Some students have additional concerns to consider when deciding to withdraw. The university has specialized offices to help them understand how a withdrawal will affect them. They will work with these offices and their academic advisors.
International Students Student-Athletes Military and Veteran Students
Before withdrawing
Before withdrawing from classes or deciding not to enroll for next term — talk to your advisor. It's important to discuss your decision to withdraw and understand what it means for you. Your advisor will talk to you about time-to-degree and other concerns when deciding to withdraw.
Any withdrawal decisions should be made with additional input from any of the Office of International Affairs (OIA), Student Athlete Support Services Office (SASSO) or Office of Military and Veteran Services (MVS), if applicable.
Know Your Deadlines: Check the Academic Calendar for the last date to drop a course
Submit on Time: Make sure to turn in the form by the deadline to avoid any penalties. Deadlines depend on the semester, term and session length. The 10th Friday of a full semester autumn or spring class is the most common deadline.
- You should know that federal law prevents the university from backdating a course drop to a date prior to the last day you participated in the course. To learn what is considered participation, visit the Registrar's attendance page.
Check Financial Aid: Withdrawing might affect your financial aid
Before meeting with your advisor, check with Buckeye Link to see how it impacts you: In addition, seek input from OIA, SASSO and/or MVS, if applicable.
Fill out the form (if your college or school requires its)
Submit your request as soon as you've confirmed your decision to withdraw. This will ensure it's received by the deadlines.
What if you experience an emergency?
Don't panic! Remember that the university offers Grade Forgiveness for up to 3 courses if you cannot withdraw from your classes. Contact your advisor as soon as you can. They may ask you to schedule an appointment to discuss your situation and options in detail.
- A small number of extreme situations may be eligible for petition to withdraw after the deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I withdraw from Ohio State?
Most students withdraw from the university during academic breaks. They simply do not enroll in classes the next semester or term. Students who are not enrolled in classes by the 15th day of the next semester or term will automatically have their accounts placed on a leave of absence.
Consult with with OIA, SASSO or MVS, if applicable, before withdrawing.
Do I have to meet with a staff member or submit a form to withdraw from Ohio State?
During academic breaks and at the beginning of the semester, you can withdraw yourself from classes (or simply don't enroll in classes for the next semester/term). Remember, withdrawal decisions should be made after you have gathered information from other offices you work with (such as Military and Veteran Student Services, Office of International Affairs, or SASSO).
After the drop deadline for the semester, term, or session you will need an advisor to help you withdraw. New students will also need an advisor to help them withdraw.
Can I withdraw by dropping all of my classes?
Dropping all of your classes will withdraw you from the semester.
Don't do this if:
- You haven't talked to Buckeye Link about your financial aid.
- You want to take classes in a later session of the term. Instead, enroll in the session classes before or immediately after dropping your current classes; delaying your registration for those classes could put your account on a leave of absence.
- You believe your withdrawal should be backdated to an earlier date. Please talk to an advisor about whether this is appropriate for your situation.
- You haven't yet discussed this with OIA, SASSO or MVS, if applicable.
What if I just want to delay starting at Ohio State?
If you are withdrawing from your VERY FIRST term at Ohio State, but you hope to attend Ohio State next term, you should contact Undergraduate Admissions about how to update your application. New students cannot change their own schedules, so a staff person in Undergraduate Admissions or an academic advisor will need to drop your classes for you.
As you make this decision, please discuss your options with OIA, SASSO or MVS, if applicable.
If I leave the university, do I have to re-apply to return?
In general, you don't have to reapply to the university. The specific steps you must take to return to the university depends the reason you left, instead of the reason you're returning. If you've previously worked with OIA, SASSO or MVS, please contact them early to ensure that you have completed all of the necessary steps to return
Withdrawing after the posted deadline
With drawing after the posted deadline requires a petition approved by the university.
These petitions are approved only in well-documented rare, extreme or unusual situations.
Ohio State follows institutional, state and federal guidelines and considers the following when reviewing petitions for retroactive withdrawal or course drops due to extenuating circumstances:
- Last date of student attendance/participation: as reported by the instructor. Students cannot withdraw from a course when the final is taken.
- Eligible grades: Students can petition to address E, EN, U, UEN or NP grades. They must demonstrate extenuating circumstances that negatively impacted academic performance and prevented them from dropping or withdrawing within university deadlines. Grades of D or higher and courses where an incomplete was assigned are not eligible for removal.
