Withdrawing from College for Medical Reasons

Oct 12, 2011
Ashley Anderson

Serious Illness or Injury While in College - Alicia Nijdam

No one likes to think of illness causing students from withdrawing from college. If this does happen, there are several steps to take to do it correctly.

Nobody, students, parents, faculty, and staff alike, wants to see a student withdraw from college due to health reasons. Unfortunately, it happens every year on college campuses all over the United States and beyond; students coming down with a prolonged illness or suffering an injury that prevents them from continuing their studies without jeopardizing their health or academics. If this is the case, colleges and universities have procedures for students who need a medical withdrawal for the remainder of a term, academic year, or indefinitely.

It is extremely important for students and parents to follow the medical withdraw process at the student's college or university closely. Not filing for a medical withdrawal, or filing for withdraw for other reasons, may put the student's ability to reenroll at that institution at risk once the student is healthy enough to resume his or her studies.

Why May A Student Medically Withdraw from College?

A student may request a medical withdrawal from his or her college or university for a number of reasons. These may include serious personal injury, mental illness, an ongoing chronic physical illness, or other medical conditions that require ongoing treatment and inhibit a student's ability to succeed academically or socially. A student who has an ongoing illness that jeopardizes the health and safety of other members of the campus community may also be asked by their school to medically withdraw until they are healthy again.

There are limits on what qualifies as a reason to medically withdraw from college. While these limits vary from school to school, students usually may not request a medical withdrawal for conditions such as the common cold, the flu, or common injuries such as sprains or broken arms or legs. Some colleges and universities may allow for students to withdraw temporarily to care for a sick family member, while other institutions do not allow for this under their medical withdraw provisions. For more detailed information, students should check with their college or university's enrollment management office or student affairs administrator.

Applying for Readmission After A Medical Leave of Absence

Depending upon the college or university, the process of reapplying for admission after a medical leave of absence.

Ithaca College requires students to reapply for admission through the college's health center after documentation is submitted by the student saying they are healthy enough to resume their course of study. Students who do not follow the proper procedures are withdrawn from the college and have to go through a medical evaluation and reapply to the school.
University of California Berkeley requires students to seek approval from their respective college and the university health center after submitting documentation describing the student's treatment and why they believe that they are healthy enough to resume academic study.
Gettysburg College requires students wishing to return from a medical withdrawal to provide three weeks notice to the college in order to resume attendance. Documentation from a physician, psychologist, or psychiatrist must be submitted proving that the student is healthy enough to continue academic study at the college level.

Students must also be aware of their status with their college or university at the time a request for a medical withdrawal or leave of absence is submitted. If a student is on academic or judicial probation with the college or university at the time the request is made, the student may have their probation suspended while taking a leave of absence and resumed once the student is readmitted, which jeopardizes participation in campus organizations and may make students ineligible for certain perks, such as special housing or advanced course registration. A student who is in poor standing with their college or university at the time of a medical withdraw request may also run the risk of being denied readmission, even with a doctor's approval to return to school.

Taking a medical leave of absence from college is not something that students, parents, faculty, and administrators want to see happen to any student. Sometimes, circumstances beyond a student's control may cause the need to leave school for medical reasons, but students should be fully aware of the withdrawing and readmission processes before initiating such a request.

Sources

"Everything You Want to Know About A Medical Withdraw" University of California - Berkeley Tang Health Center, accessed 12 October 2011.
"Leaves of Absence, Withdrawals, and Readmissions" Ithaca College, accessed 12 October 2011.
"Withdrawal/Readmission" Gettysburg College, accessed 12 October 2011.