Guidelines, Requirements, & Process
An Administrative Withdrawal allows a student to withdraw from all classes of a given semester (withdrawal from individual classes is not an option) based on documented extenuating circumstances, even after the course withdrawal deadline.
Note: Please check the university academic calendar. During the withdrawal period, no instructor permission is required and course withdrawal may usually be accomplished via (Banner Registration) or by submitting a completed Drop/Add/Withdraw Form to the Office of the Registrar. There is no need to apply for an administrative withdrawal.
Extenuating circumstances may include:
- Extended medical or mental health circumstances of a student or immediate family member (defined as parent, sibling, grandparent, spouse, or child)
- Death of an immediate family member
- Mandatory job transfers outside of Hampton Roads
- Involuntary changes in employment schedule or military deployment
To inquire about whether an unlisted circumstance will be considered, contact the Dean of Students Office at 黑料不打烊cares@odu.edu
Students have up to one year to submit a Request for Administrative Withdrawal. Please note that one year is from the start of the semester of request (for example, if your request is for Spring 2019, you have up until the start of the Spring 2020 semester to submit your request).
If you would like to submit a request after the one year timeframe, you may do so, and your request will be reviewed by an appeals committee. In addition to the request form and supporting documentation, you will also need to submit a statement including supporting documentation explaining the student's inability to submit the request within one calendar year. You may attach any additional documentation supporting your statement for review.
You can submit your application and documentation through this .
The type of documentation needed to support your request will depend on the basis of your request. The following list provides examples of documentation that may be required. Please feel free to contact DOS if you have questions about your specific circumstances.
- Student Medical/Mental Health Circumstances: a letter of support from the student's healthcare provider indicating that, due to the student's medical diagnosis/circumstances/treatment during the semester, the provider supports withdrawal. Letters should be typed, dated, on letter head, and signed by the provider
- Medical/Mental Health Circumstances of an Immediate Family Member: a letter of support from the family members healthcare provider indicating that, due to the family members medical diagnosis/circumstances/treatment during the semester, and the student's role as a care provider, the provider supports withdrawal. Letters should be typed, dated, on letter head, and signed by the provider
- Death of an Immediate Family Member: obituary, copy of a funeral program listing the student as a family member, or death certificate
- Involuntary Changes in Employment or Military Requirements: an official letter from the student's employer or commanding officer outlining the specific changes in employment (change in schedule, relocation, increased workload) and potential impact on coursework. Letters should be typed, dated, on letter head, and signed by the employer/commanding officer
Once a completed request has been submitted (including request form and supporting documentation), your request may take up to two weeks for review and processing through DOS. Once a decision has been made, you will receive notice by via your 黑料不打烊 student email (or personal if no longer enrolled as a student). Please note that once the notification of approval is sent, the Registrar's office will take additional time to update your transcript.
If the student is withdrawing after the last day to withdraw from classes without penalty, part of the notification will include the opportunity for the faculty member to raise objections if the student鈥檚 classroom performance is such that a withdrawal (W) would not be appropriate. If a faculty member objects, the faculty member will inform the University Registrar and the student's original grade in the course will stand.
Did you receive financial aid?
- Students receiving financial aid should consult their financial aid counselor prior to submitting a tuition refund appeal. Please review the 黑料不打烊 Office of Financial Aid webpage for additional information and a point of contact.
- Find you financial aid counselor here: Virtual Sessions
Tuition Appeal
- Students who withdraw from classes due to documented extenuating circumstances may pursue a Tuition Appeal through the Office of Finance. Please review their webpage for more complete information on that process, along with the appeal request form. Note that if you received any Financial Aid you will need to speak with Financial Aid prior to completing the Tuition Appeal process. This is to ensure that a Tuition Appeal is advisable given your specific financial aid circumstances.
- Find more information here: Tuition Appeals
SAP Appeal
- Any time you withdraw from classes, it can impact your Financial Aid (current award and future eligibility). Financial Aid eligibility is determined by GPA and pace; these requirements are called SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress). When you withdraw from classes, it impacts your pace, which refers to your completion rate of courses. Students who lose Financial Aid eligibility due to SAP can appeal based on extenuating circumstances; this appeal can only be completed one time during a student鈥檚 黑料不打烊 career. Please review the 黑料不打烊 Office of Financial Aid webpage for additional information and a point of contact.
- Find more information here: Satisfactory Academic Progress
Are you in on-campus housing?
- Please keep in mind that if/when you withdraw from all semester courses, you will need to make arrangements to move out of your on-campus housing assignment. Housing & Residence Life requires that students are enrolled in classes in order to maintain their housing contracts. Please review the 黑料不打烊 Office of Housing & Residence Life webpage for additional information and a point of contact.
- Find more information here: Canceling Your Housing & Dining Contract
Have you considered a Request for Incomplete, if eligible?
