Parental Relief for PhD Students

The Graduate School's parental relief policy assists PhD students when they become parents by enabling them to modify their academic responsibilities in the semester during or following the birth or adoption of a child. Relief may be taken in the semester in which the birth/adoption occurs, or the semester immediately following. 

During your semester of parental relief:

• Your academic clock stops, effectively adding an additional term to your total time to degree.
• You will remain a registered full-time student; relief is not a leave of absence. If you are on a Yale-sponsored student visa, be sure confirm with OISS that relief will not affect your immigration status.
• You will receive a standard stipend and health award from the Graduate School. Any funding remaining in your original funding package offered at admission will be deferred until your return.
• In consultation with your DGS and adviser, you can modify your academic activity to suit your specific situation. All students are entitled to a minimum of eight weeks of full relief free from any academic obligations.

This benefit is limited to two birth or adoption events over the course of a student’s doctoral program. If both parents are PhD students at Yale, both may receive this benefit per birth or adoption event. 

Please note that a new birth or adoption may also qualify you for the Graduate School’s Family Support Subsidy for PhD students.

Students who are not eligible for parental relief may be eligible for a parental leave of absence.