Leave Policy

The School of Education allows both paid accommodation and unpaid leave for graduate students on student academic appointment. In addition, doctoral students (before taking their qualifying exam) and any other degree or certificate seeking students may pause coursework in a program for up to three semesters before their status is discontinued.

Paid Accommodation for School of Education Graduate Students on Student Academic Appointment

The School of Education allows two types of paid accommodation: Parental and Medical. Accommodation will be considered only for current or future terms and will not be granted retroactively. Student Academic Appointees may receive at most one medical accommodation during their SoE graduate studies.

Eligibility

• Hold a Student Academic Appointment in the School of Education, including affiliated centers, of at least .5 FTE for the entire fall or spring term at the time of the accommodation.
• Enrolled full-time (at least 6 credit hours) in a School of Education graduate degree granting program.
• School of Education Student Academic Appointment (of .5 or more) for at least one fall or spring semester.

General Terms if Leave is Approved

During the accommodation period, students on eligible Student Academic Appointments will continue to receive full support, including stipend, health insurance, and any fee remission for up to 6 consecutive weeks, or to the end of the semester, whichever occurs first. Students will be considered active in their programs and must maintain full-time enrollment (at least 6 credit hours).

Additional Terms Specific to Parental Accommodation

The accommodation must be taken within six weeks of the birth or adoption of a child.

Additional Terms Specific to Medical Accommodation

Medical Accommodation is for critical situations, defined as:

1. A serious health condition requiring an absence of 3 weeks or more.
2. The serious health condition of a spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent when the student is the primary or co-primary caregiver and the absence is anticipated to continue for at least three weeks.
3. Death of a spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent.

Apply for paid accommodation

Unpaid Leave for School of Education Graduate Students on Student Academic Appointment

There are times when a SAA may need to take a complete leave from their academic coursework and assigned SAA duties but maintain their health insurance. This leave plan would accommodate students requiring leave beyond 2-3 weeks. If the leave is approved, the department will continue to pay their insurance premiums for up to 6 months or until the SAA contract ends, whichever comes first.

During an approved leave, the SAA will not be enrolled in classes nor receive a stipend. The intent of this unpaid leave is to allow the student time to focus on their health and well-being away from class and work while maintaining university sponsored insurance.

International SAAs should check with the Office of International Studies prior to requesting a leave to understand if there any impacts to their visa if they are not taking classes or working as a SAA.

Eligibility

• Hold a Student Academic Appointment in the School of Education, including affiliated centers, of at least .5 FTE for the entire fall or spring term at the time of the accommodation.
• Enrolled full-time (at least 6 credit hours) in a School of Education graduate degree granting program.
• School of Education Student Academic Appointment (of .5 or more) for at least one fall or spring semester.

Additional Terms Specific to Parental Accommodation

The accommodation must be taken within six weeks of the birth or adoption of a child.

Additional Terms Specific to Medical Accommodation

Medical Accommodation is for critical situations, defined as:

1. A serious health condition requiring an absence of 3 weeks or more.
2. The serious health condition of a spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent when the student is the primary or co-primary caregiver and the absence is anticipated to continue for at least three weeks.
3. Death of a spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent.

Apply for unpaid leave