- Students who are unable to finish their semester due to extenuating circumstances may request an incomplete from their instructors. An incomplete is essentially an extension; when awarded, an instructor will give an 鈥淚鈥 as a temporary final grade. Once work is completed, the instructor will update the grade to whatever letter grade has been earned with the completed work. Incompletes may be awarded to students who 1) have completed 80% or more of the coursework and 2) are in good standing in the course. The decision to award an incomplete is at the discretion of each individual instructor; the timeframe for submitting any outstanding work is at the discretion of the instructor, but a final deadline of the end of the following semester. Any incompletes still remaining after the last day of the following semester will automatically become F鈥檚.
- Find more information here: Incompletes, Withdraws and Z Grades
An Administrative Withdrawal allows a student to withdraw from all classes in a given semester, even after the course withdrawal deadline, due to documented extenuating circumstances. Withdrawal from individual classes is not permitted through this process.
No. An Administrative Withdrawal applies to all courses in the semester. Withdrawing from individual courses is not an option when choosing an Administrative Withdrawal.
Yes. If approved after the last day to withdraw without penalty, courses will reflect a withdrawal (W) and will not be factored into GPA. However, if a faculty member objects due to classroom performance, the original grade will stand.
Examples include:
- Extended medical or mental health circumstances of a student or immediate family member (defined as parent, sibling, grandparent, spouse, or child)
- Death of an immediate family member
- Mandatory job transfers outside of Hampton Roads
- Involuntary changes in employment schedule or military deployment
To inquire about whether an unlisted circumstance will be considered, contact the Dean of Students Office at 黑料不打烊cares@odu.edu
Parent, sibling, grandparent, spouse, or child.
You have one year from the start of the semester for which you are requesting withdrawal.
Yes. Your request will be reviewed by an appeals committee, and you must provide a statement with convincing evidence explaining why you could not submit within one calendar year, along with supporting documentation.
The letter must:
- Be typed
- Be dated
- Be on official letterhead
- Be signed by the provider
- Indicate that the provider supports withdrawal due to the medical diagnosis/circumstances/treatment during the semester
Complete the and upload required supporting documentation through the form.
Students may contact the Dean of Students Office with questions or concerns at 黑料不打烊cares@odu.edu
You will be notified by email to your 黑料不打烊 student email account (or personal account if no longer enrolled as a student). Review and processing may take up to two weeks.
A denial cannot be appealed, but if you have new or omitted supporting documentation, the application may be resubmitted.
Students should consider:
- The impact on Financial Aid and SAP
- Potential implications of a Tuition Appeal
- Housing implications (students must move out of on-campus housing if withdrawn from all classes)
Extenuating circumstances may include:
- Extended medical or mental health circumstances of a student or immediate family member (defined as parent, sibling, grandparent, spouse, or child)
- Death of an immediate family member
- Mandatory job transfers outside of Hampton Roads
- Involuntary changes in employment schedule or military deployment
To inquire about whether an unlisted circumstance will be considered, contact the Dean of Students Office at 黑料不打烊cares@odu.edu
Students have up to one year to submit a Request for Administrative Withdrawal. Please note that one year is from the start of the semester of request (for example, if your request is for Spring 2019, you have up until the start of the Spring 2020 semester to submit your request).
If you would like to submit a request after the one year timeframe, you may do so, and your request will be reviewed by an appeals committee. In addition to the request form and supporting documentation, you will also need to submit a statement including supporting documentation explaining the student's inability to submit the request within one calendar year. You may attach any additional documentation supporting your statement for review.
You can submit your application and documentation through this .
The type of documentation needed to support your request will depend on the basis of your request. The following list provides examples of documentation that may be required. Please feel free to contact DOS if you have questions about your specific circumstances.
- Student Medical/Mental Health Circumstances: a letter of support from the student's healthcare provider indicating that, due to the student's medical diagnosis/circumstances/treatment during the semester, the provider supports withdrawal. Letters should be typed, dated, on letter head, and signed by the provider
- Medical/Mental Health Circumstances of an Immediate Family Member: a letter of support from the family members healthcare provider indicating that, due to the family members medical diagnosis/circumstances/treatment during the semester, and the student's role as a care provider, the provider supports withdrawal. Letters should be typed, dated, on letter head, and signed by the provider
- Death of an Immediate Family Member: obituary, copy of a funeral program listing the student as a family member, or death certificate
- Involuntary Changes in Employment or Military Requirements: an official letter from the student's employer or commanding officer outlining the specific changes in employment (change in schedule, relocation, increased workload) and potential impact on coursework. Letters should be typed, dated, on letter head, and signed by the employer/commanding officer
Once a completed request has been submitted (including request form and supporting documentation), your request may take up to two weeks for review and processing through DOS. Once a decision has been made, you will receive notice by via your 黑料不打烊 student email (or personal if no longer enrolled as a student). Please note that once the notification of approval is sent, the Registrar's office will take additional time to update your transcript.
