In certain circumstances, where a student’s health condition impedes their academic progress, a student may decide they need to temporarily leave the university to focus appropriate attention and effort on the treatment and recovery necessary for a healthy return to their academic pursuits. In these cases, the student may petition the Dean of Student Advocacy Office in the Division of Student Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for a medical leave of absence (MLOA) from all courses prior to the last day of classes per the VCU Academic Calendar, and before a final class grade has been assigned and/or posted to their academic record. The DOS office recommends that you read the MLOA policy in the Undergraduate Bulletin before submitting a MLOA Form.

A medical leave of absence is intended to preserve a student's enrollment at VCU.  A student is no longer an active student after no class registration for 3 consecutive fall/spring semesters.  A medical leave best serves students anticipating this long, or longer, of an absence.  For a student intending to be away from VCU for a few semesters, the Academic Regulations Appeal Committee (ARAC) is the best option.  A student should contact their academic advisor to start the ARAC process.  

In order to petition for a MLOA with the DOS office at VCU, any interested student must go through the following three- step process.  This process can take up to ten (10) working days to be fully completed.  Please ensure you have given enough time prior to any academic/university deadlines you may be anticipating. 

Step 1 - Complete the Medical Leave of Absence Form

A student can petition the DOS office for a medical leave by filling out the MLOA Form. Upon request, a paper version can be made available. This step provides students an initial opportunity to describe their medical necessity for leaving the VCU in their own words, indicate which semester(s) they will be on leave, and provide contact information. This information helps guide the MLOA meeting (Step 3).

Step 2 - Medical Leave of Absence Form Review

Once the DOS office has received an MLOA Form from a student, it will be reviewed by a staff member. If it is determined that documentation does not meet criteria for a MLOA or if additional information is needed, the staff member will contact the student to discuss next steps. If the MLOA form meets MLOA criteria then the staff member will schedule a meeting with the student to discuss their medical leave.

Step 3 - Medical Leave of Absence Meeting

A staff member in the DOS office will meet with the student to discuss their need for a MLOA and the extent to which reasonable academic accommodations may enable the student to remain enrolled. The staff member will provide information regarding the MLOA and reinstatement processes, including any reasonable conditions the student will be required to satisfy in order to be reinstated.

Only in very rare instances will a medical leave be advisable prior to the withdrawal deadline at the university.  You should only pursue a medical leave if you plan to be away from the university for several semesters in a row and/or it is beyond the university's withdrawal deadline.  

Undergraduate students requesting and approved for a Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA) are eligible to re-enroll at VCU once they have completed the medical leave of absence reinstatement process. The goal of the reinstatement process is for the student to demonstrate that they are ready to return to the university environment and resume study in their academic program. The student must provide evidence of their readiness to return, including documentation from a qualified health care professional who treated the student during their leave. More information regarding the reinstatement process including all forms and documents can be found on the Dean of Student Advocacy Office website.

In order to petition for reinstatement with the DOS office at VCU, any interested student must go through the following three- step process.  This process can take up to ten (10) working days to be fully completed.  Please ensure you have given enough time prior to any academic/university deadlines you may be anticipating. 

Step 1 - Complete the Medical Leave of Absence Reinstatement Form - Student (Form Here)

A student can petition the DOS office to be reinstated after taking a medical leave by filling out the reinstatement form. Upon request, a paper version can be made available. This step provides students an initial opportunity to describe their readiness to return to VCU in their own words, indicate which semester they are petitioning to return, and provide contact information.

Step 2 - Medical Leave of Absence Reinstatement Form - Provider

VCU recognizes that every person has their own unique path to treating their health. This may involve working with various medical, psychological, and educational professionals. We accept documentation from a wide range of professionals and in many different forms. We do, however, have some minimum criteria that all documentation must meet in order to be considered. Students can provide this letter to their provider which outline the minimum criteria that needs to be included.

Step 3 - Medical Leave of Absence Reinstatement Review

Once Step 1 and Step 2 have been completed a staff member in the DOS office will review the student’s request for reinstatement and determine whether the student has completed all conditions for reinstatement, in consultation with Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity, the Division of Academic Success, University Student Health Services, and/or University Counseling Services, as appropriate. Such review will consider any medical or other relevant information submitted by the student and will be based on an individualized assessment of each student, including consideration of current medical knowledge and/or the best available objective evidence of the student’s ability to function academically at the university with or without accommodations. Careful consideration will be given to the available opinions and recommendations of a qualified health care professional who treated the student. Students will be notified the outcome of their review through their VCU email address.

Medical Leave of Absence Reinstatement Letter to Provider