Dropping Courses or Withdrawing
Dropping Courses
Dropping a course, or courses is reducing your course load while remaining enrolled in at least one course for the duration of the same term. There is a $10.00 fee for any course dropped or added once late registration begins for the term. Prior to the end of late registration, a student may drop courses but not withdraw using Student Planning within Student Self-Service.
*You cannot drop your last or only course. To dis-enroll entirely, you must submit a term withdrawal.
Please see the academic calendar for drop and withdrawal deadlines.
Term Withdrawal
Withdrawing is the process of dis-enrolling from all courses within the selected term. To be removed from all courses, you must submit a term withdrawal request. This action does not remove a student from the university.
*Students are strongly encouraged to reach out to their academic advisor before pursuing a term withdrawal request.
6 Unexcused Drops Rule for Undergraduates
The 6 Unexcused Drops Rule for Undergraduates states that undergraduates enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later (at any Texas public higher education institution), are allowed only 6 unexcused drops during their undergraduate academic careers. Courses dropped before the census day (see Academic Calendar) do not count against the 6 course drop rule. Term withdrawals do not count toward the 6-drop rule.
*It is not the responsibility of the University to initiate dropping students from their courses.
Online Drop Request
After late registration ends, students may initiate course drops online. (This system functions best using Google Chrome or Internet Explorer.)
Any course drop initiated after the census day of a term or session requires instructor approval. Course drop requests initiated before the census date do not require instructor or advisor approval. Requests must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the deadline stated on the academic calendar.
After-census course drop requests using our online drop process are electronically routed to instructors for their approval. Once approved, the Registrar’s office will process the request. If the instructor has not acknowledged the online drop request after two weeks, the drop will be processed.
Drop requests using the Drop/Add form
Students who have difficulties initiating a drop using the online request may use the .pdf Drop form.
When initiated after the census date, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain their instructor’s signature on the drop request form before submitting it to the Registrar’s office. If an instructor or advisor signs the Drop/Add form electronically, they should email the form from their TWU email address to the Registrar’s office for processing.
If you are requesting to dis-enroll for the current term, initiate your request using the online withdrawal request. (This system functions best using Google Chrome or Internet Explorer.) If you should have difficulties accessing the online withdrawal request system, please complete the Term Withdrawal Request [pdf] and submit it to registrar@twu.edu from your TWU email.
*If you intend to remain in at least one course, you must use the drop request.
*Students are strongly encouraged to reach out to their academic advisor before pursuing a term withdrawal request.
- Students are strongly encouraged to consult with their academic advisor.
- Financial aid recipients should contact the Financial Aid Office to determine how the change will affect their current aid and eligibility for future aid. For example, a student may be required to repay part or all of the financial aid funds received during the semester.
- International students should contact the Office of International Education so that the office can explain how the process may affect immigration status.
- You are advised to contact the Bursar's Office if you owe fees or loans to the University.
- If you live on campus, you must contact University Housing and Residence Life to make arrangements for vacating your room.
Drops: Prior to the beginning of late registration, students may drop courses through their Self-Service and receive a full refund.
From the first day of late registration on, there is a $10 fee for dropping a course.
- Until the census day, students are eligible for a full refund of a dropped course.
- After the census day, there are no refunds for dropped courses.
Withdrawals: Students who withdraw from the University may be eligible for a refund of a percentage of their tuition as defined by Texas Education Code 54.5006. The refund policies are established by, and are subject to change by, the Legislature of the State of Texas and are applicable to term withdrawals. The percentage of refund applicable is determined by the effective withdrawal date, which is typically the date you initiate your withdrawal request.
|
Official Withdrawal Date |
Percent of Refund |
|
Up to the close of the regular registration period for the term |
100% |
|
During the first five class days of the term |
80% |
|
During the second five class days of the term |
70% |
|
During the third five class days of the term |
50% |
|
During the fourth five class days of the term |
25% |
|
After the fourth five class days of the term |
No refund |
The percentage of refundable tuition and fees can be found on the academic calendar by term. The table above outlines the applicable tuition and refund schedule for a 16-week term. Shorter sessions may have a much shorter period for refunds. Please see the academic calendar for details, and see the Texas Education Code 54.5006 for the complete withdrawal refund schedule for all sessions in the term.
Students using installment plans or financial aid may still owe outstanding balances upon withdrawal. Likewise, a student who defers their tuition to financial aid and withdraws before the aid disburses may be responsible for a portion of the tuition. A hold may be placed on the student’s record until all financial obligations are met.
A student who withdraws after receiving a financial aid refund may be required to return all, or a portion, of the refund to the University as a result of federal and state regulations.
A student who withdraws as a result of being called to active military service may choose to receive a tuition refund as defined by the TWU policy. https://catalog.twu.edu/undergraduate/academic-information/standards/students-called-to-active-duty/
All term withdrawal requests must be initiated by the deadline published in the Academic Calendar by term.
In the event a student experiences an incapacitating circumstance, be it medical or other extenuating circumstances that impedes their ability to drop or withdraw by the published deadline they may petition for a late term withdrawal. Any such petition must be initiated before the end of the term and must be initiated through the Office of Student Life.
After Deadline Petitions:
Petitions for a Late Withdrawal: Withdrawal from all courses within a given term after the deadline and after the end of the term. After the published deadline appeals are initiated through Student Life. Petitions should be submitted to the Office of Student Life (withdrawals@twu.edu) no later than 5 p.m. on the last day of class up to two semesters beyond the term from which they are seeking to withdraw. *Summer is counted as one term and includes courses in all attended sessions.
For questions about late withdrawal petitions, please visit the Student Life website .
Prior to the census day, dropped and withdrawn courses do not receive a drop grade. The dropped or withdrawn courses will not appear on a student’s transcript.
After the census day, dropped courses will receive a grade of W or W& on the transcript. The grade of W& indicates an unexcused drop which counts toward an undergraduates 6-drop limit.
Withdrawn courses will receive a grade of W on the transcript.
Please see our transcript key for an explanation of grades.
If a student initiates a course drop and decides before it is processed they wish to remain in the course(s), they must email registrar@twu.edu from their TWU email account to cancel their request. This email must include the student’s ID number, a statement that they wish to cancel their drop request, and specify the course they no longer want to drop. Example: My name is ____, student ID 0000000, and I would like to cancel my drop request from 2019 Fall ART 1303*01.
Students who decide to cancel a term withdrawal request must email registrar@twu.edu from their TWU email account. This email must include the student’s ID number and a statement that they wish to cancel their term withdrawal request and specify the term to which the withdrawal request applied. Example: My name is ____, student ID 0000000, and I would like to cancel my withdrawal request for 2023 Fall.
Page last updated 2:42 PM, January 29, 2025