Bereavement Leave Request

Bereavement Leave for Students

Loss can happen at any time in our lives. In the event of the death of certain members of students’ families or loved ones, the University would grant necessary bereavement absences upon student request.

Things to Consider When Requesting Bereavement Leave
Once the student submits their bereavement request, the Dean of Students office will contact their professors. Note, we strongly advise that students communicate with their professors before the leave begins to start the conversation for missed work. Details of the full bereavement leave policy for students can be found within Administrative Policies.

Documentation Tips
The Dean of Students office will request documentation of leave to grant bereavement time. Supporting documentation needed when submitting request includes:

• documentation in the form of a written statement on stationery from the funeral home, of student’s attendance at the funeral or;
• A link to online obituary or posting of notification of death or;
• If you do not have access to this information at the time of your request, you must provide it within two days of returning to campus and provide dates of leave [email protected].

Students are allotted up to three days of bereavement leave. Students who need additional days due to travel or extenuating circumstances should outline that in their request with the days needed and communicate the timeframe with their professors.

Completing the Online Form
Once documentation is prepared, the student must attach it to the online Bereavement Request Form. Once reviewed by the Dean of Students office, the student will receive notification to their OU email confirming the status of their request along with resources to support their grieving journey.

Bereavement Request Form