A Medical Withdrawal is initiated by a student when the student's medical condition interferes with his or her ability to do coursework, manage day-to-day functions, or live safely in the university environment. The purpose of a Medical Withdrawal is to support the student in taking time away from school to receive treatment, to focus their time and resources on improving their health, and eventually return to the university with a significantly improved chance of academic and personal success.

Please carefully review the Policy and Procedure prior to completing and submitting the required documents. You must submit a completed Request for Medical Withdrawal form (2 pages) as well as a personal statement describing how your diagnosed condition interfered with your academic performance. This procedure applies to all students registered for classes at the university including those enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, online and professional studies courses.

Additional Information for International Students Seeking Medical Withdrawal

An F-1 or J-1 visa holder cannot maintain F-1 or J-1 status without registration in a full-time course load unless otherwise authorized by the ISSO. Students CAN be authorized to engage in a reduction of course load or a medical leave based on ongoing medical issues through the Medical Reduced Course Load process.

An International Student requesting a medical leave or a reduction of course load for medical reasons must:

  • Read the Medical Withdrawal Policy and Procedure in the section above, complete page 1 of the Request for Medical Withdrawal form, and have your licensed medical provider complete page 2. Also, you must complete page 1 of the Request for Reduced Course Load or No Course Load for Illness or Medical Conditions form and have your licensed medical provider complete page 2.
  • Per federal law, page 2 must be from a licensed medical provider: either a medical doctor (MD), doctor of osteopathy medicine (DO) or licensed clinical psychologist.