Medical Leave of Absence Checklists

• A Medical Leave of Absence may be requested before a term begins or during the term.
• The deadline to request a Medical Leave of Absence during a term is the last day classes are in session for that term.
• Medical Leave of Absences cannot be granted retroactively.
• If your provider documentation and completed ROIs/HIPAA forms are not submitted within 30 days, your leave of absence will turn into a withdrawal from the University.
• The University intends for a student’s time away to be dedicated to treatment and recovery. To ensure there is enough time to reach a stable baseline before returning to campus, the following rules apply:
  • Minimum Duration: Most students are required to take at least one full semester away to focus on care and demonstrate sustained stability.

• The "Week 6" Rule: A student’s return eligibility depends on when the leave begins:
• Before Week 6: A student may apply to return as early as the following semester
• After Week 6: A student must remain away for the entirety of the following semester before requesting to return.
• Week 6 Rule: “Week 6” means the exact date that is six weeks after the first day of classes, not the full sixth week of the semester. This date changes each term. A leave that begins on or before that date is treated differently from a leave that begins after that date for return eligibility.

Schedule an appointment with the CARE Team:
Medical Leaves of Absence involve several details and multiple steps. The CARE Team can help you understand the process and may also partner with an identified support person, such as a family member or advocate, while you complete the process. The MLOA needs to be requested by the student themselves, unless they are incapacitated, which will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Contact the CARE Team at care@depauw.edu. 

Students already working with Heather Wright, the Director of the CARE Team, can move on to the next step.

International Students:
If you are an international student, a MOLA may affect your visa or legal status. Please contact International Student Affairs before submitting your request. The office is located in the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), you can contact them via email at intlstudents@depauw.edu, or by phone at +1-765-658-4850. 

Complete the Medical Leave of Absence Form:
Submit the online Medical Leave of Absence request form.

Be sure to include a personal statement explaining the reason for your request. This statement is an important part of the application and will be shared with the review committee.

Ask your treating provider to submit documentation:
Students requesting a MLOA must be connected with an appropriate healthcare provider who can submit documentation supporting the request. Because medical documentation is required, students are encouraged to connect with a healthcare provider as early as possible. Documentation can take time to obtain, so students should plan accordingly. Students have 30 days from the date they submit the Medical Leave of Absence Request Form to have their healthcare provider submit the required medical documentation.

The healthcare provider should submit a letter and/or documentation explaining how your medical condition is affecting your ability to function successfully, safely, or independently in the University environment and/or complete the academic semester. Your Provider should be aware that they may receive an additional communication from DePauw Counseling Services/Health and Wellness to collect additional details after the initial documentation is received. 

For mental health related leaves, please have your provider send documentation directly to:

DePauw University Counseling Services, Attn: Dr. Yuhas
F: (765) 658-4554 / counselingservices@depauw.edu

For physical health related leaves, please have your provider send documentation directly to:
DePauw Health and Wellness Center, Attn: Dr. Johnson
depauwhealth@hendricks.org          

For mental health related leaves:
You must complete release of information (ROI) forms in order for Counseling Services to review documentation from your Provider. To do this in person, the office is located in the Buehler Health and Wellness Suites Lilly Center, 2033. Or you can contact them by email at counselingservices@depauw.edu or by phone at 765-658-4268.     

 For physical health related leaves:
You must complete a HIPAA form in order for DePauw Health to review the documentation from your Provider. HIPAA forms can be secured at the DePauw Health and Wellness Center or from Heather Wright.   

For the protection of your medical information and to not hold up the process, please don’t send any medical documentation or the ROIs to the CARE Team/Heather Wright.

Students taking a MLOA must check out of their housing within 48 hours of submitting their online request form. 

 On-Campus Housing:

• You must remove all belongings from your space, check out of the room with the RA or a member of the hall’s staff, and return the room key. This applies even if you hope to return the next semester. 
• If you have any questions or concerns, the Housing office is located in Reese Hall, you can contact them via email at housing@depauw.edu, or by phone at 765-658-4500.  

Fraternity and Sorority Housing:

You should work directly with your chapter leadership about details for moving out.

Academic Advising: Students should consult with their Academic Advisor to determine any issues affecting continuance (credits, pre-requisites, etc.) 

Financial Aid: Students who receive financial aid/scholarships should contact the Office of Financial Aid to determine how taking a MLOAA may affect their aid and complete the financial aid exit interview. The office is located in the Emison Building, at 204 E. Seminary St., or you can contact them via email at financialaid@depauw.edu, or by phone at 765-658-4030. 

Payment Services: Students must pay any remaining tuition, fees, or other charges on student account. Students cannot re-register at the University if any unpaid past due charges remain on the account. Payment Services is located in in the Emison Building, at 204 E. Seminary St, or you can contact them via email at paymentservices@depauw.edu or by phone at 765-658-4015. 

Student Employment: Students who work on campus should contact their employing department to inform them you are leaving campus.

Once documentation is received from your medical provider:

• The materials are reviewed for completeness.
• DePauw Health and/or DePauw Counseling Services will review whether the documentation meets the criteria for a Medical Leave of Absence.
• The review process may take up to one week once all documents have been submitted.
• Additional information may be requested from your medical provider which can extend the length of the process.
• A recommendation is then made to the Vice President for Student Affairs and the University Registrar.

Medical Leave of Absences are approved by the Vice President for Student Affairs and the University Registrar, after recommendation by the Director of DePauw Health and/or the Director of DePauw Counseling Services. Outcomes are communicated by the Office of the Registrar via DePauw email.

