Medical Withdrawal

Students may experience medical and/or psychological concerns that impact their ability to complete their courses. In these instances, students may request to withdraw for a period of time to focus on treatment for these concerns prior to returning to campus. A medical withdrawal gives students the opportunity to pause their academic pursuits, seek treatment, and return to campus once the conditions of leave are fulfilled.

Submit a Medical Withdrawal Request

A medical withdrawal requires the approval of the CARE Team. If the withdrawal is granted, the student will be assigned grades of W for all enrolled courses and should seek appropriate treatment and recovery while away in order to return. The last day to request a medical withdrawal is the same as the last day to take a general withdrawal each semester.

Any student who wants to request a medical withdrawal should complete the “Brite Medical Withdrawal Form.” Once the form is submitted, the student will be contacted to schedule an appointment to review the medical withdrawal process with a staff member from the Associate Dean’s Office and/or Department of Student Success.

Students may be asked to provide supporting documentation from a medical/mental health provider outlining the medical necessity for the withdrawal. The withdrawal request form and supporting documentation will be reviewed by the CARE Team. The student may also ask to meet with a staff member to clarify information on the form or in the supporting documentation.

Decisions about medical withdrawal are communicated to students in writing. If the medical withdrawal is granted, students will receive a medical withdrawal hold on their account and the student will not be able to return to campus or enroll in courses until the hold is lifted.

Students who take a medical withdrawal must demonstrate appropriate treatment received and three (3) months of stability prior to requesting to return to campus. This means that generally, students who take a medical withdrawal should plan to be on leave for the following long semester and be prepared to provide documentation of the treatment they received and proof of stability by a medical/ mental health provider.