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Medical Withdrawal

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Medical Withdrawal

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is committed to supporting the health, safety, and welfare of our students and preserving the integrity of the learning environment. The purpose of a medical withdrawal is to provide students time away from campus for the treatment of a physical or mental health condition that significantly impacts their ability to function safely or successfully as a member of our community. The university has designed this policy to ensure that students are given the individualized attention, consideration, and support needed to address health issues that arise or escalate during their time at the University.

Medical withdrawal is voluntary and the decision to pursue a medical withdrawal is at the sole discretion of the student. Students approved for medical withdrawal will likely have conditions to meet before they are able to return and may be required to sit out for a period of time.

Things to Consider

While on medical withdrawal, a student:

  • May not register for classes at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Chicago, or the University of Illinois at Springfield.
  • May not live in a university residence hall or Family and Graduate Housing; if you live in a Private Certified Housing unit, consult directly with the facility staff for information.
  • May have limited or no access to certain University resources and offices.

Before pursuing a medical withdrawal, students should consult with the following offices:

  • Office of Student Financial Aid
    To discuss the possible impact a medical withdrawal may have on your financial aid. Depending on the effective date of the withdrawal, students may receive a refund and/or owe money back to the university or lending/granting entity.
  • Academic advisor and/or college office
    In order to determine if other options such as late drops or incompletes may be better suited to address the student’s situation.
  • International Student and Scholar Services
    To determine the impact a medical withdrawal may have on visa status
  • Office of the Dean of Students
    For further questions about this process.

Eligibility

A student is eligible for a medical withdrawal only when the following conditions have been met:

  1. The student has experienced a physical or mental health condition that significantly impacts the ability to function safely and/or successfully as a member of the university community;
  2. The student requires time away from campus for the treatment of said health condition;
  3. The student is seeking a withdrawal from the current semester in which they are enrolled;
  4. The student initiates the request on or before the last day of classes for the semester in which they are currently enrolled and has not taken any final exams;
  5. The student has documentation from a treating healthcare provider attesting to and in support of the medical withdrawal.

Request a Medical Withdrawal

Submit a Request for Medical Withdrawal

The request MUST include:

  • A personal statement that addresses the reason for requesting a medical withdrawal and describes the steps that will be taken to address the circumstances that led to your withdrawal;
  • A completed Academic Information Form (pdf);
  • Permission for the Office of the Dean of Students, McKinley Health Center, and the student’s college to share relevant information regarding the request;
  • Recent documentation from a treating, licensed healthcare provider (this may not be a parent), that includes, at a minimum:
    • Relevant medical history
    • The approximate date of the onset of the condition (or, if a chronic condition, the date the condition was exacerbated)
    • An explanation of how the medical condition significantly impacts the student’s ability to function safely or successfully as a member of the university community;
    • Current prescriptions and treatment
    • Treatment plan for the medical withdrawal period and it’s expected outcome

What to Expect Once the Request is Submitted

After receipt of all required documentation, McKinley Health Center will review the medical documentation and, based on their medical judgment, make recommendations to the Office of the Dean of Students. The Office of the Dean of Students will make a final determination. Once all required documentation has been received, a decision is usually made within three to four weeks.

The Office of the Dean of Students will communicate the decision via e-mail. PLEASE NOTE: All communications regarding the process occur via e-mail. Students will receive a message through our system (Maxient) alerting them that a letter is waiting. Students will then need to log in to retrieve the letter.

If APPROVED, students must officially accept the withdrawal and the associated conditions before any action is taken. Students are asked to sign the decision letter, indicating acceptance, and to send a copy to the Office of the Dean of Students. PLEASE NOTE: Students are given a deadline by which they must communicate their acceptance. Once accepted, the Office of the Dean of Students will begin the official withdrawal process. It usually takes a few weeks to complete the withdrawal and for any refunds (if applicable) to be posted.

If DENIED, students will receive information about the reason for the denial as well as the appeal process. Students are given a deadline by which they must submit the appeal and any additional documentation they may wish to provide.

Returning from Medical Withdrawal

Requests to return must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Students by the deadline below. The timeframe for return is provided in the student’s decision letter. As students look ahead to a possible return, they should keep these deadlines in mind. Requests to return will NOT be considered after the deadline.

Term of Return Deadline
Spring November 15
Summer April 15
Fall June 15

Submit a Request for Medical Re-Entry

The request MUST include:

  • A personal statement that describes the steps taken to meet the requirements outlined in the medical withdrawal approval letter;
  • Permission for the Office of the Dean of Students, McKinley Health Center, and the student’s college to share relevant information regarding your request;
  • Recent documentation from a treating, licensed healthcare provider (this may not be a parent), that includes, at a minimum:
    • General description of the treatment provided
    • Clinical status
    • A statement of opinion as to the student’s readiness to resume academic study and university life
  • Any other documentation required to demonstrate that the student has met all of the conditions to return as outlined in the medical withdrawal approval letter.

After receipt of all required documentation, McKinley Health Center will review the medical documentation and based on their medical judgment, make recommendations to the Office of the Dean of Students. The Office of the Dean of Students will make a final decision and communicate with the student regarding that decision, next steps, and the appeals process, if relevant.

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Retroactive Medical Withdrawal

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is committed to supporting the health, safety, and welfare of our students and preserving the integrity of the learning environment. The purpose of a medical withdrawal is to provide academic relief for students who experienced a significant physical or mental health condition that significantly impacted their ability to function safely or successfully as a member of our community. The university has designed this policy to ensure that students are given the individualized attention, consideration, and support needed to address health issues that arise or escalate during their time at the University.

Retroactive medical withdrawal is voluntary and the decision to pursue a medical withdrawal is at the sole discretion of the student. Students approved for medical withdrawal will likely have conditions to meet before they are able to return and may be required to sit out for a period of time.