- Supporting documentation: Substantive documentation of extenuating circumstances must be provided. All submitted documentation is stored securely according to the university's institutional data policy.
- Post-credential changes: Requests to change the academic record after a credential (i.e. - certificate, associate degree, or bachelor degree) has been awarded will be denied.
- Financial Adjustments: Retroactive financial adjustments to the statement of account are considered ONLY for the current term and one term prior (excluding summers).
Approval of these petitions is not guaranteed. Speak to your advising office as soon as possible to learn all of your options for your specific situation.
Don't forget to keep OIA, SASSO and MVS, if applicable, informed of your situation!
Review the eligibility guidelines for the petition to withdraw
Undergraduate Withdrawal Petition Form Guidance
Per faculty rule 3335-8-32, students with circumstances outside their control can request to drop a course or withdraw from all courses in a term outside of normal deadlines. Please review the following directions and work closely with your academic advisor to complete this form and provide requested documents. Petitions may be denied, so carefully read all of the sections below, follow the instructions closely, and get support when needed.
What an approved withdrawal petition does
An approved petition drops one or more courses for a term during which you experienced circumstances outside of your control that impacted your academic progress, such as significant illness. A successful petition adjusts your academic record when you cannot complete a class due to extenuating circumstances. An approved petition may result in a “W” placed on your record. You will be asked to work with instructors to provide last dates of attendance/ participation in courses. Per federal and institutional guidelines, approved retroactive petitions are dated to the last date of attendance/ participation. This dating can impact your university bill and financial aid, resulting in credits OR charges to your account.
Situations where a petition is not the best option
- You passed class(es), but the grades were lower than you wanted or normally earn. Under these circumstances, Grade Forgiveness is a better option if you have Grade Forgiveness attempts available.
- Generally, extenuating circumstances impact all, and not just some, of your courses. Work with an advisor if you feel you have a strong case to drop some but not all classes.
- Dropping courses may also impact housing, financial aid, military aid, health insurance. Student Advocacy and/or BuckeyeLink can assist with discussing possible consequences before you submit a petition.
- We do not alter the academic record after a credential has been awarded (certificate, degree, etc.).
Submitting a strong petition
Students completing a petition are encouraged to highlight the following within their required petition statement:
- Grades: A grade of E, EN, U, UEN, or NP was earned for the courses you are requesting to drop. You cannot petition to drop courses where you earned a grade of D or higher. Courses with an incomplete grade cannot be dropped.
- Extenuating Circumstance: The circumstance must have been unforeseeable. Persistent conditions are not generally considered extenuating circumstances. Instead, the situation should be short-term, sudden, and/or severe, and something you could not have planned for.
- Impact on Academics: The situation was outside of your control and severe enough to impede your success.
- Nature: The situation was non-academic (i.e. unrelated to preparation for the course, performance, subject matter, etc.).
- Documentable: The situation can be documented by an objective party.
- Timing: The situation arose after the 10th Friday drop deadline. Otherwise, you could have dropped classes through normal channels prior to that deadline. A student cannot drop a class if they took the course final.
- Instructor Information: Attendance/participation information has been provided by all instructors (via email, CARMEN, etc.).
- Term Eligibility: The petition is for the current or prior term. Approved petitions submitted outside of this window are not eligible for recalculation of tuition, fees, and refunds.
Petition decisions are considered final. Please work closely with your advisor to submit the strongest petition possible.
Documentation needed for a petition
Documentation varies depending on the circumstances that are negatively impacting you and your academics and are outside of your control. The individuals reviewing your petition request want to collect the minimum information needed to validate your situation to protect your privacy and sensitive information. Some common circumstances include:
- Death of a friend or family member: plan to provide a digital notice or obituary and an explanation of your relationship to the deceased.
- Caring for and/or illness of a friend or family member: you will need a statement from a medical professional confirming that the person you are caring for requires your assistance. Avoid submitting specific diagnoses and medical records.
- Legal or criminal concern: copies of police reports, divorce or bankruptcy paperwork, etc. may be needed to validate these situations.
- Personal physical or mental health concerns: A letter stating your medical concerns impacted coursework is all that is needed. Avoid submitting documentation containing specific diagnoses, complete medical record, list of prescriptions, etc. with a petition to protect your privacy.