Skip to main content
Indiana University Bloomington
A A A

Graduate Student Leave of Absence

The College is committed to the success of its students and has established the College Graduate Student Leave of Absence as a guideline that provides all College graduate students with an opportunity to take care of uncontrollable events that interfere with a student's ability to work towards a degree.

The College Graduate Student Leave of Absence may provide up to two years of relief from coursework and academic requirements. Most Leaves of Absence are granted to students who need to be away from their studies for family or medical reasons (Family and Medial Leave), or to perform military service.
Students who hold a Student Academic Appointment (SAA) of at least 37.5 FTE and who have completed at least 12 credit hours of graduate work in the College are also eligible for up to six-weeks of paid Family & Medical Leave. This includes teaching assistants, research assistants, associate instructors, and faculty assistants who receive University-paid health benefits.  Unpaid discretionary leaves are granted for students with reasons other than family or medical. All College Graduate Student Leaves of Absences are reviewed and granted on a case by case basis.

If approved for a College Graduate Student Leave of Absence, the academic accommodations are determined individually for each student with the guidance of his/her faculty advisors and the College Graduate Office. A student receives a written record of his/her absence and may request an absence from student academic appointment or a transfer of current credits to research, receive grades of Incomplete or an extension of current grades of grades of Incomplete, or withdraw completely from coursework. The College Graduate Office works with the Student Advocates Office regarding complete withdrawal from coursework. A student on a paid Family & Medical Leave under the College Graduate Student Leave of Absence receives continuing full support including SAA stipend, health insurance, and any fee remission for up to 6 consecutive weeks of leave or to the end of the semester, whichever comes first.  Students on paid leave of absence from student academic appointments, however, must maintain enrollment in at least six credit hours.  Students who have advanced to candidacy must maintain enrollment of at least one credit hour.  An approved leave of absence may also extend financial commitments that are contingent on continued progress towards a degree, with approval by the student's department.

The College Graduate Office works with the University Graduate School regarding extensions of milestones. A student may use documentation of an approved leave as support for a request for milestone and time limits extensions from the University Graduate School. A leave of absence does not guarantee an automatic or immediate extension of milestones or standard limits by the University Graduate School.

Leaves of absence may not be requested retroactively.

Students on College or departmental fellowships may be required to repay fellowship funds if they are unable to complete the required minimum number of credit hours during the semester in which a leave occurs.

Unpaid Discretionary College Graduate Student Leaves of Absence are granted for students with reasons other than family or medical that may interfere with the ability to work towards a degree and at the discretion of the department. Employment or study elsewhere while on leave requires explicit written approval. Discretionary leave provides a written record of the student's absence. Leaves for military duty are coordinated with Indiana University Veteran Support Services.

Although very few students are granted leaves of absence for more than one semester, a student may request a leave of up to two years. The two years may include 6-weeks of paid leave and the remainder in unpaid, discretionary leave.

Eligible graduate students may take paid family or medical leaves in up to two terms of every five calendar years, but must be enrolled full-time for at least one semester between leaves.

Extended or intermittent leaves may be granted for students with chronic serious health conditions or ongoing treatments (i.e., chronic asthma, chemotherapy or dialysis treatments, care of a qualifying family member).
Students should schedule foreseeable appointments around their normal work schedule and seek department approval on foreseeable absences. We encourage students to work with their faculty advisors to craft a leave request that best suits their needs.

Requests for a College Graduate Student Leave of Absence can be made by the student to his or her faculty advisor, DGS, or directly to the College Graduate Office by completing the leave request form in either hardcopy or online format.  For further information, please read the FAQ below, or contact the College Graduate Office at coasgrad at indiana.edu.