Dropping courses

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Dropping courses

Students dropping a course during the first two weeks of a quarter shall have no entry on their permanent academic transcript. If all courses are dropped, then a “Withdrawn” designation is recorded on the transcript.

Students may drop one course each quarter (autumn through summer quarters) on MyUW from the third through the last day of instruction. This is referred to as the “current quarter drop.” The process differs depending on the time of the quarter

A student who does not drop a course officially through MyUW is given a grade of 0.0. Check in with:

  • Office of Financial Aid, if student is applying or receiving financial aid funding
  • Veteran and Military Resources Office, if student is receiving VA Benefits or veteran-related tuition waivers
  • International Student and Scholar Services, if student is an international student

Students should be aware that dropping a course might impact their student account. Please see the Tuition and Fees section of this catalog.

During summer quarter, the timeline for dropping a course is abbreviated due to the shortened session. Please consult the Academic Calendar on the Registration website for specific dates.

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Unrestricted drop period

The Unrestricted Drop Period continues through the second week of the quarter. Courses dropped during this period do not appear on the academic transcript. A $20 fee is charged for each additional day drop transactions are processed starting the second week of the quarter. This fee is in addition to any tuition decrease or forfeiture as a result of the change.

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Late course drop period/current quarter drop

Between Week 3 and the last day of instruction, there are two options for dropping classes:

Quarterly drop on MyUW

Students may drop one course per quarter using the self-serve Quarterly Drop via MyUW.

Adviser-assisted drop request process

If a student has already used their self-serve Quarterly Drop, if they want to drop more than one course, or they want to completely withdraw, students use the Adviser-Assisted Drop process.

With the Adviser-Assisted Drop Request Process, a form is submitted to the academic adviser to help facilitate the drop.

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Dropping all courses for the quarter

It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw completely if he or she is unable to attend. Beginning in the 3rd week of the quarter students must withdraw using the Adviser-Assisted Drop process.

Tuition owed will be based on the date the complete withdrawal is received. No withdrawals are accepted after the last day of instruction for the quarter. Students withdrawing on or before the seventh calendar day of the quarter do not pay tuition.

New and returning students forfeit their $100 enrollment confirmation deposit. Students who drop classes between the 8th & 30th calendar days of the quarter receive a refund of one-half of the tuition reduction associated with the drop. This is in addition to the $20 Late Change of Registration Fee.

Students who drop classes after the 30th calendar day of the quarter receive no reduction in tuition and will also be charged a $20 Late Change of Registration Fee.

The following principles apply to complete withdrawal from the University:

Courses dropped as part of a complete withdrawal from the University during the first two weeks of a quarter are not recorded on the student’s UW transcript; however, the date of the complete withdrawal is recorded.

Students are required to turn in their student identification cards when they withdraw from the University and are not eligible to continue using University services or facilities after their withdrawal.

A recipient of veteran’s benefits should immediately notify the Veterans Benefits Coordinator of withdrawal.

A student with a scholarship or loan awarded through the University should notify the Financial Aid Counselor of withdrawal.

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Former quarter drop

This process provides students with a method to petition for a grade earned in a former quarter to be changed to a Registrar Drop (RD). A Former Quarter Drop (FQD) may be granted if a student is unable to complete or withdraw from their course(s) because of extenuating circumstances beyond their control.

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