Office of the University Registrar

Withdrawal, Quarter-Off, and On-Leave Policies

Withdrawal Policies for Autumn, Winter, or Spring quarters

It is your responsibility to withdraw if you are unable to attend for the quarter. Through the end of the Unrestricted Drop Period, you may withdraw by dropping all courses from your MyUW registration page. Beginning the first day of the Late Course Drop Period through the last date of instruction, you must withdraw by following the Adviser Assisted Drop process, as listed on the Current Quarter Drop webpage. You will not be able to completely withdraw or drop all courses using the MyUW registration tools or by emailing your campus registration team.

If you drop your last course using the Current Quarter Drop process and do not add another course you will be considered withdrawn for the quarter. Beginning the eighth calendar day of the quarter, if you drop your last course you will be charged a Change of Registration Service fee plus any tuition forfeiture. Tuition forfeitures will be applied for any drop resulting in a change of tuition cost in this period.

No withdrawals are accepted after the last day of instruction.

Transcript Entries

If you totally withdraw from a quarter during the first two weeks, the courses for that quarter are not recorded on your UW transcript; however, the date of the withdrawal is recorded and posted to the transcript. After this deadline, each course will be listed on an undergraduate’s transcript with an “RD’ for Registrar Drop grade.

Tuition

Students who withdraw may be entitled to a refund of all or a portion of the tuition and fees for a given quarter depending on the time of the quarter the withdrawal is completed. (Review Withdrawals or Refunds for Aid Recipients.) If you drop all of your courses, you will be charged a Change of Registration Service fee beginning the eighth calendar day of the term or quarter.

Tuition owed will be based upon the date the complete withdrawal is recorded at the Office of the University Registrar, the date that the last course is dropped through the Current Quarter Drop process by your campus registration team, If you withdraw, the amount of the U-PASS fee to be refunded is based on the date of withdrawal and follows the tuition forfeiture schedule.

Withdrawal by International Students

In general, U.S. law requires F-1 and J-1 students to be registered full-time. This is defined as at least:

  • 12 credits each quarter for undergraduate students
  • 10 credits each quarter for graduate students

Review the ISS Dropping a Course, Withdrawal, and On-Leave Status webpage for more information about possible legal exceptions to this requirement.

Withdrawal by Newly Admitted Students

Withdrawal from any quarter prior to the first day of the quarter for a newly admitted student invalidates your status as a continuing student. You must submit a new admission application by the published closing date for each quarter depending on your admission type (freshman, transfer, post-baccalaureate, graduate, international). Review the Registration Eligibility section of the Time Schedule if you are withdrawing before the first-course day of the quarter.

Withdrawal for Two Consecutive Quarters

Both undergraduate and graduate students who withdraw during the first week of two consecutive quarters will not be eligible to register as a continuing student for the third quarter. To re-enroll at the University, you will be required to submit the Returning Student Request Form, as well as pay the form submission fee. For example, if you withdraw during the first week of winter quarter and spring quarter, you must follow the returning former student process in order to register for autumn quarter.

Note that withdrawing from one quarter and not attending the subsequent quarter constitutes an absence of two consecutive quarters, which triggers the need for a Returning Student Form.

Withdrawal Policies for Summer Quarter

Summer quarter at the University of Washington is scheduled for nine weeks each summer. Students may register for A-term, B-term, a Special Dates course, Full- term or a combination of the four.

Full-term courses are held during the entire nine weeks. Courses held during the first four and a half weeks are considered “A-term.” Courses held during the second four and a half weeks are considered “B-term.” Some courses begin or end on dates other than the standard dates of A-term, B-term, or Full-term courses. These courses are considered “special date” courses. Withdrawal deadlines depend on whether the course is identified as an a, b, special date or full term course and whether you are registered for only A-term, B-term, Special Dates, Full-term or a combination of the four course types.

Summer Withdrawals

It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw when unable to attend for the quarter. Failing to attend class or notifying the instructor that you wish to drop a class does not constitute an official withdrawal from the course. Through the end of the Unrestricted Drop Period, you may withdraw by dropping all courses from your MyUW registration page. Beginning the first day of the Late Course Drop Period through the last date of instruction, you must withdraw by following the Adviser Assisted Drop process, as listed on the Current Quarter Drop webpage. You will not be able to completely withdraw or drop all courses using the MyUW registration tools.

If you drop your last course using the Current Quarter Drop process and do not add another course you will be considered withdrawn for the quarter. Beginning the eighth calendar day of the quarter, if you drop your last course you will be charged a Change of Registration Fee plus any tuition forfeiture.