Things to Consider

While on medical withdrawal, a student:

  • May not register for classes at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Chicago, or the University of Illinois at Springfield.
  • May not live in a university residence hall or Family and Graduate Housing; if you live in a Private Certified Housing unit, consult directly with the facility staff for information.
  • May have limited or no access to certain University resources and offices.

Before pursuing a medical withdrawal, students should consult with the following offices:

  • Office of Student Financial Aid
    To discuss the possible impact a medical withdrawal may have on your financial aid. Depending on the effective date of the withdrawal, students may receive a refund and/or owe money back to the lending/granting entity.
  • Academic advisor and/or college office
    In order to determine if other options such as late drops or incompletes may be better suited to address your situation.
  • International Student and Scholar Services
    To determine the impact a medical withdrawal may have on your status
  • Office of the Dean of Students
    For further questions about this process.

Eligibility

A student is eligible for a medical withdrawal only when the following conditions have been met:

  1. The student experienced a physical or mental health condition that significantly impacted the ability to function safely and/or successfully as a member of the university community;
  2. The health condition was debilitating (i.e. hospitalization and/or catastrophic event) and of a duration that rendered completion of the semester, even with accommodations, unmanageable;
  3. The health condition itself or the timing of the diagnosis of the health condition prevented the student from withdrawing in a timely manner;
  4. The student has documentation from a treating healthcare provider attesting to and in support of the retroactive medical withdrawal;
  5. The student has documentation from a healthcare provider attesting to their inability to withdraw according to published deadlines for withdrawing during the semester of attendance.

Except in extraordinary circumstances, students are only granted retroactive medical withdrawals if their request is submitted within one year of the last day of class for the semester in which the withdrawal is sought. Students who were unable to submit a request during this time period may request an exemption from this time limit by submitting, along with their other required materials, an explanation of why they were unable to request a retroactive withdrawal within one year and any supporting documentation.

Request a Retroactive Medical Withdrawal

Submit a Request for Retroactive Medical Withdrawal

The request MUST include:

  • A personal statement that addresses the reason for requesting a retroactive medical withdrawal, explains why the student was unable to withdraw according to published deadlines, and describes how the student addressed or are addressing the circumstances that led to the request for retroactive medical withdrawal;
  • A completed Instructor Statement Form (pdf) for each class for the semester in which the student is requesting withdrawal;
  • Permission for the Office of the Dean of Students, McKinley Health Center, and the student’s college to share relevant information regarding the request;
  • Documentation from a treating, licensed healthcare provider (this may not be a parent), that includes, at a minimum:
    • Diagnosis and relevant medical history;
    • The approximate date of the onset of the condition (or, if a chronic condition, the date the condition was exacerbated) giving rise to the circumstances surrounding the request for a retroactive medical withdrawal, and the dates through which such condition(s) continued; and
    • An explanation of how the medical condition significantly impacted the student’s ability to function safely or successfully as a member of the university community, why it warrants the action sought, and how the medical condition impacted the student’s ability to withdraw according to published deadlines.

What to Expect Once the Request is Submitted

After receipt of all required documentation, McKinley Health Center will review the medical documentation and, based on their medical judgment, make recommendations to the Office of the Dean of Students. The Office of the Dean of Students will convene a committee consisting of a staff member from the Office of the Dean of Students, a representative from the Office of the Provost, and a representative from the student’s academic college. The committee will make a final determination as to whether or not to grant the request for retroactive medical withdrawal. Once all required documentation has been received, a decision is usually made within four to six weeks.

The Office of the Dean of Students will communicate the decision via e-mail. PLEASE NOTE: All communications regarding the process occur via e-mail. Students will receive a message through our system (Maxient) alerting them that a letter is waiting. Students will then need to log in to retrieve the letter.

If APPROVED, students must officially accept the withdrawal and the associated conditions before any action is taken. Students are asked to sign the decision letter, indicating acceptance, and to send a copy to the Office of the Dean of Students. PLEASE NOTE: Students are given a deadline by which they must communicate their acceptance. Once accepted, the Office of the Dean of Students will begin the official withdrawal process. It usually takes a few weeks to complete the withdrawal and for any refunds (if applicable) to be posted.

If DENIED, students will receive information about the reason for the denial as well as the appeal process. Students are given a deadline by which they must submit the appeal and any additional documentation they may wish to provide.

Returning from Retroactive Medical Withdrawal

If the student was not enrolled in class at the time they requested and were granted a retroactive medical withdrawal and had conditions to meet prior to their return, the student must follow the directions here in order to request return.

Requests to return must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Students by the deadline below. The timeframe for return is provided in the student’s decision letter. As students look ahead to a possible return, they should keep these deadlines in mind. Requests to return will NOT be considered after the deadline.

Term of Return Deadline
Spring November 15
Summer April 15
Fall June 15

Submit a Petition for Return from Retroactive Medical Withdrawal

With your petition, you MUST include:

  • A personal statement that describes the steps taken to meet the requirements outlined in the retroactive medical withdrawal approval letter;
  • Permission for the Office of the Dean of Students, McKinley Health Center, and your college to share relevant information regarding the request;
  • Recent documentation from a treating, licensed healthcare provider (this may not be a parent), that includes, at a minimum: 
    • General description of the treatment provided
    • Clinical status
    • A statement of opinion as to the student’s readiness to resume academic study and university life
  • Any other documentation required to demonstrate that you have met all of the conditions to return as outlined in your medical withdrawal approval letter.

After receipt of all required documentation, McKinley Health Center will review the medical documentation and based on their medical judgment, make recommendations to the Office of the Dean of Students. The Office of the Dean of Students will make a final decision and communicate with the student regarding that decision, next steps, and the appeals process, if relevant.