Medical Leave
Students sometimes decide to take a break from school to attend to their health. This could be to manage mental health concerns, physical health concerns, or a combination of both. Whatever your circumstances, Student Support is here to help.
Medical Leave of Absence Policy (MLOA)
Definition
A medical leave of absence supports a student’s need to take a substantial amount of time away from the university to address any medical conditions that may be hindering their capacity to fully participate in their academic degree trajectory. An MLOA is therefore by definition a way to address issues in the present and future-facing and is not applied retroactively.
Students may also request a Personal Leave for a variety of reasons, and information and instructions for making such requests can be found here. Personal Leaves are distinct from a MLOA and have their own deadlines, requirements, and expectations. Personal Leaves are requested and managed through a student’s Advising Dean (undergraduates) or their Director of Graduate Studies or Program Director (graduate).
Application
The medical leave of absence (MLOA) policy applies to all AS&E matriculated students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate terminal degree program.
Pre-Matriculated Students
Students who have been offered and accepted admission to a Tufts AS&E undergraduate or graduate terminal degree program during the period prior to their official enrollment. Examples are students who have accepted an offer to attend Tufts beginning in the fall term of the upcoming academic year, and who participate and complete courses during summer session, whether these count towards their requirements or not. A student who has postponed or deferred enrollment (gap year) is a pre-matriculated student for purposes of this policy.
Matriculated Students
Students who have accepted admission and enrolled in a Tufts AS&E undergraduate or graduate terminal degree program.
First-Year Students
First-year students who request a MLOA during their first term at Tufts will be eligible to return the fall semester of the following academic year.
Deadline for Requesting a MLOA
A student may request a MLOA at any point during an active semester up to the last day of classes. Students may also request a MLOA for the upcoming semester after the semester has ended and before the next semester has begun (winter break and summer break). An MLOA is therefore by definition a way to address present and future-facing issues and is not applied retroactively, and a student may not request a MLOA for a semester that has concluded its last day of classes.
Duration
A medical leave of absence is semester-based, and students who pause their studies during a semester must wait until the next semester to resume them. Time away is meant to facilitate addressing the circumstances that have prompted the request, as well as preparing the student for a successful return. Most students who request a MLOA will take at least one full semester off, especially in cases when the MLOA was requested and approved after the midpoint of the semester.
Initial Step
Prior to requesting a medical leave of absence, students must consult directly with the Student Support team to understand the process for the request, expectations during the leave, and necessary steps and deadlines for their return. Student Support will provide the student with all information pertinent to a MLOA as well as present other viable alternatives, including but not limited to: formal accommodations, accessing new/different healthcare, academic support, a medical underload, changes to their academic schedule, extra-curricular commitments, or daily life, or connecting with other on- or off-campus resources.
Request a MLOA
Further necessary steps for requesting a MLOA and other considerations are delineated here.
Academic Considerations
Prior to requesting a MLOA, students are strongly encouraged to speak with their academic advisors about academic considerations that may be pertinent to requesting a MLOA.
Other Considerations
There are additional considerations and details pertaining to a MLOA, and students should familiarize themselves with them and ask pertinent questions prior to requesting a MLOA.
Changes During a MLOA
Students should be aware that academic programs, course offerings, and degree requirements may change during their time away. Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to consult with their academic advisor prior to their expected return to Tufts.
Graduate Students and Funded Projects
Graduate students should be aware that projects, faculty, and funding sources may change during their time away and are not guaranteed upon their return. Graduate students should consult their academic departments’ graduate handbook for more details. Academic departments will do their best to work with students facing changed academic circumstances, and graduate students are strongly encouraged to discuss plans for a MLOA with them as early as possible.
Reimbursement
Student who choose to take a MLOA will be reimbursed according to the tuition reimbursement schedule. Whether or not a student will receive a reimbursement and what that will be depends on when a student takes a leave, and students may have more options the earlier they make that decision. For more information students should contact Student Services. Students who acquired tuition insurance may be entitled to a refund in accordance with the rules and requirements of their specific insurance carrier, and students must contact them directly.
Financial Aid
Undergraduates
Prior to taking a MLOA, students should speak with their financial aid counselor to discuss any impact on their financial aid. Undergraduate students should visit the Financial Aid website and make a Calendly appointment with their financial aid counselor.
Graduates
Graduate student who have questions about their loans should visit the Financial Aid website and make a Calendly appointment with their financial aid counselor. Graduate students with questions about their research or teaching assistantships should contact Graduate Student Services at 617-627-2000 or via email (studentservices@tufts.edu).
Stipends While on MLOA
Students will not receive stipends during a MLOA and should plan accordingly.