Requests to return will only be reviewed by the Committee when all of the necessary forms and supporting documents are submitted to the appropriate offices by the deadlines stated below: 

• For Semester I (Fall and Winter terms):
  • August 1 – Completed Leave of Absence Return form should be submitted to the CARE Team at care@depauw.edu. Letter from medical provider sent to Counseling Services and/or DePauw Health and Wellness
• For Semester II (Spring and May terms):
  • January 3 – Completed Leave of Absence Return form should be submitted to the CARE Team at care@depauw.edu. Letter from medical provider sent to Counseling Services and/or DePauw Health and Wellness

Requests for returning from a leave for medical reasons will be reviewed by the Medical Leave of Absence Committee. The Office of the Registrar communicates the outcome to the student, student’s academic advisor and all other appropriate offices.

The decision to readmit a student who had taken a Medical Leave of Absence will be based on the student’s ability to be part of the University and resume the academic rigors required of DePauw University students. The University will work with each student, their health care provider(s), and family to determine what (if any) reasonable accommodations can be provided by the University to facilitate the student’s successful resumption of their academic requirements and other campus activities. Students are encouraged to complete this Returning to School After a Medical Withdrawal Assessment prior to starting the return process.

To Begin the Process to Return from a Medical Leave of Absence:

When you and your medical provider believe you are ready to return to campus you must notify the University of your return by submitting a completed Leave of Absence Return form to the CARE Team at care@depauw.edu by the deadline below.

A student requesting to return from a MLOA must provide documentation demonstrating readiness to return to the University. The student’s treating provider must submit a letter indicating that the student’s condition has improved and that they are ready to resume academic work and participation in campus life. The letter should include:

•  Presenting concerns, symptoms, and functional impairments
• Any documented diagnoses and prescribed medications
• Current impact of concerns/symptoms on safety and functioning, particularly related to resuming academics and readiness to return to independent living on campus
• Description of treatment plan and any recommendations moving forward

In addition:

• After Counseling Services receives the provider’s initial documentation, they may send the provider an additional form to complete.
• Students are encouraged to let their provider know to watch for this form and return it promptly, as Counseling Services cannot complete a full review until all required materials have been received.

Documentation/letters from your Provider should be sent to:

For mental health related leaves, please have your provider send documentation directly to:
DePauw University Counseling Services, Attn: Dr. Yuhas
F: (765) 658-4554 / counselingservices@depauw.edu

For physical health related leaves, please have your provider send documentation directly to:
DePauw Health and Wellness Center, Attn: Dr. Johnson
depauwhealth@hendricks.org

If it has been over 6 months, or you are working with a new Provider, you must submit updated ROIs and/or HIPAA forms.

For mental health related leaves:
Students must complete release of information (ROI) forms in order for Counseling Services to review documentation from your Provider. To do this in person, the office is located in the Buehler Health and Wellness Suites Lilly Center, 2033. Or you can contact them by email at counselingservices@depauw.edu or by phone at 765-658-4268.     

For physical health related leaves:
The student must complete a HIPAA form in order for DePauw Health to review the documentation from your Provider. HIPAA forms can be secured at the DePauw Health and Wellness Center or from Heather Wright.  

For the protection of your medical information and to not hold up the process, please don’t send any medical documentation or the ROIs to the CARE Team/Heather Wright.

Often when students return to campus, they need accommodations in order to help them succeed at DePauw. To get a better understanding if accommodations are right for you or to begin the process of requesting them, please reach out to Student Accessibility Services. They are located in the Union Building, Suite 100 and can be contacted by email at studentaccessibility@depauw.edu, or by phone at 765-658-6267.

*Please note, attending all classes remotely, even temporarily, would be an accommodation sought out through Student Accessibility Services. However, due to the nature of DePauw classes, this may not be an option for most students.

Academic Advising:If you did not register for classes during the regular process, you should contact your Academic Advisor to discuss what classes you should enroll in. 

On-Campus Housing: Students wishing to live in campus-owned housing, who did not already select housing during the regular selection process, should contact the Housing Office. The Housing office is located Reese Hall, you can contact them via e-mail at housing@depauw.edu, or by phone at 765-658-4500. 

Financial Aid: Students who receive financial aid/scholarships should contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss future financial aid. The office is located at 204 E. Seminary St., you can contact them via email at financialaid@depauw.edu, or by phone at 765-658-4030. 

International Students: International Students should contact the International Student Affairs Office to discuss visas and next steps. The office is located in the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), you can contact them via e-mail at intlstudents@depauw.edu, or by phone at +1-765-658-4850. 

Student Employment: Students who previously worked on campus should contact their employing department to inquire if the position is still available. If it is not, or a new position is desired, students should contact the Hubbard Center for Student Engagement to ask about available positions.  

Once documentation is received from the medical provider:

• The materials are reviewed for completeness.
• DePauw Health and/or DePauw Counseling Services will review whether the documentation meets the criteria for returning from a Medical Leave of Absence.
• The review process may take up to one week once all documents have been submitted.
• Additional information may be requested from your medical provider which can extend the length of the process.
• A recommendation is then made to the Vice President for Student Affairs and the University Registrar.

Returning from a MLOA is approved by the Vice President for Student Affairs and the University Registrar, after recommendation by the Director of DePauw Health and/or the Director of DePauw Counseling Services. Outcomes are communicated by the Office of the Registrar via DePauw email.