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GSAD-908 - Graduate Student Parental Leave

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Academic Goal

Consistent with Penn State’s commitment to support the personal and professional development of all members of our community, the goal of this policy is to support graduate students who become parents during their graduate careers in a way that allows them to appropriately balance new additions of minor children to their family with their academic pursuits.

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Purpose

In recognition of the challenges of balancing the demands of graduate study and parenting a new child, this policy defines the provisions of the Parental Leave program for graduate students. This policy establishes guidelines for a leave of absence from graduate studies for the purpose of caring for and bonding with one or more newborn children, adoption or placement of one or more children in the process of adoption, or appointment as legal guardian of one or more children.

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Scope

All degree-seeking graduate students who become parents of minor children through birth, adoption, or legal guardianship and who have been full-time graduate students for at least one complete semester at the time parental leave is taken.

Policy Statement

  1. Eligibility:
    1. Full time graduate students who become parents through birth, adoption, or legal guardianship of a minor child are eligible for Parental Leave.
    2. Graduate students must have completed one full semester of study to be eligible for parental leave.
  2. Upon notification of a qualifying event, the Fox Graduate School provides a Parental Leave of Absence for up to six consecutive weeks within 120 calendar days immediately following the childbirth (for the birth parent and non-birthing parent) or the legal adoption or placement of one or more minor children in the process of adoption or guardianship. The timing of the leave within the 120-day window is at the discretion of the student.
  3. A Parental Leave of Absence is predicated on the expectation that the student will resume their studies at the end of the absence. If the period of approved absence expires and the student is not ready to return, the student should request additional time away through GSAD-906 Graduate Student Leave of Absence.
  4. It is the responsibility of the graduate student to notify their Graduate Program Head of their intention to take Parental Leave at least 30 days in advance if the need is foreseeable. Students will be required to present documentation to verify the birth or adoption.
  5. If both parents are graduate students, each is individually eligible for up to six consecutive weeks of Parental Leave as outlined above. Parental Leave for both parents can run concurrently, overlap, or be taken be over separate six-week periods during the first 120 calendar days from the date of the qualifying event.
  6. Programs must allow students to return following a parental leave to the same academic status they had before the leave and may not penalize students for submitting work after a deadline due to pregnancy or childbirth.
  7. Timelines for degree progress will be extended by one semester per parental leave assuming no complications with the pregnancy or delivery.
    1. Students who experience significant medical complications with either the pregnancy or delivery may, if necessary, request additional leave through GSAD-906 Graduate Student Leave of Absence ; additional timeline extensions would be provided under that policy.

Process

  1. Students for whom a leave becomes necessary before the birth or formal adoption of a child should arrange for such a leave through GSAD-906 Graduate Student Leave of Absence.
  2. Students taking courses should discuss plans with their graduate program leaders and/or adviser for how course work will be managed during the semester in which parental leave will be needed to minimize disruption of academic progress. Arrangements can be made with instructors to defer grades, as needed. Before the leave begins and after it concludes, it is the student’s responsibility to work with their course instructors to establish clear means of communication about assignments to be completed and timelines for deliverables, if grades are deferred.
  3. Students receiving financial aid, such as student loans, should consult with the Office of Student Aid to discuss potential impacts of parental leave on their aid.
  4. Students participating in internships outside of the University should work with the internship provider to manage parental leave. If parental leave is not an option for the internship arrangements and the internship is a degree requirement, arrangements should be made with the graduate program to find a solution that minimizes the impact on a student’s degree progress.
  5. Programs with graduate students supported by assistantships, fellowships, or traineeships with an approved parental leave should consult Management of Graduate Assistantships, Fellowships, and Traineeships for Graduate Students with an Approved Leave of Absence for additional guidance.

Procedures

Revision History

Approved by the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Fox Graduate School, June 23, 2025. Approved by Interim Provost Tracy Langkilde, June 24, 2025. Effective Date: July 1, 2025

  • New Policy