Health Leave

1. Complete the Voluntary Health Leave of Absence Request Form
2. Submit a Provider Recommendation Form, completed by your healthcare provider
3. Schedule an appointment with a member of the Health Leave Team
   • Undergraduate, Masters, and Professional Doctorate Students: Schedule appointment
4. Undergraduate students only: Complete the Undergraduate Leave of Absence Form
5. Schedule Health Leave Confirmation Appointment with your assigned Health Leave Coordinator once you have submitted all your paperwork to review your forms, discuss the return process, and create your individualized health leave plan.

International students: Parallel to the Voluntary Health Leave of Absence process, international students need to connect with the Office of International Services (OIS) to coordinate the International Student Medical Leave of Absence process. You can find more information about their process here.

Due to the unique nature of each PhD program at the university, PhD students interested in a Health Leave will need to meet with an Health Leave Coordinator (HLC) to develop an individualized health plan and an individualized academic plan designed to address the specifics of their situation and academic program. These plans are developed through an interactive process involving the HLC, the student, the academic unit, and the Graduate School. Health Leaves are more difficult to implement at the advanced stages of PhD studies. Students are encouraged to address their health concerns as early as possible.  

1. Complete the Voluntary Health Leave of Absence Request Form    
2. Submit a Provider Recommendation Form, completed by your healthcare provider   
3. Schedule an appointment with a member of the Health Leave Team: 

• PhD Students: Click here to Schedule 

4. Your academic program and academic unit will create an Academic Plan for you 
5. Schedule Health Leave Confirmation Appointment with your assigned Health Leave Coordinator once you have submitted all your paperwork to review your forms, discuss the return process, and create your individualized health leave plan. 

International students: Parallel to the Voluntary Health Leave of Absence process, international students need to connect with the Office of International Services (OIS) to coordinate the International Student Medical Leave of Absence process. You can find more information about their process here.

1. Schedule an appointment with a Health Leave Coordinator
2. Complete the Voluntary Health Leave of Absence Request Form
3. Submit a Provider Recommendation Form completed by your healthcare provider
4. Submit a Release of Information Form so Campus Support and Intervention can share your health information with the Office of Student Accessibility Services

CSI will confirm the student’s Health Deferral after the above steps are completed. When students receive their confirmation, they must connect with Reuben Hernandez, Assistant Director of Admissions at reubenh@usc.edu to complete their admission deferral paperwork.

Throughout this process, your Health Leave Coordinator will be your main point of contact and support during your deferral and transition to USC. So, please be sure to maintain communication with them. 

International students: Parallel to the Voluntary Health Leave of Absence process, international students need to connect with the Office of International Services (OIS) to coordinate the International Student Medical Leave of Absence process. You can find more information about their process here.

Graduate students in their first semester at USC who take a health leave prior to week 12 of the semester will go through the regular Voluntary Health Leave of Absence process (for undergraduate, masters, and doctoral [non-Ph.D.] students) within CSI and will also connect with the Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS) to request a Health Deferral accommodation. The student and CSI will work closely with the graduate student’s admissions departments on their deferment.

Connect with OSAS to request a health deferral accommodation at OSASFrontDesk@usc.edu. 

International students: Parallel to the Voluntary Health Leave of Absence process, international students need to connect with the Office of International Services (OIS) to coordinate the International Student Medical Leave of Absence process. You can find more information about their process here.

Once a student has engaged in consistent recommended treatment and is interested in returning back to school from their Health Leave, they will need to complete the following three steps:

1. Complete the Reflective Statement
2. Submit the Readiness to Return Form to your HLC (or vhla@usc.edu), completed by all your healthcare providers
   • To successfully return back to school from a Health Leave, the student must have documentation from every healthcare provider noting that they completed what their providers stated in their initial Provider Recommendation paperwork
3. Schedule a “Health Leave Return – Undergrad, Masters, and Doctoral” appointment with your HLC
   • Your appointment may occur up to two weeks after the final deadline as long as it is scheduled by the deadline

Students can begin the return process no earlier than the first date listed and must complete the necessary steps for return by the final deadline listed for your desired term of return. Please note that these deadlines are firm and that any late requests submitted after the deadline will not be considered until next semester’s opportunity. Please know that this is the student’s responsibility to initiate the Health Return process for their desired semester of return, in accordance with the deadlines outlined below.

• Spring Semester Return: October 1st – 31st (final deadline October 31st)
• Summer Semester Return: March 1st – 31st (final deadline March 31st)
• Fall Semester Return: May 22nd – June 30th (final deadline June 30th)

Please note that requests for additional time to complete any component of the return process must be made prior to the final deadline in order to be considered.

After students have completed all three steps by the due date, their request to return will go into final review and we will get back to the student regarding approval/denial as soon as we can. If you need to register for classes prior to the deadlines above, you may request a provisional lift of your hold through the Intent to Return Form.

Once a student has engaged in consistent recommended treatment and is interested in returning back to school from their Health Leave, they will need to complete the following three steps:

1. Complete the Reflective Statement
2. Submit the Readiness to Return Form to your HLC (or vhla@usc.edu), completed by all your healthcare providers
   • To successfully return back to school from a Health Leave, the student must have documentation from every healthcare provider noting that they completed what their providers stated in their initial Provider Recommendation paperwork
3. Schedule a “PhD Return” appointment with your HLC
   • Your appointment may occur up to two weeks after the final deadline as long as it is scheduled by the deadline

Students can begin the return process no earlier than the first date listed and must complete the necessary steps for return by the final deadline listed for your desired term of return. Please note that these deadlines are firm and that any late requests submitted after the deadline will not be considered until next semester’s opportunity. Please know that this is the student’s responsibility to initiate the Health Return process for their desired semester of return, in accordance with the deadlines outlined below.

• Spring Semester Return: October 1st – 31st (final deadline October 31st)
• Summer Semester Return: March 1st – 31st (final deadline March 31st)
• Fall Semester Return: May 22nd – June 30th (final deadline June 30th)

Please note that requests for additional time to complete any component of the return process must be made prior to the final deadline in order to be considered.

After students have completed all three steps by the due date, their request to return will go into final review and we will get back to the student regarding approval/denial as soon as we can.If you need to register for classes prior to the deadlines above, you may request a provisional lift of your hold through the Intent to Return Form.