Health Leave of Absence (HLOA)

Cornell students may apply for a Voluntary Leave of Absence (a separation of the student from the university) for Health Reasons (HLOA). HLOA are coordinated through Gannett Health Services. HLOA are recommended when a student’s health condition is judged to significantly impair his or her ability to function successfully or safely as a student.

It is expected that the time a student takes away from the university for the HLOA is used for treatment and recovery. Gannett provides each student with specific expectations for their treatment while they are away on leave. Compliance with the treatment expectations is a primary factor in Gannett’s eventual decision of whether to clear a student to return to Cornell.

In order to both obtain a HLOA and return from one, a student must obtain a health recommendation from Gannett and an administrative approval from the advising office of the student’s school or college, or for graduate students, the dean of the Graduate School.

Potential advantages of a HLOA over a Personal Leave of Absence

• A HLOA usually qualifies a student for benefits under any tuition reimbursement plan they may have.
• Students who think they may need to take a HLOA during the course of a coming semester may wish to consider purchasing tuition reimbursement insurance before the semester begins.
• For international students, a HLOA may provide a way to remain in the US while maintaining legal status.
• For graduate students, a HLOA typically does not disrupt the student’s funding.
• A HLOA sometimes qualifies a student to initiate a leave of absence later in the semester than might normally be permitted for a personal leave.
• The grades a student received during the semester for which the leave was initially granted are usually not calculated in the student’s GPA, and sometimes a HLOA eliminates a semester’s courses completely from the student’s transcript.

How to initiate a HLOA at Cornell

Contact Gannett and request an evaluation by your CAPS or your Medical provider for the purpose of pursuing a HLOA. If you are already in services at Gannett, simply ask your current CAPS or Medical provider, and he or she will work with you to process your request.

If you are uncertain who your current CAPS or Medical provider are, send an email to healthleaves@cornell.edu, and the Chair of the Gannett Health Leave Committee will be address any questions you may have, or you may call Gannett Administration for clarification at 607 255-3564.

Deadlines for requesting a HLOA

• You must have completed an evaluation with a Gannett clinician and all of the necessary paperwork no later than the final Friday of classes in a semester in order for a HLOA to be processed for that semester.
• Requests for HLOA made after this deadline will only be considered for the following semester.
• Gannett does not act retroactively in recommending Health Leave of Absence, nor are recommendations based solely on evaluations done by non-Gannett clinicians.

How to return to Cornell from an HLOA

Print a copy of one of the following two Student Checklists for Returning from a HLOA and follow the directions on the Checklist.

• Student Checklist for Returning from a HLOA processed in Gannett Counseling and Psychological Services (pdf)
• Student Checklist for Returning from a HLOA processed in Gannett Medical Services (pdf) 

Deadlines for returning from a HLOA

• You must notify Gannett Health Services in writing via email at healthleaves@cornell.edu of your wish to return to Cornell

a. by June 1 for a proposed fall semester return.

b. by November 1 for a proposed spring semester return.

• You must then submit all required documentation to Gannett

a. by July 1 for a proposed fall semester return.

b. by December 1 for a proposed spring semester return.

• If you miss one of these deadlines, your return from your HLOA will be postponed until a later semester. 

Links to other helpful Cornell University offices 

• Special information for international students who are considering taking a Health Leave of Absence from Cornell is provided by the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO).
• Questions about the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and HLOA, can be directed to the Cornell University Office of Student Health Insurance.
• For questions about the financial implications of taking a HLOA, contact the Office of Financial Aid.
• For questions about how a HLOA will affect your housing, contact the Housing Office in Campus Life.
• For questions about how a HLOA will affect your meal plan, contact Dining Services.
• To verify your status as either enrolled or on leave, contact the Office of the University Registrar.
• To inquire about tuition reimbursement insurance, contact the University Bursar Services.
• For inquiries about academic accommodations for a health condition, contact Student Disability Services.

Links to HLOA forms and handouts for students

• Request for a Voluntary Leave of Absence for Health Reasons (pdf)
• Authorization to Disclose Protected Health Information (pdf)
• Student Checklist for Returning from a HLOA processed in Gannett Counseling and Psychological Services (pdf)
• Student Checklist for Returning from a HLOA processed in Gannett Medical Services (pdf)
• Community Provider Report Form (pdf)