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Health Leave

Graduate School Code of Legislation PDF Document

Summary

Cornell recognizes that medical and mental health conditions can interfere with a student’s ability to be academically successful. Taking a health leave of absence (HLOA) provides students with a break from their studies to attend to treatment or management of a health condition. Any Cornell student can request to take an HLOA at any time. The university’s goal is to enable students to address their health needs and return to complete their academic program.

In essence, a health leave of absence is a voluntary separation from the university for health reasons and allows the student to “stop the clock” on academic responsibilities while prioritizing health needs.

Only the student can initiate the voluntary process. Graduate and professional students should be informed of the health leave of absence status, especially if health is negatively impacting academic performance.

In Depth

Details about the health leave of absence process are available.

Any student who may be interested in initiating a health leave of absence should seek guidance from their health care provider, the health leaves coordinator (healthleaves@cornell.edu), or the Graduate School to help determine when this course of action is appropriate or answer any questions. A health leave might be beneficial when a student’s medical condition has:

  • made it difficult for to focus or concentrate.
  • left them lacking the motivation needed to successfully pursue graduate studies.
  • made it difficult to meet academic or research requirements.

Often graduate and professional students will take a health leave of absence when:

  • The individual student believes this is the best course of action to take.
  • A medical provider has provided feedback that the student should take a break from their academic pursuits. 
  • When the student discovers that the quality of their academics are suffering.

Length of leave

The duration of the leave will depend upon the time a student needs to attend to their health condition, along with the resolution of any academic conditions determined by their graduate program. The Graduate School approves health leave of absence status at increments of 12 months with a possible annual renewal for up to four years total.

The student’s academic program will determine the flexibility of when they will be able to return. A student may not return from a leave within the semester that the leave was taken and must return at the start of the fall, spring, or summer semesters. 

International Students

Please consult with the Office of Global Learning if you are planning to take a health leave of absence.   

Time to degree

Time away on a health leave does not count toward time to degree.

Financial support

Financial support is not available to a student on health leave. By policy, “Students returning from approved health leave of absence within the four-year window are guaranteed any financial support remaining from their original offer of admission modified by any written changes to the financial commitment made prior to the health leave of absence, although the specific duties associated with that support may be adjusted and the return shall be timed to coincide with normal funding cycles.” Note: For U.S. citizens with educational loans, the repayment grace period starts the date the loans become active.

Cornell access

While a student is on an HLOA, they will not be a registered student which limits the ability to access Cornell. While on a health leave, a student will no longer have access to campus facilities and services that they would normally access with their NetID.  However, their Cornell email will remain for the duration of the health leave of absence. In addition, a student may request library privileges with support from their academic advisor and director of graduate studies and pay any applicable fees.

Health insurance

Students should review health insurance coverage to find out how it will be impacted by an HLOA. In brief, health insurance will end while on a health leave of absence.

Access at Cornell Health

Students who are on a health leave of absence are not eligible to use Cornell Health services (including both medical and mental health services). If a student elects to go on a health leave of absence, Cornell Health will be able to aid in transferring care from Cornell Health to other providers in the community and beyond.

Academic plan

An important part of the process when taking a health leave of absence is that each graduate and professional degree student receives an academic plan that is expected to be completed prior to returning to registered student status. The purpose of the academic plan is to: 

  1. Determine if a student has any outstanding academic work that should be addressed prior to returning from a health leave. It is not meant to be punitive or represent additional work, but instead should address delays or poor academic performance to any academic milestones that likely could not be addressed due to health while here. Examples include incomplete coursework, drafts of outstanding papers, etc.
  2. Reiterate any future academic expectations to allow a student to fully understand what would be expected upon return. Examples include timing of exams, additional required coursework, etc. 
  3. Address any specific needs that support a smooth transition back into the program. Examples include informing program with plans to return (i.e. needing x months of lead time to secure funding), when a student can return (i.e. only x semester because of course sequencing), etc.

The plan may state that there is nothing academically for a student to do during a health leave of absence but take care of health.

Initiating the health leave of absence process

The complete steps to initiate the process are outlined on the Student Disability Services (SDS) Health Leave of Absence webpage.

In order to initiate the process, a student needs to contact the health leaves coordinator at healthleaves@cornell.edu. If a student would like to discuss their situation confidentially and evaluate all options in managing health with heir academics, please contact Janna Lamey (janna.lamey@cornell.edu) or Olivia Hopewell (ho256@cornell.edu).

Return from the health leave of absence

The health leaves coordinator will review the steps needed to be able to return from the health leave.   

Additional Information

If a student is not ready to take a health leave, it may be appropriate to consider disability accommodations as a supportive measure. A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities is considered a disability and may warrant accommodations. A person who has a history of such an impairment or who is perceived by others as having such an impairment may also be eligible for accommodations (ADA). If a student is considering a HLOA, they may want to consult with Student Disability Services to discuss eligibility for accommodations before requesting an HLOA.

Learn more about health leaves

See the complete FAQ.

Related

Contact

Janna Lamey
Associate Dean for Graduate Student Life
janna.lamey@cornell.edu