G - Withdrawal Procedures

G-1. Standard Withdrawals

G-1-a. A student may withdraw from the semester before the end of the second week following midterms. See regulation G-1-b for withdrawal from the semester after the end of the second week following midterms.

G-1-b. A student is permitted to withdraw from the semester after the end of the second week through one of the procedures outlined in G-2.

G-2. Semester Withdrawal Options

Students have three ways to withdraw from a semester that are outlined below.

G-2-a. General Semester Withdrawal

The process for semester withdrawals and single course withdrawals are managed through the Registrar’s Office. More information can be found here. Through this process, students can withdraw from individual courses or the full semester through VandalWeb provided that the withdrawal is not after a withdrawal deadline. Deadlines are published each semester on the Registrar’s website and can be found here. Students should check their account for any holds preventing the ability to add or drop classes. Students should also check with Financial Aid prior to adding or dropping courses to ensure either action will not affect their financial aid.

If a student needs to withdraw from a course or all courses after a deadline, the remaining types of withdrawal processes are available:

G-2-b. Hardship Withdrawal

The dean of students is authorized to approve or deny a student's request to withdraw from the semester when a student can demonstrate a hardship. The dean of students will determine if the hardship prevents the student from continuing their academic courses and/or programs for the current semester. Examples of hardship include but are not limited to a medical or health emergency; death or illness of a loved one; or a demonstrated financial loss that cannot be remedied by Financial Aid.

Hardship Withdrawal Process

Students must apply for the hardship withdrawal in the same academic term in which the student is experiencing the hardship (see regulation G-2-c below for withdrawals not occurring during the current term). Students requesting a withdrawal from the University for hardship reasons will need to complete the Hardship Withdrawal Form located on the Dean of Students website and provide documentation for the withdrawal request. If the hardship is related to medical circumstances, medical documentation needs to be provided by an applicable healthcare provider. Students may wish to consult with Student Health Services, specifically the Counseling and Mental Health Center or the Vandal Health Clinic, if the student has not been previously working with a care provider.

Approved hardship withdrawals will withdraw the student from all academic coursework for the semester and cannot be applied to single courses. The student’s transcript will reflect a “WU” for all courses in the semester in which a hardship withdrawal was requested and approved.

If the student’s hardship withdrawal is approved, a credit or refund may occur based on date of withdrawal (See “Refund of Fees”)

The dean of students may, at their discretion, initiate a mandatory withdrawal for a student under exceptional circumstances and to the extent allowed by applicable law.

G-2-c. Retroactive Withdrawal/Academic Petition

Students seeking a withdrawal for a prior semester must submit an Academic Petition through their academic college. Students must contact the college dean’s office of their major to engage in the petition process.

If the student’s Academic Petition is approved and the approval would include a financial credit or refund, the Academic Petitions Committee will determine the effective date of the withdrawal (See “Refund of Fees”).

G-3. Grades for Students Who Withdraw

A student who withdraws from or leaves UI without official approval will receive F's in all courses in which the student is registered for and for which the grade has not already been assigned.