Withdrawals

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Students may withdraw from courses after the drop/add period up until the withdrawal deadline.  A grade of W (withdrawal) will be posted to students’ transcripts.   The hours count as attempted hours but do not count as earned hours, and the grade will have no effect on the students’ grade point averages.  Students withdraw by using the registration link of the ULink online portal. No signature or other authorization is required if the change is made by the withdrawal deadline, but students should consult with academic and/or financial aid advisors to understand how withdrawing from a course will affect their academic plan status, their progress toward their degree, and their financial aid eligibility. 

The withdrawal deadline for each semester is specified in the official registration calendar. The deadline typically occurs shortly after mid-term.  Students who stop attending class without withdrawing will be given the grade of F for the course. 

Students who make a complete withdrawal from all courses for a particular semester should contact their academic advisor to seek alternative solutions and/or to improve the possibility of returning to the university at a later date. A complete withdrawal must be processed in accordance with the procedures established by the academic unit.

In exceptional circumstances, students may petition for a late withdrawal after the withdrawal deadline.  Students who intend to continue in other courses during the semester must petition the course instructional unit (the academic unit in which the course is taught). Students who intend to withdraw from all courses for which they are registered (late complete withdrawal) must petition their enrollment unit (the academic unit in which they are enrolled for their degree work).  Proper documentation of the exceptional circumstances must accompany the petition for a late complete withdrawal. The enrollment unit shall request and consider all instructors’ recommendations in deciding on the petition for a late complete withdrawal.  Students should contact the advising office in the appropriate unit for guidance in the petition process. 

Compassionate Withdrawal

Students may request and be considered for a compassionate withdrawal when extraordinary circumstances prevent students from continuing in classes or completing academic requirements.  If students are gravely incapacitated, the request may come from the student’s spouse, family or legal surrogate.  The office of the dean of students will gather necessary documentation to show that the situation is incapacitating.   Such situations cover both physical and mental health issues, serious illness or injury, and extraordinary personal reasons.  The office of the dean of students will review and evaluate the compassionate withdrawal request and take follow‐up action to refer the case to the appropriate officer (e.g., unit dean) for review and decision.

The Office of the Dean of Students will coordinate the process with the unit dean’s designee. An academic withdrawal does not remove a student’s financial responsibility for his/her educational expenses. Students are responsible for payment of any outstanding charges including, but not limited to tuition, fees, parking, housing and other expenses, after the academic withdrawal is granted. The Office of the Dean of Students will assist with the identification and completion of all necessary business processes.

Withdrawal Effective Date

The effective withdrawal date is the date on which the withdrawal is processed in the student records system. This date is used in calculating any applicable tuition reduction. When students officially withdraw from any course or courses for which hourly rates apply, tuition will be adjusted at the following ratios for regularly scheduled fall and spring classes:

Tuition Charge/Credit Withdrawal Date Fees Refunded
0% charge/100% credit Drop during first week of semester 100% fees
50% charge/50% credit Withdrawal during second or third week of semester 0% fees
75% charge/25% credit Withdrawal during fourth week of semester 0% fees
100% charge/0% credit Withdrawal after fourth week of the semester 0% fees

Summer courses and some fall and spring semester courses vary in length and the percentage of refunds is modified.  Refund deadlines for special terms and courses are listed in the online Registration Information.

Course fees (as opposed to tuition) are refundable only with 100% credit.