Leaves, accommodations, and time away

Family medical leave provides up to 12 weeks of employment relief for employees who are dealing with their own or an immediate family member’s serious health condition. During this period, a student remains enrolled and tuition remission and health insurance continue, but salary does not continue. 

Student employees serving in RA/TA/IG roles are eligible for 12 weeks of employment leave. The leave runs concurrently with the childbirth and/or parental accommodations for the first 12 weeks. 

The employment leave allows for:

• four weeks of salary paid at MA formula rate, 
• Tuition coverage, 

AND the balance of the remaining 12 weeks of family and medical leave (if applicable) – without compensation, but with tuition coverage and benefits in place.

Graduate students with active RA, TA, or IG appointments may, upon approval of their research supervisor and academic advisor, take an unpaid employment leave for reasonable educational or professional development opportunities that advance their educational and professional goals. 
These may include short-term internships and teaching or research appointments at other institutions. Students who have not accepted a summer appointment in order to pursue an external internship are not considered to be on professional development employment leave.

Student employees with a research assistant (RA), teaching assistant (TA), or instructor-G (IG) appointment may request personal employment leave from appointment duties only for reasons not otherwise covered by the terms of the MIT-GSU collective bargaining agreement, such as a non-medical personal crisis or major life event. 

Personal leaves from employment expectations may be granted at the discretion of the employee’s supervisor, are to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and are typically awarded for family emergencies and personal crises. Typically, the duration will be up to two weeks, and it may not exceed four weeks. During such leaves of absence, student employees retain all salary and benefits.

Graduate students who experience medical or personal issues that prevent them from making academic progress may request an academic medical leave. Leaves taken after the start of a term will be charged a pro-rated tuition amount. 

During this period, the student is not enrolled and is not expected to make academic progress. Enrollment, and the associated funding, are deferred to a later period in which the student may make academic progress. 

Since the student is not enrolled during an academic leave, they are not eligible for most student benefits, including building access, campus housing, visa support, tuition remission, and salary or stipend support. 

However, students who did not waive the MIT Student Health Insurance Plan (MIT SHIP) — formerly the MIT Student Extended Insurance Plan — while registered may continue this coverage during the period of medical leave for two consecutive semesters and a summer. After that, a student may request approval for one additional semester of coverage. This request must be made in writing to the Student Health Plans Office. 

Students also retain access to their MIT email account.

Graduate students who serve in the military may request up to 12 months of leave from their graduate program. The leave can be renewed annually with the approval of the advisor, department, and OGE. During this period they are not enrolled and do not receive the usual student benefits. They do retain their MIT email during the length of the leave.

Graduate students who are presented with significant professional or educational opportunities may request a professional development leave. During this period, which is typically one semester or one year, the student is not enrolled, not eligible to hold graduate appointments, and does not receive normal student benefits. 

Since students are not enrolled during these leaves, they should discuss their plans with their advisors, programs, and GradSupport in advance of their requests.

Academic absences of short duration, not exceeding four weeks, for personal reasons not related to the birth, adoption, or placement of a child (such as a family emergency, a brief illness, a personal crisis, or a major life event) can be granted at the discretion of a graduate student’s academic or research advisor and are to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Requests for academic absences exceeding four weeks, and cases leading to the request of more than one personal accommodation in an appointment period, should be discussed with the student’s program office and with GradSupport. 
Students enrolled in coursework should also request an excused absence from exams or assignments due during the academic absence period through GradSupport.

The childbirth accommodation is available to any registered student who has recently given birth and provides relief from academic and employment responsibilities for a set period of time. Students who take childbirth accommodation are eligible for an additional period of parental accommodation.

Student employees serving in RA/TA/IG roles remain enrolled during the parental accommodation period, and salary and benefits continue.

Students receiving fellowships or who are self-funded are eligible for an academic accommodation. Fellowships stipends, tuition coverage, and any benefits present at the start of the accommodation remain in place.

Parental accommodation is available for all registered students due to the birth, adoption, or placement of a child and provides relief from academic and employment responsibilities for a set period of time.

Student employees serving in RA/TA/IG roles will remain enrolled, and full salary and benefits continue. 

For students receiving fellowships or who are self-funded, any stipend and tuition awards and  other benefits present at the start of the accommodation remain in place.