If you would like to complete the semester, there are several resources available to you:

• Talk with your college advising or student services office about academic options, such as dropping or withdrawing from one or more classes or changing the grading option to reduce your academic load. They can also support you in talking with your instructors about what options may be available within your courses.  
• If you are not yet connected with health care providers, consider seeking medical or mental health care at Cornell Health: medical services or Counseling and Psychological Services.
• Contact Student Disability Services for information about disability accommodations that might mitigate the need to take leave. Please be aware that SDS cannot implement accommodations retroactively.
• Reach out to Student Support and Advocacy Services for emotional support, connections to campus or local resources, or assistance navigating the complexities of university life.

• You can request an incomplete in a course if two basic conditions are met: 

  1.  You have substantial equity at a passing level in the course with respect to work completed; and 
  2. You have been prevented by circumstances beyond a your control, such as illness or family emergency, from completing all of the course requirements on time. 

  An Incomplete may not be given merely because a student fails to complete all course requirements on time.

• Both HLOA and PLOA are types of voluntary leave of absence, which is a temporary separation from the university requested by a student who intends to return to academic pursuits in a future term.
  • HLOA is the appropriate type of leave if you are taking time away from Cornell to manage a disability and/or for the purpose of treatment, recovery, and management of a medical or mental health condition.
  • PLOA is the appropriate type of leave for reasons that are not health related, such as: tending to family issues, seeking employment, or taking advantage of educational or professional opportunities.
• The Health Leaves Coordinator (HLC) provides support, serves as a point of contact, and facilitates communication with campus partners throughout the process of taking and returning from health leave. Students taking personal leave work directly with their college.
• International students who take a Health Leave of Absence may be able to remain in the U.S. to seek treatment and maintain their student visa status. See International Student information below.

A health leave is a voluntary leave of absence. The purpose of the approval process is to ensure that both you and the University have important information pertaining to your leave of absence and that communication is sent to campus offices that need to be aware of the leave. 

The deadline to submit a health leave request and withdraw from the classes in which you are enrolled is the last day of the term (i.e., the last day of final exams). Retroactive health leave requests cannot be approved.

 You can submit a Reason for Health Leave of Absence Personal Statement,. If you are an international student and you want to remain in the U.S. to seek treatment, you will need to provide documentation that meets U.S Immigration requirements. See International Student information below. 

Learn more about HLOA forms.  

If you have not yet clicked on the ”Commit to Leave’ button in Cornell Chatter, you can send an email to healthleaves@cornell.edu indicating that you would like to rescind the HLOA request and remain enrolled for the remainder of the semester. 

All leaves, including those associated with a documented health situation, are processed in accordance with university policy which complies with various regulatory requirements defining dates of enrollment. 

No. You will need to vacate your room and hand in your key at your House Office or Service Center to cancel your housing license. You will be charged for your room until you hand in your key, but you will not have to pay a fee for canceling your housing license.  

If you need to return your key by mail, please send it along with a note that includes your name, NetID, and room number via express mail (e.g., UPS, USPS, or FedEx) to:

North Campus Service Center Cornell University
24 Northcross Road
Ithaca, NY 14853 

You can complete the HLOA process remotely and you can move out and leave campus immediately if you wish. 

A Health Leave of Absence should be finalized within 5 business days, and we recommend moving out within that time frame, if possible.  

Once your leave has been processed, your ID card will be deactivated. Contact the Health Leaves Coordinator if you need more time to move out, so that we can arrange for you to have temporary access to your building. 

Once you click on the “Commit to Leave button” in Cornell Chatter, the Housing Office will be notified that you are taking a leave of absence. However, your housing license will not be canceled until you vacate your room and hand in your key. 

A prorated credit will be posted to your Bursar account within two weeks (based on when your room is vacated and key returned). 

If you plan to return in the spring, you will need to re-apply for on-campus housing. Students who have not yet completed the two-year residential requirement are guaranteed a housing assignment on campus. Please be aware that you will most likely be assigned to a different room. 

The Off-Campus Housing website can provide information about New York State laws, tenants’ rights, and guidance about communicating with landlords. 

Big Red Shipping and Storage (BRSS) is the university’s preferred vendor. You are welcome to use another vendor if you prefer. Please note that you must be present in your room for your appointment if you schedule a pickup time with BRSS or any other company to ship or store your belongings. Housing and Residential Life and University staff cannot grant access to your building or room or assist with the pick-up. 

If you are taking a leave, you should submit a cancellation request to Cornell Dining that includes the leave date and your HLOA approval email. Your meal plan will be canceled and prorated based on either the last date of usage or your leave date, whichever is later. 

Once you receive meal plan cancellation confirmation from Cornell Dining, a prorated refund will be posted to your Bursar account within two weeks. 

