Medical Leave
Medical leave is available for students who, due to documented serious physical or psychological illness, need to leave the University during the semester without completing their course work or to withdraw from the University for no longer than two consecutive semesters. Medical leave may be voluntarily requested by a student or, in certain circumstances, may be determined to be required for a student when the student’s psychological or medical condition renders him or her a threat to the safety, health, or well-being of any person or of the campus community, or causes a significant disruption of the educational and other activities of the University community.
Medical Leave, whether voluntary or required, is not a substitute for appropriate disciplinary action although disabilities may be considered mitigating factors in a disciplinary proceeding. A student suffering from a medical or psychiatric disorder who is accused of a disciplinary violation will not be exempted from the disciplinary process unless, as a result of the medical or psychiatric disorder, the student: (1) lacks the capacity to respond to the allegations, (2) did not know the nature and the quality of the action in question or (3) approved accommodations through the Office of Academic Accessibility were not implemented and failure to provide such accommodations resulted in the disciplinary violation.
Students on medical leave are not regarded as having permanently withdrawn from the University and need not apply for readmission through the Admissions Office. However, students must be approved for fitness to return to campus through the process described in the policies below. A student may request a more limited medically excused status if he or medically unable to complete the final forty percent of a semester but intends to return to the University at the beginning of the following semester. The request is initiated in the same manner as described below in the voluntary medical leave section. A student approved for medically excused status need not request permission to return to the University for the following semester unless conditions for returning had been stipulated by the University at the time of departure.
A student on medical leave (regardless of whether voluntary or required) will retain all accrued seniority for housing and registration purposes and may register conditionally for courses if he or she intends to return for the following semester. Any money paid to the University as deposits against tuition or charges anticipated for the following semester will be refunded in full if the student is not approved to return. Documentation for determination of fitness to return must be received by the deadlines listed above and approval to return granted in order for registration to be considered final. Seniority for housing preferences cannot be guaranteed for students who do not meet these requirements.
Financial aid implications
It is the responsibility of the student to contact the Financial Aid Office individually to discuss the implications of medical leave on his or her financial aid.
Refund of tuition and fees
Students who take medical leave during the first five weeks of the semester may be eligible for some refund. Please see the Business Office website for specific information: www.messiah.edu/offices/business/student_accounts/#refund
No refunds will be given for students who are granted medical leave during the final 10 weeks of the semester.