When I took mine, they advised me to go to counseling. I pretended like I don't have concentration on study. They wrote a letter to international department saying that due to financial and other problem at home, I am not able to concentrate on study so it is better for me to take semester break and they granted me that. But, if you want to take full semester break without leaving country then you have to have strong medical support with doctors note saying that you cannot attend class due to weakness and so on...Hope that helps.