Depending on the date you withdraw, you may incur a tuition forfeiture fee.

Full-Term Course Withdrawal

The last day to withdraw from Full-term courses is on the Friday of the eighth week of the quarter. No withdrawals will be accepted after this date.

A-Term Course Withdrawals

A-term courses begin the same day as Full-term courses. No withdrawals are accepted twenty-four calendar days after the beginning of A-term courses. (The last day you may drop an A-term course if you are also enrolled in B-term or Full-term courses is twenty-one calendar days after the beginning of A-term.)

B-Term Course Withdrawals

B-term courses begin the day after A-term ends. The last day to withdraw (dropping all courses) from B-term is on the Friday of the eighth week of the quarter. No withdrawals will be accepted after this date. (The last day you may drop a B-term course if you are also enrolled in Full-term courses is twenty-one calendar days after the beginning of B-term.)

Special Dates Course Withdrawals

Special dates courses begin on the date listed in the Summer Quarter Bulletin. No withdrawals are accepted after the first day of the course. No drops of any kind are permitted on the last day of the course. (You may drop a course until the first 40 percent of a special dates course is completed. No drop is permitted after 40 percent of a special dates course is completed except with a complete withdrawal for the quarter.)

Transcript Entries

During summer quarter withdrawals shall be entered on your permanent record as follows:

  1. For full-quarter courses, during the first fourteen calendar days of the quarter only the date of withdrawal is recorded.
  2. For A-term courses, during the first seven calendar days of the quarter only the date of withdrawal is recorded.
  3. For B-term courses, from the first day of the quarter through the first seven calendar days of B-term only the date of withdrawal is recorded.
  4. For Special Dates courses, from the first day of the quarter through the first day of the course only the date of withdrawal is recorded.

After these deadlines, the courses will be listed on an undergraduate’s transcript with a RD for Registrar Drop grade. Courses will be listed on a graduate or professional student transcript with only a RD for Registrar Drop grade.

Tuition

Students who withdraw may be entitled to a refund of all or a portion of the tuition and fees for a given quarter depending on the time of the quarter the withdrawal is completed. (Review Withdrawals or Refunds for Aid Recipients.) If you withdraw, you will be charged a course Change of Registration Service fee beginning the eighth calendar day of the term or quarter. You will also be charged this fee if you withdraw after the first 40 percent of a Special Dates course is completed.

Tuition owed is based upon the date the withdrawal is recorded by the Office of the University Registrar, i.e., the date that the last course is dropped. If you withdraw, the amount of the U-PASS fee to be refunded is based on the date of withdrawal and follows the tuition forfeiture schedule.

Withdrawal by Newly Admitted Students

Withdrawal from summer quarter prior to the first day of the quarter for a newly admitted student invalidates your status as a continuing student. You must submit a new admission application by the published closing dates for each quarter depending on your admission type (freshman, transfer, postbaccalaureate, graduate, international). Review the Registration Eligibility section of the Time Schedule if you are withdrawing before the first course day of the quarter.

Former Quarter Drop Policy

Former Quarter Drop petitions may be submitted for dropping individual courses after the 14th calendar day of the quarter or after the drop deadline for A- or B-terms during summer quarter.

Students may petition the Registrar for a Former Quarter Drop if circumstances beyond the student’s control prevented them from dropping the course by the drop deadline (the last day to drop an individual course for the quarter).

Former Quarter Drops will not be granted for course work that has already been applied to a completed degree. Petitions must be submitted within one year of the quarter being petitioned or have support for an extension from the student’s adviser.

Grades cannot be changed after a degree has been granted.

Please review the Former Quarter Drop webpage for more information.

Military Withdrawal Policy

If you are called to active military duty during a quarter in which you are registered, you may either request to be withdrawn or request to receive credit or grades. Note: the Military Withdrawal Policy does not apply to students who voluntarily enlist.

Withdrawals before the end of the 7th week of the quarter

You do not have the option of receiving credit or grades when withdrawing before the end of the 7th week of the quarter.

Refer to the Tuition section above regarding the possible cancellation and refunding of tuition and fees.

You may follow the drop procedures during the Unrestricted Drop Period or Late Drop Period (Current Drop Period) to withdraw from your courses or you may email your campus registration team at the appropriate email below to request a full withdrawal.
UW Seattle regoff@uw.edu
UW Tacoma reguwt@uw.edu
UW Bothell uwbreg@uw.edu

If you withdraw after the end of the 7th week of the quarter

If you withdraw after the end of the 7th week of the quarter, you may elect to use the above procedure and withdraw without earning credit but getting a full refund, or you may elect to receive credit and grades. If you choose to receive credit you may not receive a refund.

