56-00 Withdrawal And Leave Of Absence

A student who is unable to complete a schedule of courses for a given semester may withdraw from enrollment in all courses at the University. The student may withdraw any time up to and including the last day of classes, before the final examination period begins. If the student is a degree candidate, then at the time of withdrawal from enrollment in courses the student also withdraws from the university as a degree candidate. Thus, to enroll in courses at a later time as a degree candidate, a request for re-enrollment as a degree candidate must be made in accordance with the policies and procedures for re-enrollment given in Section 58-00. If the person is a nondegree student who wishes to enroll in courses at a later time, the policies and procedures given in Section 14-00 must be followed. Students withdrawing from enrollment in courses at the University before the end of a semester receive refunds according to a schedule detailed under the section on tuition and fees in the current Baccalaureate Degree Programs Bulletin or a current copy of the Schedule of Courses.

Active-duty service members or activated reserve-component members of the U.S. Armed Forces (not a contractor or civilian working for the military) and/or spouses/domestic partners of active-duty members or activated reserve-component members who are ordered by their military service to relocate or deploy and, as a result, are unable to complete a schedule of courses for a given semester may request a Partially Cancelled Schedule. Full military withdrawals will be considered in cases where the student is unable to complete their full schedule of courses. This type of withdrawal will be in accordance with the policies and procedures for withdrawal given previously in Section 56-30. A Partially Cancelled Schedule will be considered in cases where the student is only able to continue with a portion of their scheduled courses as a result of their military relocation or deployment. In the case of a partially cancelled schedule, students will be allowed to drop a portion of their scheduled courses after consulting their college/academic unit, and they will maintain their status in the university as a degree candidate.

At University Park, if the director of University Health Services determines that a student is unable to complete a schedule of classes because of illness, the director may give the student permission to withdraw from the University. The director of University Health Services should inform either the dean of the college of enrollment or the director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division of this action. If the student is not able to initiate a withdrawal, the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled or the director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division may do so upon proper notification. At other locations, if the executive officer or a designated academic officer determines that a student is unable to complete a schedule of classes because of illness, the executive officer or designated academic officer may give the student permission to withdraw from the University and may also initiate the withdrawal.

If a student is suspended or dismissed from the University for nonacademic reasons, the director of Judicial Affairs should inform either the dean of the college of enrollment, or the director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division, that the student has been separated from the University. If the student fails to initiate a withdrawal, the dean or the director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies may do so upon proper notification.

If a degree candidate does not register for consecutive semesters (with the exception of summer session) and does not file for a leave of absence, the person’s status as a degree candidate is automatically terminated. The person must request re-enrollment and be accepted as a degree candidate following the policies and procedures of Section 58-00 before resuming as a degree candidate.

A person who was a degree candidate but who has withdrawn from the University may wish to enroll in courses at another university or college while absent from the University. To return to the University as a degree candidate, the person must request re-enrollment and be accepted as a degree candidate, following the policies and procedures given in Section 58-00. A degree candidate who wishes to take courses at another institution only during the summer session need not apply for re-enrollment as a degree candidate for the following fall semester. The procedures for obtaining credit for courses taken at other universities and colleges can be found in Sections 42-80 and 42-90.

Note: Before attending the other institution the candidate should secure from the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled, or the director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the candidate is enrolled in that division, verification that the courses to be taken are appropriate for the candidate’s program. The candidate should prepare a written request to the director of admissions in order to determine what credits are transferable. In addition, the candidate may be requested to provide a catalog from the other institution.

J-1 Withdrawal
J-3 Military Leave of Absence, Withdrawal, and Late Drop

Revised: 3/5/53 (as Rule F-1)
Revised: 3/7/72 (as Rule F-1)
Revised: 12/9/75 (as Rule F-1)
Revised: 1/7/75 (as Rule F-1)
Revised: 5/7/74 (as Rule F-1)
Revised: 3/2/76
Revised: 6/1/76
Revised: 10/7/80
Revised: 4/29/14
Revised: 1/28/2020