Withdrawals
The university reserves the right to withdraw students from a class or all classes if, in the judgment of the appropriate university officials, such withdrawals are in the best interests of students and the university. Students may be withdrawn for reasons of health, irresponsible financial conduct, unacceptable personal conduct, Honesty Code violations, disregard of official summonses to respond to official requests, or other academic infractions.
Students may appeal for a self-initiated administrative withdrawal if experiencing extreme extenuating circumstances. Some examples of extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to, death in the family, illness of an immediate family member, or natural disaster. (If seeking a medical withdrawal please refer to Medical Withdrawals on the Office of the Registrar Website.)
Students requesting an administrative withdrawal or refund of tuition and fees must submit a Student Appeal Form to the Office of the Registrar. Withdrawal appeals should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar within 9 weeks (45 business days) of the last class day of the semester for which the student is appealing, including mini sessions. Appeals submitted after this time period, will not be considered. Students with questions concerning appeals may contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@uhcl.edu. Appeal forms are available by contacting registrar@uhcl.edu. The Office of the Registrar will communicate with academic, financial, and student services administrators with regards to student appeals. Students should review their official UHCL email address for follow-up questions and decisions regarding appeals.
A grade of WX is recorded for approved Administrative Withdrawals. The grade of WX is not computed in students' grade point averages. In most cases, the regular tuition and fee assessment and refund schedule policies of the University prevail. Please refer to the Refund Schedule for additional information.
Disciplinary suspensions or dismissals are initiated by the appropriate authority in the Dean of Student's Office and written notification is sent to the Office of the Registrar. The Office of the Registrar cancels students' registration and notifies other administrative offices and faculty members.
If faculty members have reason to inquire about specific cases of administrative withdrawal, they may inquire with the Registrar or their Associate Dean's office. In certain cases, students' right to confidentiality may not permit full disclosure of the circumstances. Faculty members should maintain accurate and consistent records of academic engagement from students throughout the semester.
Students who are administratively withdrawn from a single course or all courses in a semester:
- Are still responsible for all debts, including tuition, fees, and other incidental
charges for the full semester.
- May have an effect on financial aid awards and/or student visa status when the withdrawal
results in a change in enrollment status.
- If receiving financial aid, students are advised to contact the Office of Financial Aid prior to making changes in their enrollment status.
- International students are advised to contact the International Advising Office prior to making changes in their enrollment status.
- Will have all student services and privileges, including library services and use of computer labs, terminated when registration is canceled or withdrawn from the university.
Students requesting a semester medical withdrawal must submit a Student Appeal form to the Office of the Registrar, within 9 weeks (45 business days) of the last class day of the semester for which the student is appealing, including mini sessions. (Students should make every attempt to withdraw themselves before the drop deadline (of the appropriate session) for the term. Please refer to the academic calendar for more information regarding deadlines.) A medical withdrawal formally drops all courses in a term.
A written appeal for a medical withdrawal should address each of the following:
- Explain in detail how/why the medical condition/circumstances prevented the completion of the academic semester.
- Detail the dates of the onset of the medical condition/circumstances, along with the dates of any treatment received, if appropriate.
- If attendance was stopped, explain why and when. (Please note: nonattendance does not exempt students from academic and financial responsibilities.)
- If the regular withdrawal process was not utilized, explain why not (explain why the class(es) were not dropped by the Last Day to Drop/Withdraw for the session [found on the Academic Calendar]).
- Explain what type of assistance is anticipated as a result of this request. Be as specific as possible.
Supporting Documentation
A dated letter from a health care provider(s) or other pertinent sources must be included. The documentation should be on clinic letterhead and should address the following:
- Explain how the severity of the condition completely prevents attending classes and completing the semester.
- Address potential health/clinical consequences if a medical withdrawal is not granted.
Review Process
- Submit all materials to the Office of the Registrar. Any missing or incomplete information may delay consideration of the request.
- After the materials are received, the request will be evaluated by the Office of the Registrar and students will be notified when the request has been approved or denied. Additional information to assist the university in its evaluation may be required. The decision of the Office of the Registrar is final.
- Withdrawal appeals should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar within 9 weeks (45 business days) of the last class day of the semester for which the student is appealing, including mini sessions. Appeals submitted after this time period, will not be considered.
Important Notes
- International students, students with a disability, and students who are receiving financial aid, veteran's and/or other benefits and who are considering withdrawing from the university must meet with the appropriate official (e.g., international student advisor, staff from Disability Services, financial aid counselor, or veteran's services) before withdrawing since there may be legal, certification, and/or repayment penalties associated with withdrawing.
- Medical withdrawal typically results in withdrawal from all classes. Students who are considering the medical withdrawal process and wish to drop some, but not all, of their classes for a semester should instead contact their academic associate dean's office for information about administrative drops.
- Please note that a Medical Withdrawal is granted in rare instances where students are faced with a serious and unexpected condition that completely precludes them from being able to function as a student. If a request is approved, students may be required to submit documentation from a health care provider to indicate their ability to function successfully prior to subsequent enrollment. Additional requests for a medical withdrawal are normally not granted for the same circumstances.
- Student Loans: Students who have borrowed from the Perkins or Direct Loan programs are required to schedule an Exit Counseling session. Contact the financial aid office for additional information.
- All outstanding bills and university obligations must be paid/fulfilled. This includes any payment plans or loan agreements issued by Student Business Services. Contact Student Business Services for additional information.