Refer to the Tuition section above regarding the possible cancellation and refunding of tuition and fees.

If you elect to receive credit or grades, you must email The Graduation and Academic Records (GARS) team at ugradoff@uw.edu along with your military orders. A GARS team member will contact each of your instructors requesting grades. You may elect to have numeric grades recorded as by the instructor or to have them recorded as CR/NC (credit or no credit).

You may follow the drop procedures during the Unrestricted Drop Period or Late Drop Period (Current Drop Period) to withdraw from your courses or you may email your campus registration team at the appropriate email below to request a full withdrawal.
UW Seattle regoff@uw.edu
UW Tacoma reguwt@uw.edu
UW Bothell uwbreg@uw.edu

If you are using any VA education benefits, please make sure to contact your VA certifying official when you withdraw to make sure your benefits are handled correctly.
Veterans Education Benefits Office – Seattle: veteran@uw.edu
Veteran and Military Resource Center – Tacoma: uwtva@uw.edu
Veterans Services – Bothell: rosal@uw.edu

Returning from Military Leave

You may apply to return using the online Returning Student Request Form. The returning student submission fee will be waived. Registration will be permitted beginning Registration Period I.

Please consult with the Office of the University Registrar for complete details. regoff@uw.edu.

Withdrawing from the University

As long as you are not registered for any courses for upcoming quarters that you are not planning to attend, there is no paperwork that you need to formally complete through the Office of the University Registrar. Some things to keep in mind, however, depending on your situation:

  • Make sure you have paid any tuition or fees you owe the UW. If there are outstanding fees, this could result in holds being placed on your records, preventing you from ordering transcripts.
  • If you are in a major or graduate program, please let them know your intention of leaving and/or your planned time to return.
  • If you are in University housing or planned to be in for a future quarter, be sure to contact the Housing and Food Services Office (hfsinfo@uw.edu or 206-543-4059).
  • If you are receiving financial aid, please contact the Financial Aid Office (osfa@uw.edu or 206-543-6101) for assistance with any paperwork you may need to do.
  • If you are an international student, please contact your advisor in the International Student Services Office to make sure there is nothing you need to do through their office or issues involving your visa and requirements. If you do not know the contact information for your advisor, you can reach them at uwiss@uw.edu or 206-221-7857.
  • Please be aware that the UW G Suite and/or UW Office 365 email & productivity platform account(s) and data that you create with your UW email address are temporary and will expire when you graduate and/or separate from the UW. However, you do have the ability to forward your UW email address to a personal, non-UW email address as a student and upon separation from the UW.

Quarter-Off Eligibility Policy

If you are an undergraduate or professional student (dental, law, or medical) who has completed the preceding quarter here at the University of Washington, you may take a quarter off under the Quarter-Off Eligibility Policy.

Subject to college, school and departmental enrollment policies, an undergraduate or a professional student who has completed a quarter at the University of Washington may take the following quarter off and remain eligible to register in Registration Period I for the subsequent quarter without submitting an application as a returning student. For example, a student completing winter quarter may, without registering for or completing spring quarter, register during Registration Period I for autumn quarter without reapplying. Be advised that a registration date for that following quarter’s registration period will not appear on your MyUW front page. Please refer to the University’s academic calendar to find your registration date for the quarter in which you wish to resume your studies after your quarter-off.

Any quarter from which a student has completely withdrawn, or from which he/she is canceled, does not constitute a completed quarter. Summer quarter enrollment is not required to maintain continuous registration eligibility.

Returning students who do not meet the criteria described in the above paragraph must submit a Returning Student Reenrollment Form by the published deadlines and pay the submission fee.

The Quarter-Off Eligibility Policy is not available to graduate students. Graduate students are governed by the On-leave Policy.

Graduate On-Leave Policy

Graduate students are required to maintain graduate status during their program of study. Students who desire to take a quarter or quarters off without going through the reinstatement process must apply for on-leave status for each quarter they do not register. Graduate students are not eligible for a U-PASS while they are on-leave. Review Graduate On-Leave Status for on-leave eligibility, the procedure for requesting leave, and information about reinstatement.

Review Returning Student Reenrollment Policies for information on how to return from on-leave status.

WAC 478-161-015 on-leave status for graduate students.

Tuition Forfeiture and Other Fees

Students who drop or withdraw from classes after the first day of the quarter may be subject to a change of registration fee and may or may not be eligible for a complete refund of tuition. For more information, review the Student Fiscal Service’s tuition forfeiture webpage.