Your tuition liability for the semester, and the refund you may receive, will depend on your approved leave date (the “effective” leave date). 

Please review the Tuition Adjustment Schedule for information. Adjustments to tuition, fees, and financial aid are typically posted to your Bursar account within 2-4 weeks. Monitor your Activity Details in CASHNet for real-time updates. If you have a credit balance once the adjustments are finalized, please contact bursar@cornell.edu to request that a refund be processed. 

The Bursar’s Office may place a hold on your record preventing future enrollment or registration at Cornell. 

This will happen if:  

• You have an outstanding balance on your bursar and/or CornellCard accounts,  
• If charges have rolled to collections,  
• If your university loan payments are past due, or  
• If you need to complete loan exit counseling for your university loans.  

Holds that impact enrollment and registration must be resolved before your return from a HLOA can be approved. 

If you have a past due bursar and/or CornellCard balance and received a letter from ECSI, please email bursar@cornell.edu.

If you have any questions regarding your university loans serviced by ECSI, or received a letter from Cedar Financials, General Revenue Corporation, or ConServe, please email bursar-loanrepayments@cornell.edu. 

Log in to Student Center and review the box on the right labeled “Holds.”  

• If it says "No Holds," you are all set.  
• If it says “No Enroll/Reg, Diplma, Refund,” click on each hold to read instructions. Use the contact details for more information.

The Health Leaves Coordinator can also assist you with contacting campus offices for more information about resolving holds. 

Visit the plan carrier’s website (Dewar) to submit a claim. There are two claim forms that must be completed:  

1. Student Medical Authorization: This must be completed by your healthcare provider and sent directly to Dewar.  
2. Student Information Release: Step IIA will be completed by your college registrar, who will then send it to the Office of the Bursar. The Bursar’s Office will complete Step IIB and send it to Dewar.  

These forms are available on Dewar’s website.

If you have further questions, you may wish to contact Dewar at trp@dewarinsurance.com.  

Note: Claims should be reported within 30 days of occurrence or as soon as reasonably possible. Do not email claim forms as they contain Social Security Numbers. Use Secure File Transfer or mail. 

For loans from Cornell (administered through ECSI): 

• Check your Cornell email for loan exit counseling information. ECSI offers a grace period (often 6 months) after you leave school. If you are on leave for longer than the grace period, you will need to start repaying those loans. Once you re-enroll as a full-time student, you can connect with ECSI to defer your loan payments. If you exhaust the grace period during your leave, you must start repaying your loans immediately when you graduate. 
• All forms to apply for loan deferment, forbearance, rehabilitation, cancellation, or forgiveness are available on the ECSI website.

For other loans:  

• Check with your loan provider, as they may have different requirements and procedures.

Eligibility for enrollment in the Student Health Plan (SHP) is based on your registration status with the university. Depending on the effective date of your leave, you may be able maintain SHP or purchase a continuation of coverage for a limited time. You may also have the option to cancel SHP and receive a prorated refund. 

The Student Health Benefits website has information about SHP for students taking leave of absence. 

You can request early termination of SHP coverage before November 30 (fall semester) or May 31 (spring semester) and receive a prorated refund. Submit a termination request through Gallagher Student Health. 

Prorated refunds for unused months of coverage will be based on the effective date of your termination request. 

Once your status changes to LOA in the university system, credit is usually posted within 5-7 business days to your Bursar account. 

Late admits/returns have 30 days from enrollment in SHP to submit a waiver. Learn more about waiving SHP. 

If you have trouble accessing the waiver form, contact Student Health Benefits at studentbenefits@cornell.edu or 607-255-6363. 

For the semesters in which you are on leave, there will be a transcript notation that states “leave of absence.” The type of leave is not specified. 

If the effective date of your leave is before the university drop deadline, your full-term classes will be dropped and will not appear on your transcript. If you complete any partial-term classes prior to the drop deadline, please check with your college/school’s student services office to confirm how the class will appear on your transcript.

If the effective date of your leave is after the university drop deadline, your full-term classes will remain on your transcript with grades of W indicating that you withdrew. If you complete any partial-term courses prior to your leave, please consult your college/school’s student services office to confirm how the class will appear on your transcript. 

HLOA requests must be submitted by the last day of the term (i.e., the last day of final exams). If a leave request is submitted by the last day of the final exam period, you will be withdrawn from all full-term and partial term classes that are in progress. If you were enrolled in and completed a partial-term course earlier in the term, those credits and grades will remain. Please consult your college/school’s student services office if you have any questions. 

A college/school has the option to place conditions on your return from HLOA based on academic requirements, such as course sequencing, time to degree, or academic actions. Academic conditions help students returning from HLOA stay on track with their academic program. These conditions are usually communicated in the HLOA approval letter, but the college/school has the option to add conditions as a result of the academic review process at the end of the semester. 

