Without prejudice to their academic standing, graduate students may apply for a leave of absence on medical grounds, for one term (4 months) and up to a maximum of three terms (12 months). Students are required to send a request for a medical leave of absence in writing to the Director, Admissions and Students Services, School of Graduate Studies, and must provide documentation from a doctor or health care practitioner to support a medical leave of absence for the duration requested.

Students will be registered as inactive for the duration of the approved medical leave. A tuition fee waiver for the period of the medical leave will be granted.
 
It is understood that students on approved medical leave will not undertake academic or research work during the period of leave.
 
When the approved medical leave expires or is terminated by the student, the student will normally and automatically revert to the registration status held immediately prior to the period of medical leave.
 
For students granted an approved medical leave, the statutory periods for completion of degree programs (see Time Limits for Completion of Programs), together with the prescribed maximum periods of eligibility for financial support from School of Graduate Studies sources will, on resumption of studies, be extended by the time-period taken for the leave.
 
Graduate students on medical leave are not eligible to receive awards or financial support from the resources of the School of Graduate Studies.  This includes any and all internal awards (awards, prizes, bursaries, scholarships, fellowships) all of which will be suspended at the onset and for the duration of, and reinstated at the termination of, the medical leave period.  Upon return of the student to active status, every effort will be made to make up and maintain the total financial support originally granted.

Students holding externally funded fellowships, or other forms of support derived from sources external to the University, including research assistantships, must observe the regulations prescribed by the sources of the funding concerned.