General Information

Leaves of Absence

Students are expected to follow a continuous course of study at the School of Medicine. However, a student who wishes or needs to interrupt study temporarily may request a leave of absence. There are three types of leave—personal, medical, and parental—all of which are described below. The general policies that apply to all types of leave are:

Any student who is contemplating a leave of absence should see the associate dean for student affairs for their program to discuss the necessary application procedures.
All leaves of absence must be approved by the associate dean. Medical leaves also require the written recommendation of a Yale Health physician, as described below.
A student may be granted a leave of absence of one year with possible extension for one additional year. Any approved leave will be for a specified period.
International students who apply for a leave of absence must consult with OISS regarding their visa status.
A student on leave of absence may complete outstanding work in any course for which extensions have been granted. The student may not, however, fulfill any other degree requirements during the time on leave.
A student on leave of absence is not eligible for financial aid, including loans; and in most cases, student loans are not deferred during periods of nonenrollment.
A student on leave of absence is not eligible for the use of any University facilities normally available to enrolled students.
A student on leave of absence may continue to be enrolled in Yale Health by purchasing coverage through the Student Affiliate Coverage plan. In order to secure continuous coverage from Yale Health, enrollment in this plan must be requested prior to the beginning of the term in which the student will be on leave or, if the leave commences during the term, within thirty days of the date the registrar was notified of the leave. Coverage is not automatic; enrollment forms are available from the Member Services department of Yale Health, 203.432.0246.
A student on leave of absence must notify the associate dean of student affairs in writing of the intention to return at least eight weeks prior to the end of the approved leave. In addition, a returning student who wishes to be considered for financial aid must submit appropriate financial aid applications to the school’s financial aid office to determine eligibility.
A student on leave who does not return at the end of the approved leave, and does not request and receive an extension from the associate dean, is automatically dismissed from the School.

Personal Leave of Absence

A student who wishes or needs to interrupt study temporarily because of personal exigencies may request a personal leave of absence. A student who is in good standing is eligible for a personal leave of absence. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above.

To request a personal leave of absence, the student must apply in writing, explaining the reasons for the proposed leave and stating both the proposed start and end dates of the leave and the address at which the student can be reached during the period of the leave. If the associate dean finds the student to be eligible, the leave will be approved. In any case, the student will be informed in writing of the action taken. A student who does not apply for a personal leave of absence, or whose application for a personal leave is denied, and who does not register, will be considered to have withdrawn from the school.

Medical Leave of Absence

A student who must interrupt study temporarily because of illness or injury may be granted a medical leave of absence with the approval of the associate dean, on the written recommendation of the director of Yale Health or the chief psychiatrist. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above. A student who is in good standing is eligible for a medical leave any time after matriculation. The final decision concerning a request for a medical leave of absence will be communicated in writing by the associate dean.

The School of Medicine reserves the right to place a student on a mandatory medical leave of absence when, on recommendation of the director of Yale Health or the chief of the Mental Health and Counseling department, the dean of the School determines that, because of a medical condition, the student is a danger to self or others, the student has seriously disrupted others in the student’s residential or academic communities, or the student has refused to cooperate with efforts deemed necessary by Yale Health and the dean to make such determinations. Each case will be assessed individually based on all relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the level of risk presented and the availability of reasonable modifications. Reasonable modifications do not include fundamental alterations to the student’s academic, residential, or other relevant communities or programs; in addition, reasonable modifications do not include those that unduly burden university resources.

An appeal of such a leave must be made in writing to the dean of the school no later than seven days from the effective date of the leave.

An incident that gives rise to voluntary or mandatory leave of absence may also result in subsequent disciplinary action.

A student who is placed on medical leave during any term will have tuition adjusted according to the same schedule used for withdrawals (see Tuition Rebate and Refund Policy). Before re-registering, a student on medical leave must secure written permission to return from a Yale Health physician.

Leave of Absence for Parental Responsibilities

A student who wishes or needs to interrupt study temporarily for reasons of pregnancy, maternity care, or paternity care may be granted a leave of absence for parental responsibilities. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above. A student who is in good standing is eligible for parental leave any time after matriculation.

Any student planning to have or care for a child is encouraged to meet with the associate dean for student affairs to discuss leaves and other short-term arrangements. For many students, short-term arrangements rather than a leave of absence are possible. Students living in university housing units are encouraged to review their housing contract and the related polices of the Yale Housing Office before applying for a parental leave of absence. Students granted a parental leave may continue to reside in university housing to the end of the academic term for which the leave was first granted, but no longer.

U.S. Military Leave Readmissions Policy

Students who wish or need to interrupt their studies to perform U.S. military service are subject to a separate U.S. military leave readmissions policy. In the event a student withdraws or takes a leave of absence from Yale School of Medicine to serve in the U.S. military, the student will be entitled to guaranteed readmission under the following conditions:

The student must have served in the U.S. Armed Forces for a period of more than thirty consecutive days;
The student must give advance written or oral notice of such service to the associate dean for student affairs. In providing the advance notice the student does not need to indicate an intent to return. This advance notice need not come directly from the student, but rather, can be made by an appropriate officer of the U.S. Armed Forces or official of the U.S. Department of Defense. Notice is not required if precluded by military necessity. In all cases, this notice requirement can be fulfilled at the time the student seeks readmission, by submitting an attestation that the student performed the service.
The student must not be away from the School of Medicine to perform U.S. military service for a period exceeding five years (this includes all previous absences to perform U.S. military service but does not include any initial period of obligated service). If a student’s time away from the School of Medicine to perform U.S. military service exceeds five years because the student is unable to obtain release orders through no fault of the student or the student was ordered to or retained on active duty, the student should contact the associate dean for student affairs to determine if the student remains eligible for guaranteed readmission.
The student must notify the School of Medicine within three years of the end of the U.S. military service of the intention to return. However, a student who is hospitalized or recovering from an illness or injury incurred in or aggravated during the U.S. military service has up until two years after recovering from the illness or injury to notify the School of Medicine of the intent to return; and
The student cannot have received a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge or have been sentenced in a court-martial.

