Withdrawal
Listed below are the steps you need to take in order to withdraw from a course or term.
The guidelines below are for classes running for the full term. Shorter classes (i.e. Five-Week or Nine-Week classes) have separate deadlines. Consult the academic calendar for additional detail.
Undergraduate withdrawal policy
Undergraduate students may request permission from their dean’s office to withdraw from a course or courses after the drop deadline (the end of the 6th week of the term), until 5pm two Fridays (10 days) before exams begin, and before the due date of the final assessment in the class(es) in question. When Thanksgiving or other university holidays conflict with this deadline, withdrawal petitions must be submitted by the last class/business day of that same week. Check the calendar in the particular term to find the exact deadline. All approved withdrawals will result in a W (withdrawal) grade being posted to the transcript. Students will be asked to attest that the due date for the final assessment (exam, paper, project, etc.) in the particular course(s) has not been reached, as that may fall before the deadline for withdrawal. Students who request withdrawal after the final assessment date has been reached will be in violation of the policy on academic integrity. The Course Withdrawal Request form for Undergraduates is available on the Registrar Forms page under the Enrollment tab.
Term withdrawal policy
Term Withdrawal is when a student wishes to leave the university after registering for classes in any quarter, and before the quarter ends.*
Students who withdraw from the term must be sure to read and understand the university's policy with regard to withdrawal, which can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog, in the Undergraduate Education section. Information about financial obligations and deadlines can be found on the Student Financial Services website.
If you receive financial aid, have student loans, or live in university housing it is your responsibility to contact the associated offices on campus to inform them of your change in status.
Term withdrawal steps
- Access the Term Withdrawal Request forms.
- Submit the form for approval to your school dean’s office. If you are a dual degree student, you must obtain approval signatures from both schools. Your school can submit the form directly to the Office of the Registrar (via email or campus mail), or you can drop it off in person.
- The withdrawal date is the date on which you request the leave or withdrawal, and is recorded on the form as the “effective date.” It is recorded in CAESAR and is used by Student Finance to determine whether there will be any financial adjustments. Tuition deposits are not refundable under any circumstances. Refund-related questions should be directed to Student Finance.
Withdrawals in the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters requested through the end of the 6th week of classes will result in an entry on the transcript documenting the withdrawal date. Withdrawals requested after the end of the 6th week will result in the withdrawn courses, with grades of "W", being posted on the transcript along with the withdrawal date.
Petition for a Late Withdrawal
Changing student enrollment status after the deadline for withdrawals can have significant impact on how the university complies with federal regulations and other important internal and external commitments. Students should consider the financial and academic implications and discuss with their school/college academic adviser before submitting a petition. Petitions for exception to this university policy are rare.
Petition Criteria for Consideration of a Late Withdrawal
- A petition should only be requested when there were circumstances beyond the student’s control that delayed taking action to withdraw by the deadline which are supported by documentation (e.g., serious medical condition that renders students unable to take appropriate action).
- A petition for a late withdrawal extends to all enrollment within in a term; it is not possible to petition for a late withdrawal for selected courses within a term.
- Petitions for late withdrawal must be submitted within one calendar year of the end of the term in question.
- Petitions will not be accepted after a student’s degree has been conferred or if the student has been asked to the leave the University for any reason.
- Approved petitions will result in the posting of all W grades for the term in question.
Procedure to Submit Petition for a Late Withdrawal
Students who wish to submit a late withdrawal petition must meet all criteria above. See Undergraduate Advising instructions to submit a petition for late withdrawal.