STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

MIT Medical Withdrawal Policy

Introduction

A medical withdrawal may be granted or required for mental and/or physical conditions that interfere with a student's ability to participate in campus life including their ability to complete or make satisfactory progress towards academic goals.   For undergraduates, medical withdrawals are granted or required with the assistance of a counseling dean in Student Support Services and require appropriate medical documentation.   For graduate students, medical withdrawals are granted or required by the Dean for Graduate Students or designee and require appropriate medical documentation and a letter of support from the department from which the student is seeking a medical withdrawal.   Medical withdrawal is not intended as a device to shield a student from unsatisfactory progress or any other academic irregularity.   Students will need to make an appointment with a counseling dean or graduate student dean as appropriate to discuss their plans.

Policy

1. Medical withdrawal shall be for a minimum of one semester and a maximum of two semesters plus one summer.   Medical withdrawals are granted or required by Student Support Services for undergraduates in conjunction with the Dean for Student Life or designee after evaluation for medical eligibility through MIT Medical.   Medical withdrawals are granted or required by the Dean for Graduate Students or designee for graduate students after evaluation for medical eligibility through MIT Medical. Information from academic departments and faculty will be sought and considered in the withdrawal process as appropriate. The International Students Office will be informed of all international students who are placed on a medical withdrawal status.

2. Under exceptional circumstances, a student has the ability to file an application for approval for one additional semester of withdrawal for medical reasons.   Waiver of the time limitation for withdrawal may be granted for a student who provides documentation that reflects the fact that he or she is actively engaged in a treatment program and who is likely to be sufficiently stabilized within an additional semester so as to return to full participation in campus life.   An application for an extension of the medical withdrawal will not be granted and should not be used   to prolong treatment of a chronic medical or mental health condition under a medical withdrawal status when return to full participation in campus life is an unlikely outcome as determined by their functional assessment, course, and prognosis.   After the standard time limit for medical withdrawal, students who do not re-apply to MIT or students who do not qualify for an extension of the medical withdrawal will no longer be considered to be on a medical withdrawal status.

3. Eligibility for medical withdrawal extensions beyond two semesters and a summer shall be determined by an interdisciplinary committee chaired by the MIT Medical Chief of Mental Health or designee.   This committee shall consider applications for extensions and shall be composed of at least one representative from Mental Health and from Student Support Services, including representation from the Office of the Dean for Graduate Students, internal or adolescent medicine, and the MIT Health Plan, as beneficial to the process.    Recommendations for medical withdrawal extensions from this committee shall be forwarded to the Dean for Student Life for undergraduates and to the Dean for Graduate Students for approval.   All appeals from the decisions of the committee go to the cognizant dean who may consult with appropriate departments and advisors and review the record in making a final decision.  

4. Students who are enrolled in the MIT Student Extended Insurance Plan may continue this insurance during the approved medical withdrawal period and will be responsible for premium payments billed in monthly installments.  

5.   Both the health of the student and his or her ability to resume full time academic responsibilities are central to determining whether the student can return from a medical withdrawal.   Up-to-date medical documentation must accompany requests to return from a medical withdrawal.   Please see #6 for information regarding the re-admission process.   Students are expected to actively engage in a recovery or treatment program, taking steps consistent with the medical condition associated with the withdrawal.   For medical withdrawals related to mental health issues, students may be advised to seek mental health treatment through clinicians or agencies outside of MIT Medical with an MIT clinician serving as an in-house consultant to periodically assess the student's progress as clinically appropriate.   In such cases, the follow through on treatment recommendations will be considered along with the student's application to return from the medical withdrawal.

6. Students are not allowed to reside in campus housing while on medical withdrawal.

7. Graduate student policies and procedures regarding medical withdrawals and changes in registration are detailed on the GSO website at: http://web.mit.edu/gso/gpp/registration/changes.html .  

    

Medical Withdrawal Information/Procedure

You can also download a copy of the Medical Withdrawal Information sheet.

A medical withdrawal is usually prompted by a medical condition that interferes with a student's ability to participate fully in campus life.

Medical Withdrawals are arranged with the assistance of a counseling dean in Student Support Services and require appropriate medical documentation.   Medical Withdrawals can be arranged in advance for the following semester, or for the current semester.   Withdrawing from the current term has the effect of canceling registration for that term.   Simply dropping all subjects is not an appropriate withdrawal procedure.   Students will be expected to provide documentation of the medical condition which has significantly interfered with their academic progress for the term. Student must also provide support for the medical withdrawal from a treating health professional at MIT Medical.

Important Information Regarding Medical Withdrawals:

• Students withdrawing medically from the current term will be required to pay the MIT Health Plan fee.   This is necessary to ensure coverage for charges incurred during the semester for which student status has been rescinded. Students with questions about health insurance coverage should contact   the MIT Health Plan Office.   (617.253.4371)

• Students enrolled in the MIT Student Extended Health Insurance Plan who are medically withdrawn are eligible to continue coverage for up to one year from the date of the medical withdrawal.   Initial requests should be made in writing or via e-mail to Student Support Services.

• Under the terms of a Medical Withdrawal, a student is generally expected to take at least one full semester away from MIT and be engaged in or have successfully completed the prescribed course of medical and/or mental health treatment before being considered for readmission to MIT.   A student cannot register again at MIT until he/she has been readmitted by S^3.

• Students who have received student loans are required to contact Student and Parent Loans for an Exit Interview before leaving MIT (11-120, 253-3343).   Failure to receive an Exit Interview will result on a hold being placed on any future registration. You should also discuss eligibility for a medical deferment on your student loans.

• Students receiving financial aid should be in touch with Student Financial Aid (11-120, 253-4971).

• International students should be in touch with the International Students Office (5-133, 253-3795) regarding their visa status.

• Students who are withdrawn from MIT are automatically ineligible for on-campus housing .   Students are expected to move out of MIT housing in a timely fashion.   Contact Undergraduate Housing and your house manager to make arrangements for your departure.

• A counseling dean will work with you to outline expectations regarding your time away from MIT.   You should have a full understanding of these expectations at the time of your withdrawal.   Please contact S^3 to set up an appointment to discuss your leave. Phone appointments are also available if necessary.

• There are requirements and deadlines for students requesting readmission to MIT. Information is available from the S^3 website: http://web.mit.edu/counsel/www/readmission.html   Failure to comply with deadlines may result in denial of readmission.

• Withdrawing from the Institute has the effect of suspending student status and may affect some privileges, such as use of your MIT card and your Athena account.