A student who meets all of these conditions will be readmitted for the next term, unless the student requests a later date of readmission. Any student who fails to meet one of these requirements may still be readmitted under the general readmission policy but is not guaranteed readmission.

Upon returning to the School of Medicine, the student will resume education without repeating completed course work for courses interrupted by U.S. military service. The student will have the same enrolled status last held and with the same academic standing. For the first academic year in which the student returns, the student will be charged the tuition and fees that would have been assessed for the academic year in which the student left the institution. The School of Medicine may charge up to the amount of tuition and fees other students are assessed, however, if veteran’s education benefits will cover the difference between the amounts currently charged other students and the amount charged for the academic year in which the student left.

In the case of a student who is not prepared to resume studies with the same academic status at the same point at which the student left or who will not be able to complete the program of study, the School of Medicine will undertake reasonable efforts to help the student become prepared. If after reasonable efforts, the school determines that the student remains unprepared or will be unable to complete the program or after the school determines that there are no reasonable efforts it can take, the school may deny the student readmission.

Emergency Suspension

The dean of the School of Medicine, or a delegate of the dean, may place a student on an emergency suspension from residence or academic status when (1) the student has been arrested for or charged with serious criminal behavior by law enforcement authorities; or (2) the student allegedly violated a disciplinary rule of the School of Medicine and the student’s presence on campus poses a significant risk to the safety or security of members of the community.

Following an individualized risk and safety analysis, the student will be notified in writing of the emergency suspension. A student who is notified of an emergency suspension will have twenty-four hours to respond to the notice. The emergency suspension will not be imposed prior to an opportunity for the student to respond unless circumstances warrant immediate action for the safety and security of members of the community. In such cases, the student will have an opportunity to respond after the emergency suspension has been imposed.

When a student in the School of Medicine is placed on an emergency suspension, the matter will be referred for disciplinary action in accordance with school policy. Such a suspension may remain in effect until disciplinary action has been taken with regard to the student; however, it may be lifted earlier by action of the dean or dean’s delegate, or by the disciplinary committee after a preliminary review.

Residence Facilities

Edward S. Harkness Memorial Hall

Harkness Hall, which is part of the School of Medicine campus, and located across the street from Yale New Haven Hospital’s York Street Campus, houses students from the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health, and other graduate and professional schools at Yale. Residents of Harkness Hall live in a secure building with single-occupancy bedrooms. Yale administrative offices, as well as Café Med and other student common spaces, including a gym, occupy the basement through the third floor of the building. The great advantages of living in Harkness Hall are its proximity to classes and the opportunity it provides in bringing together students from the various medical-related fields in a relaxed social setting. For additional information visit https://housing.yale.edu.

Disability Insurance

Yale School of Medicine provides a long-term disability program for active medical and PA students starting in the first year. (A student may not be on a leave of absence, suspended, or In Absentia to Submit.) Coverage applies regardless of any prior medical condition. During medical school, premiums are paid in full by the school. The policy provides options for expanding coverage after leaving the School of Medicine, but premiums then become the responsibility of the insured. Sign-up takes place during orientation in the first week of the first year. Representatives from the insurance company are present to explain and answer questions about the policy. They also make themselves available for an exit interview before graduation to discuss continuation of coverage after leaving medical school.

Public Safety

The personal safety of all Yale School of Medicine students, faculty and staff is a top priority. Yale Public Safety Department (your.yale.edu/community/public-safety) provides safety and security services and resources available to everyone on a 24/7 basis across the university and medical school campuses. The department consists of a comprehensive team of professionals serving within the departments of Yale Police, Yale Security, Public Safety Systems, and the Office of Emergency Management.

Uniformed security officers provide vehicle, foot, and bicycle patrols; are stationed at fixed posts in buildings and parking facilities; and monitor electronic security systems, including video cameras, intercom systems, and intrusion alarm systems, while the Yale Police Department monitors emergency Blue Phones located throughout the university campus footprint. Yale Security officers are available to provide walking escorts anywhere within the campus footprint and assist with lockouts. Yale Security and Yale Police can be contacted directly through the Yale LiveSafe app.

The Yale Public Safety Department also works in close collaboration with the New Haven Police Department and the New Haven Parking Authority to patrol parking facilities, pedestrian areas, and buildings where Yale operates near campus.

In addition, YSM’s Safety & Security Committee includes students, staff, and faculty representatives from the medical school, as well as representatives from Yale Public Safety departments, Yale Parking & Transit, and Yale New Haven Health System who meet bimonthly to address safety and security concerns impacting the medical school community. The committee also hosts quarterly YSM Community Safety town halls, distributes safety and security updates, and provides answers to frequently asked questions through the YSM Safety and Security Resources webpage (medicine.yale.edu/myysm/personal-resources/safety-security-resources/).

Other safety and security resources available to everyone include:

Public Safety at It’s Your Yale (your.yale.edu/community/public-safety).
Yale Shuttle Service (your.yale.edu/work-yale/campus-services/yale-transit/shuttle), offering daytime, nighttime, and weekend routes in and around Yale campuses. The new evening shuttle route, Orange East, with multiple stops in Wooster Square, launched on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
Bulldog Safety @ Yale provides a single electronic business card contact list for all safety providers for easy and quick reference. To download the contacts directly to your phone, text “yalesafe” (one word) to 505.544.4999.