Work at Tufts
Students who are on a MLOA are not eligible to work in positions that require being a currently enrolled student at Tufts.
Courses at Tufts
Students who are on MLOA may not take courses at Tufts.
Courses at Other Institutions
Students on a MLOA may wish to take courses at another institution, although this is not a requirement for a return since time away is meant to pause their studies and provide time to focus on their health. Students considering this option should be in touch with their academic advisor who will advise them on requirements for transferring credits from other institutions, and any other matters specific to that student’s academic progress and circumstances.
On-Campus Housing
Students on a MLOA are not eligible to live on-campus since being a currently enrolled student is a requirement for living on-campus. Please note: Students who are living on-campus and who request and are approved for a MLOA will have a period of 48 to 72 hours to relinquish their housing.
Housing After a MLOA
In many cases, students who take a medical leave can participate in the housing lottery and/or keep an existing future housing assignment. Because there are many factors at work in making this determination, we cannot guarantee on-campus students to juniors or seniors returning from a MLOA. Students seeking to live on campus as an accommodation upon return from an MLOA must seek that through the StAAR Center after concluding the return process. Accommodations are subject to availability of housing.
International Students
International students must coordinate time away from Tufts with the International Center in addition to Student Support. Before establishing a leave, students should speak with their advisor in the International Center about the impact of time away and any other pertinent considerations. The International Center can provide essential guidance so that international students may benefit from the MLOA policy.
Students Studying Abroad
Students who are studying abroad when they request a MLOA must adhere to all pertinent Tufts deadlines, which supersede any other academic or administrative calendars.
Athletes
Students on a medical leave are not eligible to compete if not actively enrolled. Athletes should connect with their coach to discuss any potential impact time away might have on eligibility upon return.
Health Insurance
Most students who take a medical leave and have purchased the student health insurance plan (SHIP) through Tufts are eligible to keep their SHIP for up to a year from the date of their medical leave. Please contact the Health Insurance Coordinator at studenthealthinsurance@tufts.edu to confirm your eligibility to continue the SHIP while on leave, and to ask any questions regarding your SHIP. If you use a private insurance carrier, please check with your private insurance carrier regarding your health coverage during your leave of absence.
The SHIP is in effect from August 20 through August 19 of the following year (12 months). If you choose to keep your SHIP while on leave, you will still need to pay the premium for the upcoming year. The premium will be prorated, and the policy will end one year after the start date of your medical leave.
For more information about insurance policy options, you can visit the Health Insurance Marketplace, Massachusetts Health Connector, your state Medicaid agency, a short term medical insurance, or your preferred insurance company.
Healthcare
While on a MLOA, students that are covered under SHIP are eligible to receive care through external providers. However, on-campus health services, including Health Service, Counseling and Mental Health Service (CMHS), and CARE are accessible only to currently enrolled students. Students should work with Health Service, CMHS, and/or CARE who will help them identify external providers for their healthcare.
Conduct while on a MLOA
Students are responsible for adhering to the student code of conduct and all other pertinent conduct rules while on a MLOA. If Tufts receives a report of a violation while a student is on MLOA, the student will receive a charging letter and be expected to engage with the conduct process. When a student takes a MLOA while a process is already pending or in course, the expectation is that the process will continue during this time until its resolution. Students on MLOA in either circumstance may request a stay from the charging body and receive a stay for a reasonable time period that both allows for the process/charge to be resolved in a timely manner, and allows the respondent to pause the process until they are able to appropriately participate in the process. However, given equity and fairness considerations to all parties involved, a stay may not always be possible.
Discipline
A disciplinary sanction of suspension supersedes a MLOA.
Additional Considerations
There are additional considerations and details pertaining to a MLOA here, and students should familiarize themselves with them and ask pertinent questions prior to requesting a MLOA.
Required Medical Leave
The Tufts Medical Leave of Absence process assumes students taking time away are doing by choice. However, in rare cases, the Dean of Students Office, in consultation with health and/or counseling professionals, may determine that a student’s health requires that they be placed on a required medical leave of absence for health or safety reasons. This decision will be based on an assessment of the student’s ability to safely and productively engage in purposeful activities at Tufts and will consider the health and safety risks the student may present to themselves or other members of the community. This decision may also consider whether the student’s actions have caused ongoing or significant community disruption inhibiting the academic progress and safety of other students in the Tufts community. A required medical leave of absence may be appealed, and more information can be found here.
Thinking About a Medical Leave?
Curious about a medical leave, or time away from campus in general? To help you get started, we’ve put together some of the most common questions we hear from students about taking a medical leave.
Returning to Tufts
When you're ready to come back, Student Support will be here to help you navigate your return. We'll help you think through the transition back to Tufts and how to set yourself up for success--whatever success means to you.