Non-Academic Withdrawals

Students who are experiencing a non-academic situation that is affecting their ability to complete courses after the last day to withdraw on their own may request a non-academic withdrawal through their major college. The situation must be able to be verified through third-party documentation.

Please see below for the policies and process for requesting a non-academic withdrawal.

Requesting a Non-Academic Withdrawal

  1. Review all policies below pertaining to non-academic withdrawals.
  2. Fill out a Withdrawal Request Form explaining the specific request and reasons. Only written materials and verifiable, third-party documentation can be used by the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office to reach a decision.
  3. Submit your completed request and supporting documentation to the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office.
  4. Submit your request in a timely manner. Timing is very important when submitting a request to withdraw. Delays in submitting requests increase the academic component of the request and can have an adverse effect on the final decision.
  5. Provide requested documentation in a timely manner. After 30 days, all undocumented requests are automatically denied.
  6. If possible, continue attending all classes in which you are officially enrolled and complete the required coursework unless you receive written approval from our office for a withdrawal. If permission is granted, you will need to confirm that there are no holds on your record for the withdrawal to be processed.

Withdrawal Policies

Non-Academic Withdrawal Is Allowed

Students may request a non-academic withdrawal after the normal withdrawal deadline. Requests are considered only under exceptional circumstances. Students will need to provide verifiable, third-party documentation with the request. Such documentation is required of all students submitting requests to ensure equity and fairness. 

Withdrawals are typically allowed only for full semesters at a time (i.e., students must withdraw from all courses).

Exceptional circumstances include - but are not limited to:

  1. Medical Circumstances - Requests for withdrawals due to medical circumstances must be supported by relevant, dated medical documentation. The best documentation to submit is a verifiable letter from a health professional that contains the date of onset, the dates the student was seen, the general nature of the condition, and the effect the condition would have on the student's ability to complete courses.

    If a student is seeking a partial non-academic withdrawal, the documentation must show why the condition has affected that course (or courses) specifically. Otherwise, only a full non-academic withdrawal from all courses in a semester can be considered.

  2. Employment - Requests for withdrawals due to work-related reasons must be documented by the employer on company letterhead. Only unanticipated and unavoidable changes in employment that occur after the normal withdrawal date and which result in a direct scheduling conflict with a course (or courses) will be considered. An increased or more stressful workload is not considered a valid reason to request a non-academic withdrawal (see the University Catalog under "Academic Load"). NOTE: No course may be withdrawn for work reasons after 12 weeks or 4/5 of the term have passed.

Please review the appropriate FAQ on the right side of the page for additional information regarding the best type of documentation to submit.

Non-Academic Withdrawal is Not Allowed

  • To avoid an unsatisfactory grade due to academic reasons.
  • To correct enrollment errors on the part of the student (For more information, review the University Catalog). Students are responsible for all courses in which they remain officially enrolled after the normal withdrawal period has ended.
  • When the student has graduated: Non-Academic withdrawals are not allowed for courses that have been applied to a completed degree. Once the degree has been conferred and the student has graduated, the transcript is sealed and not subject to alteration.
  • Students found in violation of the honor code or who have a current honor code case pending, are not eligible to withdraw from the course in which the violation occurred.

Instructors do not have the authority to withdraw students from classes.

If you are granted a non-academic withdrawal, it will result in a "W" on your permanent record. These non-academic withdrawals do not count towards your allowed selective withdrawals.

Students have the right to appeal denial of a request. Information on submitting an appeal can be found at the bottom of the page