student for Continuous Enrollment and adjust the student's statute of limitations for the duration of the leave of absence.
• In order to re-enroll following a voluntary medical leave, a student must present satisfactory evidence to the UHS Medical Director from the student’s treating physician or mental health professional that the medical concern which previously rendered the student eligible for voluntary medical leave has been sufficiently addressed.
• Any student whose request to return from a voluntary medical leave is denied (1) will receive a detailed written explanation of the University’s decision not to allow the student to return, and (2) may appeal the denial of return.

C. Involuntary Medical Leave of Absence

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is committed to the safety, health, and well-being of the campus community. The University recognizes that students may experience situations that significantly impact their ability to fulfill academic obligations in their role as a student. In rare circumstances, the University may require a student to take an involuntary leave of absence, pursuant to standards and procedures articulated in the complete Involuntary Withdrawal Policy, which can be found on the Dean of Students Office website. In such circumstances, students will be given the option to take a voluntary leave of absence before a decision is made with respect to an involuntary leave of absence.