Definition of Drop and Withdrawal
- Drop: Removing one or more courses from your schedule while remaining enrolled in at least one course for the semester.
- Withdrawal: Dropping all courses for the semester, ending your enrollment for that term.
To avoid unnecessary penalties, students must complete all required procedures when dropping courses or withdrawing from the university. Students receiving financial aid should consult with a Financial Aid Specialist to understand any potential impacts before dropping or withdrawing. Failure to officially drop or withdraw from a course may result in a grade of “F.”
The official date of a drop or withdrawal is the date it is completed in the student self-service portal or the date the student submits an Add/Drop form to their college, regardless of when the student last attended class. Refunds for dropped courses follow the schedule listed in the Billing and Financial Information section of this catalog.
Dropping Courses
General Drop Procedure
If a student is considering dropping a class, they should first speak with the course instructor or their academic advisor, as they may be able to provide support and resources to allow for successful completion of the course. Students who are sure they want to drop courses are encouraged to do so through the self-service portal, on or before the published deadline to drop or withdraw with a “W.” If they encounter difficulties, they may submit an Add/Drop form to college for processing by their academic advisor. Please note: academic advisors cannot process student-initiated drops after the drop/withdrawal deadline.
- For students dropping via Self-Service, the drop date is the date the online drop is completed.
- For students who are dropped by their advisor, the drop date is the date the request was received.
Types of Drops
- Drop with No Penalty:
- If the drop is completed on or before the last day to drop without receiving a grade (date listed in the Academic Calendar ), no grade will be assigned, and the course will not appear on the student’s permanent record.
- Drop with Penalty:
- If the drop is completed after the no-penalty deadline but before the last day to drop/withdraw (date listed in the Academic Calendar ), a grade of “W” will be assigned.
- The course and the grade of “W” will appear on the student’s permanent record.
- If a grade of “W” is received prior to a guilty finding of academic dishonesty, the student will become subject to the Academic Honesty policy, which may include assigning “F” grades (that would replace the “W”).
Note: Undergraduate students are encouraged to review information regarding the 6-Drop Limit in the catalog.
Instructor Drop
An instructor may request to drop a student from a course by submitting a request to the Office of the Registrar and Student Records. Reasons for instructor-initiated drops may include:
- Excessive absences
- Lack of prerequisites/co-requisites
- Disruption of the academic process
- Academic dishonesty
- Inability to complete the withdrawal process
Instructor-initiated drops may occur any time prior to the last day to drop or withdraw(see dates in the Academic Calendar ). Students who are dropped may appeal through the dean of the college where the course is taught.
Note: After the last to drop/withdrawal deadline, students can no longer drop courses on their own. Students may contact their instructor to request a drop. At the instructor’s discretion, they may request a drop by emailing studentrecords@tamuv.edu. Instructor-initiated drops are not guaranteed and must be approved by the university.
Student-Athletes
Student-athletes must obtain approval from the Faculty Athletic Representative before making any changes to their schedules after initial eligibility is certified. Contact the Athletics Department for more information.
Withdrawing from the University
General Withdrawal Procedure
Students withdrawing from all courses must follow the same procedures outlined above for dropping courses. In addition, they must:
- Return all university library materials and laboratory equipment
- Clear all financial and academic obligations
Students unable to withdraw through their self-service portal should submit an Add/Drop form to their college.
If a withdrawal is completed:
- Before the drop deadline: No grade(s) will be assigned.
- After the drop deadline but before the last day to withdraw: Grades of “W” will be assigned.
If a grade of “W” is received prior to a guilty finding of academic dishonesty, the student will become subject to the Academic Honesty policy, which may include assigning “F” grades (that would replace the “W”).
Special Withdrawal Situations
Medical Withdrawal
Students experiencing a qualified medical circumstance after the drop deadline should request a withdrawal from their instructor. In addition, students wishing to request a refund should submit a tuition appeal.
- Qualified medical circumstances include:
- Personal medical emergencies
- Death of an immediate family member (mother, father, child, spouse)
- Serving as the primary caregiver to an immediate family member who is severely ill.
- Documentation Requirements:
- Requests should be submitted within the deadline and include documentation of the qualified event and personal circumstances.
- Deadline for Submitting Appeal:
- 140 days from the close of the affected semester.
Course load reduction for medical reasons:
This option is for students experiencing medical issues and wish to drop some courses after the drop deadline but remain enrolled for the semester.
Students experiencing a qualified medical circumstance after the drop deadline should request a drop from their instructor. In addition, students wishing to request a refund should submit a tuition appeal.
- Qualified medical circumstances include:
- Personal medical emergencies
- Death of an immediate family member (mother, father, child, spouse)
- Serving as the primary caregiver to an immediate family member who is severely ill.
- Documentation Requirements:
- Requests should be submitted within the deadline and include documentation of the qualified event and personal circumstances.
- Students should also specify how the medical emergency prevented them from completing only the identified impacted course(s) and prevented them from dropping the course(s) by the drop deadline.
- Deadline for Submitting Appeal:
- 140 days from the close of the affected semester.
Military Withdrawal
In accordance with the Texas Education Code §54.006 (f), students called to active military service may:
- Request a refund of tuition and fees; or
- Request, as determined by the instructor, an incomplete grade, final grade, or course credit if most of the coursework is completed.
Students or their representatives should present official evidence of the military activation to the Student Records Office. Students receiving Title IV federal financial aid must also contact the Financial Aid Office.
University-Initiated Withdrawal
In addition to academic or disciplinary suspension, students may also be withdrawn for financial reasons:
- Cashier Withdrawal: Students delinquent in financial obligations may be withdrawn and will not be reinstated until all debts to the university are paid.
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