Graduate students may need time away from their employment and studies at various times throughout their academic careers. Based on their relationship with the Institute, the time away may be accommodated through employment leaves, enrollment leaves, and/or accommodations.
Graduate student employees may be eligible for employment leaves that allow for relief of employment responsibilities for some time. All graduate students may be eligible for enrollment leaves, which pause enrollment and funding, and accommodations, which pause academic progress and employment expectations while allowing stipends, tuition support, and benefits to remain in place.
The CBA also provides short-term time away for institute holidays, vacation, sickness, bereavement, jury duty, and immigration.
All time away, including leaves, require supervisor approval and should be requested via Atlas in advance of the time away.
For more information regarding these policies please see the OGE website.
Information about Paid Vacation and Institute Holidays
Vacation for students with full or partial RA Appointment
5 days per full appointment period, maximum 15 days within 12 months. Unused days do not carry over to next appointment period.
Vacation requests must be approved by the supervisor in advance using the Atlas app. You may make changes to requests up to the date of the request.
Vacation for students with full Fellowship Appointment (internal or external)
May request time away from academics consistent with policies and processes of research group and graduate program.
Institute Holidays for students with full or partial RA Appointment
Bargaining unit employees observe official Institute holidays without loss of pay or benefits. During a designated holiday, employees may be required to conduct work only when determined to be necessary by their supervisor, and with advance notification. The supervisor shall discuss the necessity of such work with the employee in advance, unless such work is already specified in the appointment letter. MIT’s policy regarding student absence for religious observances also applies to bargaining unit employees. If the employee cannot make up the missed time, it must be taken as vacation time or be unpaid.
Institute Holidays for students with full Fellowship Appointment (internal or external)
Institute holidays are a break from academic research and coursework.
Graduate students need to make sure that their supervisor is aware of any planned absences from the lab, and it is good practice for students to remind their lab mates and supervisor prior to leaving for vacation, even if it was approved in advance.
