A student may withdraw from or drop an individual course until the end of the tenth week of a fall or spring semester, the second week of Interim session, the third week of a five-week summer session or the fourth week of a 10-week session. After this period, students are expected to maintain their course loads.
A student contemplating withdrawal from a course is strongly encouraged to contact their academic advisor before changing the schedule, as changes can result in delayed graduation. Also, dropping below full-time status may impact insurance (health and auto), financial aid and scholarships. Full-time status is 12 credit hours for undergraduate students, nine credit hours for graduate students, and 10 credit hours for law students.
A student may not withdraw from or drop individual courses in which penalty grades were assigned as a result of academic misconduct.
No permanent notation is made of a course that is dropped during the change-of-schedule period. A course dropped from the end of the change-of-schedule period to the end of the tenth week of a fall or spring semester, the end of the second week of Interim session, the end of the third week of a five-week summer session or the end of the fourth week of a 10-week summer session is indicated on the student’s permanent academic transcript with a grade of “W.”
Dropping an Interim session course does not result in a withdrawal from the University if the student is enrolled in a course or courses in any other session within the same term.
After the Last Day to Drop with a W, a student must petition the college office for approval to withdraw or drop “for reasons beyond the student’s control.” The presumption is that the student cannot withdraw without “extenuating circumstances,” which must be documented. Specifically, the student cannot drop because he or she isn’t doing well in the class. Depending upon the term, the student had up to 10 weeks to make this judgment call. This note also applies to any retroactive withdrawal or drop.
Financial Implications
Please see the full Student Account Services policy for the financial impact of withdrawals at different stages of the semester.
Tuition and college/course fee charges are reduced following withdrawal from all classes in an enrollment period at a rate based on the date the student initiates the withdrawal process in the Office of the University Registrar as reflected in the “Proration of Tuition and College/Course Fee Charges”. Links to policies on current proration dates are provided below.
Proration (the reduced rate of tuition based on time of withdrawal) for medical withdrawal is based on the withdrawal effective date as determined by the designated Student Health Center physician, on behalf of the University. Withdrawal due to involuntary military induction (supported by valid military induction notice) will result in full tuition removal. Documentation for medical withdrawals and involuntary military induction must be received before the last day of classes for the term in which the medical need or military call up is being requested. For dropping an individual course, proration is determined by the date the student initiates the action.
Students who have chosen to refuse vaccinations and are subsequently sent home as a result of an epidemic outbreak on campus will not be entitled to a medical withdrawal for the term. Proration of charges and fees will be as of the date of the campus event.
Enrollment periods are the fall semester, the spring semester or the summer term. The summer term includes several different sessions – a 3 week Interim session, two 5 week summer sessions, and a Law School summer session.
Students are not entitled to refunds or cancellation of amounts due for residence hall contracts unless they withdraw from all classes.