If the student is withdrawing after the last day to withdraw from classes without penalty, part of the notification will include the opportunity for the faculty member to raise objections if the student鈥檚 classroom performance is such that a withdrawal (W) would not be appropriate. If a faculty member objects, the faculty member will inform the University Registrar and the student's original grade in the course will stand.
Did you receive financial aid?
- Students receiving financial aid should consult their financial aid counselor prior to submitting a tuition refund appeal. Please review the 黑料不打烊 Office of Financial Aid webpage for additional information and a point of contact.
- Find you financial aid counselor here: Virtual Sessions
Tuition Appeal
- Students who withdraw from classes due to documented extenuating circumstances may pursue a Tuition Appeal through the Office of Finance. Please review their webpage for more complete information on that process, along with the appeal request form. Note that if you received any Financial Aid you will need to speak with Financial Aid prior to completing the Tuition Appeal process. This is to ensure that a Tuition Appeal is advisable given your specific financial aid circumstances.
- Find more information here: Tuition Appeals
SAP Appeal
- Any time you withdraw from classes, it can impact your Financial Aid (current award and future eligibility). Financial Aid eligibility is determined by GPA and pace; these requirements are called SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress). When you withdraw from classes, it impacts your pace, which refers to your completion rate of courses. Students who lose Financial Aid eligibility due to SAP can appeal based on extenuating circumstances; this appeal can only be completed one time during a student鈥檚 黑料不打烊 career. Please review the 黑料不打烊 Office of Financial Aid webpage for additional information and a point of contact.
- Find more information here: Satisfactory Academic Progress
Are you in on-campus housing?
- Please keep in mind that if/when you withdraw from all semester courses, you will need to make arrangements to move out of your on-campus housing assignment. Housing & Residence Life requires that students are enrolled in classes in order to maintain their housing contracts. Please review the 黑料不打烊 Office of Housing & Residence Life webpage for additional information and a point of contact.
- Find more information here: Canceling Your Housing & Dining Contract
Have you considered a Request for Incomplete, if eligible?
- Students who are unable to finish their semester due to extenuating circumstances may request an incomplete from their instructors. An incomplete is essentially an extension; when awarded, an instructor will give an 鈥淚鈥 as a temporary final grade. Once work is completed, the instructor will update the grade to whatever letter grade has been earned with the completed work. Incompletes may be awarded to students who 1) have completed 80% or more of the coursework and 2) are in good standing in the course. The decision to award an incomplete is at the discretion of each individual instructor; the timeframe for submitting any outstanding work is at the discretion of the instructor, but a final deadline of the end of the following semester. Any incompletes still remaining after the last day of the following semester will automatically become F鈥檚.
- Find more information here: Incompletes, Withdraws and Z Grades
An Administrative Withdrawal allows a student to withdraw from all classes in a given semester, even after the course withdrawal deadline, due to documented extenuating circumstances. Withdrawal from individual classes is not permitted through this process.
No. An Administrative Withdrawal applies to all courses in the semester. Withdrawing from individual courses is not an option when choosing an Administrative Withdrawal.
Yes. If approved after the last day to withdraw without penalty, courses will reflect a withdrawal (W) and will not be factored into GPA. However, if a faculty member objects due to classroom performance, the original grade will stand.
Examples include:
- Extended medical or mental health circumstances of a student or immediate family member (defined as parent, sibling, grandparent, spouse, or child)
- Death of an immediate family member
- Mandatory job transfers outside of Hampton Roads
- Involuntary changes in employment schedule or military deployment
To inquire about whether an unlisted circumstance will be considered, contact the Dean of Students Office at 黑料不打烊cares@odu.edu
Parent, sibling, grandparent, spouse, or child.
You have one year from the start of the semester for which you are requesting withdrawal.
Yes. Your request will be reviewed by an appeals committee, and you must provide a statement with convincing evidence explaining why you could not submit within one calendar year, along with supporting documentation.
The letter must:
- Be typed
- Be dated
- Be on official letterhead
- Be signed by the provider
- Indicate that the provider supports withdrawal due to the medical diagnosis/circumstances/treatment during the semester
Complete the and upload required supporting documentation through the form.
Students may contact the Dean of Students Office with questions or concerns at 黑料不打烊cares@odu.edu
You will be notified by email to your 黑料不打烊 student email account (or personal account if no longer enrolled as a student). Review and processing may take up to two weeks.
A denial cannot be appealed, but if you have new or omitted supporting documentation, the application may be resubmitted.
Students should consider:
- The impact on Financial Aid and SAP
- Potential implications of a Tuition Appeal
- Housing implications (students must move out of on-campus housing if withdrawn from all classes)