Your college/school and the University also reserve the right to change a health leave to a required leave or withdrawal if an academic or disciplinary review determines it appropriate. 

If you have questions or concerns about academic conditions, please contact your college/school’s student services office.

You will need to submit all required forms by the appropriate deadline: 

Forms:

1. Request to Return form 
2. Return from HLOA Personal Statement 
3. Provider Documentation of Fitness to Return 

You can access these forms on the "Returning from a Health Leave of Absence" page. 

Deadlines:

• For a fall semester return, the deadline is March 15 
• For a spring semester return, the deadline is October 1 
• For a summer return, the deadline is May 15

Please note that any enrollment/registration holds must be resolved and your return from HLOA must be approved prior to your enrollment window. 

Yes. Resolving course incompletes prior to your return is highly recommended. It can be a way to assess your fitness to return, and you can avoid having extra work to do when you return. You can coordinate directly with your professors to ensure that you have access to the resources you need to finish remaining assignments. 

Cornell Health can only treat registered students, so you will need to seek care off campus during a leave of absence. You can ask your Cornell Health provider about appropriate referrals to community providers. With your written consent, Cornell Health can share your medical records with a new provider. In rare circumstances, Cornell Health providers may be able to provide bridging care or prescriptions for medication while you connect with an external provider.

If you are looking for an off-campus therapist, you can use the Thriving Campus Directory to identify providers who are accepting new clients. You can filter results based on location, setting, insurance, and specialty. 

Federal immigration regulations set strict limits on enrolling less than full-time. If you are planning to stay in the U.S. while you are on leave, you must maintain your visa status. To do so, you must obtain the Reason for HLOA Documentation (pdf) from a licensed U.S.-based medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, or psychologist, and submit a Reduced Course Load Request in the Cornell International Services’ MyStatus Portal.  

To maintain status during a leave lasting more than one semester, you must provide updated documentation each semester indicating the need for a continuation of the HLOA. If you do not provide this documentation, International Services will close your SEVIS record, and you must get a new I-20 to re-enter the U.S.  

International Services can only grant a reduced course load for a maximum of 12 months. It is important that you talk with an immigration advisor in International Services about the impact of a HLOA on your visa status.  

After your leave has been processed, International Services will send you an email with important information and instructions about your visa status. Please read the email carefully and follow the instructions. 

Effective 9/15/26, international students entering the U.S. will no longer have the option to stay as along as is needed to complete their degree. Each student will get 4 years, but may request an extension through U.S. Immigration if more time is needed. As this is a recent change, we recommend you consult with International Services for current guidance around this.  

Depending on the effective date of your leave, your financial aid for the term may be adjusted and you may owe a balance.  

It is important that you have information about financial aid to make informed decisions. Contact Financial Aid to find out how your award will be affected by a leave of absence. You can email finaid@cornell.edu or schedule a virtual appointment with a Financial Aid Counselor using Cornell Chatter.  

If you are concerned about the impact of taking a leave on your Cornell financial aid, you may also contact the Health Leaves Coordinator.

If you have an outside scholarship, please contact the sponsoring organization for more information about their policies regarding a leave of absence. 

Cornell grants and scholarships are need-based. Eligibility is based on information you provide annually on your CSS Profile application (all undergraduates) and federal FAFSA form (U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens only).  

Financial aid recipients are required to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards toward completion of degree requirements. In some cases, taking a health leave may impact your ability to meet SAP standards. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form provides the opportunity to appeal for reinstatement of your student aid eligibility. Appeals must be submitted promptly to provide adequate time for review and processing. 

Check your Cornell email for loan exit counseling information. Most lenders offer a grace period (often 6 months) after you leave school. If you are on leave for longer than the grace period, you must start repaying your loan. Once you re-enroll, you can defer loan payments. If you exhaust the grace period during your leave, you must start repaying your loans immediately when you graduate. 

If you receive funding, please consult your Graduate Field Assistant before committing to the HLOA, so that you understand the impact of taking health leave on your individual funding package.  

Performing work associated with a fellowship or Teaching Assistantship constitutes academic activity and can impact the effective date of your leave of absence. 

If you return from your leave within four years, you are guaranteed any financial aid package offered at the time of original admission to the Graduate School modified by any written changes to the financial commitment made prior to the Health Leave. The specific duties associated with that support may be adjusted and the return shall be timed to coincide with normal funding cycles. 

No. Your Cornell ID card will be de-activated once your leave has been approved and processed. Please contact TCAT for information about purchasing a bus pass.  

No. You will not be able to access the Cornell Fitness Centers without an active student ID. 

• Your NetID will remain active for five years.
• You will maintain access to Cornell email, Cornell Box, Teams, Cornell Secure File Transfer, Cornell Qualtrics, and the Microsoft Suite.

You will not have access to:

• Canvas.  
• Digital library resources.