Medical Leave Procedures
Oberlin College recognizes you may elect to take time away from Oberlin for medical reasons in order to receive health care.
Follow the steps outlined below to take a medical leave and return to campus.
If you are considering a medical leave please email medleave@oberlin.edu
When do I take medical leave?
Students may apply for leave at any time. An application for a medical leave received after 4:30 p.m. on the last day of classes will be processed for the subsequent semester.
What are the medical leave procedures?
- Before applying for medical leave, we would like to discuss your options.
- If you are on campus, email medleave@oberlin.edu or at 440-775-8462, to discuss available resources, including the medical leave process.
- If you are not on campus or unable to meet, you can schedule a phone talk. Please call the Dean of Students office at 440-775-8462.
After your discussion, if you believe a medical leave is your best option, follow the steps outlined below.
- Fill out the student Request to Begin Medical Leave of Absence form.
- Submit the form to the Dean of Students Office by email, mail, or in person in Wilder Hall Room 105. Send email to medleave@oberlin.edu
- Have your health care provider complete and submit the MLOA Healthcare Provider Supporting Information within two weeks by snail mail or fax. Address/fax numbers are on the form.
- Make transportation arrangements and speak with the Office of Residential Life about moving out of your residence hall.
- If you have belongings in campus housing, follow the procedures outlined by ResLife.
Once the medical leave information is complete, you will receive an email and a hard copy letter discussing the leave. You will receive a copy and the other copy will be sent to a parent/guardian, even if you live at the same address.
- Begin medical care.
- Your OCMail account will remain active while you are on leave. Check it regularly regarding return procedures and to keep passwords up-to-date.
- Communicate with the dean of students office if you need to extend leave.
- Contact the medical leave coordinator through medleave@oberlin.edu or at 440-775-8462 if you have any questions or concerns while you are on leave.
You may receive messages from a staff member from the Academic Advising Resource Center (AARC) or your academic advisor to see how you are doing.
- When you and your provider believe you are ready to return, complete the Student Application to Return from MLOA .
- Have your health care provider submit the Health Care Provider Assessment and Recommendations form for student’s return from MLOA by mail or fax. See the forms for address or fax number.
- Fill out the Reinstatement Application for the AARC.
- Check OberView to see if you have any holds (library fines, etc.) and clear those up to speed up the process.
Please note: Applications to return are considered on a rolling basis. In order to have a smooth transition back to Oberlin, you are encouraged to plan ahead for the return, if your health circumstances allow. This will make registration for classes, housing requests, and arranging local health care more efficient.
With that in mind, applications received after July 1 are typically too late to consider for the fall semester and would be considered for spring. Applications for the spring that have been received after November 1 will generally be too late for approval and will be considered for the following fall.
- Fill out appropriate ResLife documents.
- Make sure you have all necessary forms submitted to Financial Aid.
- Check in with Student Accounts.
- Work with the Academic Advising Resource Center to register for classes.
We want your time at Oberlin to be positive and enriching. We have many resources to help you prioritize your health when you return. In addition to a range of support available in the Center for Student Success, and the AARC students returning from leave have the option to enroll in LEAD 155: Strengthening Connections and Building Community CRN 22451. This course is designed to help build a sense of community and connect students to campus resources. More information about these optional events will be shared as your return semester approaches.
Other helpful offices include: