UNC Charlotte Academic Policy: Withdrawal and Cancellation of Enrollment Procedure

I. Executive Summary

Once a student has registered for classes and it becomes necessary to terminate the registration, there are two possible courses of action: (1) withdrawal from classes and/or from the University, or (2) cancellation of enrollment. The method of registration termination depends upon the circumstances in each individual case. This procedure sets forth the process for registration termination and the financial and programmatic effects of withdrawal from courses, withdrawal, from the University, and cancellation of enrollment.

II. Procedure Statement

This procedure is applicable to all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at UNC Charlotte. Withdrawals are subject to all financial aid and satisfactory academic progress rules. An official withdrawal may require readmission to the University and to the student’s academic program. Undergraduate students should refer to the Office of the Registrar. Graduate students should refer to the Graduate School.

Information regarding the withdrawal process is available at https://withdrawal.charlotte.edu.

A. Withdrawals (without Extenuating Circumstances)

  1. If a student is unable to complete a course for a reason other than extenuating circumstances (see Section II.B below), the student must submit an official request to withdraw from the course(s). Failure to attend class or notification in writing alone is not sufficient notice of intent to withdraw from a course. Leaving the University without completing the official withdrawal process will result in a grade assigned by the instructor for partial work.
  2. An official withdrawal from a course or all courses occurs when a student decides to withdraw after the end of the add/drop period. If a student chooses to withdraw from a class or from all classes in which the student is enrolled, the student is required to withdraw via My UNC Charlotte before the posted deadline (see the academic calendar for the deadline for a specific term) and then cease attendance/participation in that course(s).
  3. If a student submits a request to withdraw from the University, the student must cease attendance/participation in all classes, academic activities, University programs or activities for which a student must be enrolled to participate (clubs, athletics, etc.), and use of student services, including student housing, student parking, student dining plan, student recreational services, counseling services, and the student health plan.
  4. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with the University’s Withdrawal Advisor before withdrawing from all courses. Students will be responsible for the tuition and fee charges associated with the class(es) for which they were enrolled (see Section IV.D.1 below) and other charges related to attending the University, including, for example, housing, dining, and parking permit charges. In addition, withdrawing from courses may impact time to degree, and may impede academic progress because some required courses are not offered every term.

B. Withdrawals (for Extenuating Circumstances)

  1. Students who experience a current term personal or medical crisis or military deployment may request a withdrawal with extenuating circumstances through the Withdrawal Advisor. Students who wish to request a withdrawal with extenuating circumstances for past terms must submit an academic petition to their assigned academic college. Any questions related to the withdrawal with extenuating circumstances process can be directed to the Withdrawal Advisor.
  2. Requests for withdrawals with extenuating circumstances will be reviewed and determined by the Withdrawal Committee.
  3. If a student’s request for a withdrawal with extenuating circumstances is approved, the student will be removed from registered classes with a transcript notation of “WE” and a withdrawal tag will be placed on the student’s registration.
  4. If a student’s request for a withdrawal with extenuating circumstances is denied, the undergraduate student may appeal that decision to the Office of the Provost, and graduate students may appeal that decision to the Dean of the Graduate School (see Section IIE).
  5. Students who are suspended or expelled from the University as a sanction under the Code of Student Responsibility will receive a “WE” in any course in which they were enrolled at the time their sanction became effective.
  6. A petition to return to UNC Charlotte as an undergraduate student after a withdrawal with extenuating circumstances is required. Petitions to return will be reviewed and outcome determined by the Withdrawal Committee. Any undergraduate student wishing to return should contact the Withdrawal Advisor to determine the appropriate process. Any graduate student wishing to return should contact the Graduate School for information on the appropriate process. The Withdrawal Advisor can be reached at 704-687-0345 and is located in King 118.
  7. Following review of the petition to return and the individual circumstances surrounding the student’s WE (including medical documentation, if relevant), the Withdrawal Committee will determine whether the student may re-enroll in classes, and if so, which term the student may enroll. All decisions regarding a petition to return are conducted on a case-by-case basis. Students should visit withdrawal.charlotte.edu for more information on the process and important deadlines.
  8. When the death of a student occurs, a notation of “WE” will be placed on the student’s transcript for any courses that were in progress at the time of the student’s death.

C. Cancellation of Enrollment

  • A Cancellation of Enrollment will be processed for any student who has not paid their tuition and fees or made arrangements by the due date listed on the Academic Calendar. A Cancellation Notice will be emailed to the student’s UNC Charlotte email address. Other circumstances that may also result in a cancellation include, but are not limited to: being academically ineligible to continue in school; failure to pay tuition and fees; documented emergency; military deployment; and student conduct sanctions.
  • The Dean of Students Office may authorize a Cancellation of Enrollment through the University’s Office of the Registrar within the add/drop period for documented medical or personal crises or for reasons related to military deployment or required military training.
  • Dropping all courses prior to the last day of the add/drop period is the process by which a student cancels enrollment for the term. A student who wishes to cancel enrollment must do so via My UNC Charlotte. A student who is considering a Cancellation of Enrollment subsequent to the first day of classes is encouraged to contact his/her Academic Advisor and the University Withdrawal Advisor before dropping all courses. Cancellation of enrollment may impact time to degree, and may impede academic progress because some required courses are not offered every term.

D. Effects of Cancellation of Enrollment, Course Withdrawal, and Withdrawal from the University

  1. Financial and Other Consequences.

a. Tuition and Fees. Students are financially responsible for the classes in which they enroll. A student who withdraws from the University may be entitled to a reduction of tuition and fees. The amount of the reduction, if any, will be determined by the date on which the student withdraws from the University. In extenuating circumstances, students may request a reduction of tuition, fees, and other charges.

WithdrawalTuition and fee reduction %
Through the end of Add/Drop Period100%
Prior to completion of 20% of term90%
Prior to completion of 40% of term50%
Prior to completion of 60% of term25%

b. Other Charges. Other charges related to attending the University remain the responsibility of the student, including for example housing, dining, and parking permit obligations. Students must contact the responsible division(s) separately to cancel these obligations/contracts. Cancellation charges, loss of deposit, or other fees may apply. The process for requesting a reduction of charges is located in the University Process: Reductions in Tuition, Housing, and Dining Charges.

c. Financial Aid. If a student leaves the University during a semester term and prior to completing 60% of that term, and the student received financial aid funds prior to the date of departure, the student must return a portion of that money to the aid program(s). The amount to be returned is calculated by the Office of Student Financial Aid when the official withdrawal is submitted. For students who leave the University without completing the official withdrawal process and for whom a date of unofficial withdrawal cannot be determined, the midpoint of the term will be used in determining the amount of aid the student must return to the funding source. In this situation, the amount of financial aid the student will be responsible for repaying will be calculated by Financial Aid based upon the type and amount of aid received.

d. Retroactive Withdrawal. Once classes have ended for a term, a student may request a retroactive withdrawal only under extenuating circumstances. To make a retroactive withdrawal request, the student should submit an Academic Petition. Returning students who no longer have access to an active student account will need to complete and return a paper form of the Academic Petition. Students should contact their academic college to request the paper form and details regarding submission. A request for retroactive withdrawal must be submitted within one calendar year from the date of the final grade posted for the class(es) the student is requesting the retroactive withdrawal. Final decisions for Academic Petitions are made by the Associate Dean of the student’s academic college.

E. Appeals of Withdrawals for Extenuating Circumstances

  1. Students who do not supply the necessary documentation or do not meet the threshold for a withdrawal with extenuating circumstances will receive notification of denial via their UNC Charlotte email account. An undergraduate student can appeal a denial of a request to be withdrawn due to extenuating circumstances to the Provost, and a graduate student can appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School. Appeals are accepted up until the last day of the semester in which the WE was denied. The decision by the Provost (undergraduate) or Dean of the Graduate School (graduate) is final.
  2. An appeal of a denial of a request to be withdrawn due to extenuating circumstances must be based on one or more of the following criteria:
    • Discrimination based on age, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression;
    • Failure to follow published written University procedures for a withdrawal due to extenuating circumstances; or
    • New information that was not available to the student at the time of the original request form. (Note: Medical documentation must come from a current, treating physician. Second opinions do not qualify. Students must be able to show why the medical information was not available at the original request.)
  3. A written narrative and request for an appeal based on the above-listed appeal criteria for undergraduates must be submitted to the Provost via the Office of Academic Affairs at academicaffairs@uncc.edu, and for graduates must be submitted to Christi Skerlak in the Graduate School at cskerlak@uncc.edu.

F. Appeals of Petition to Return after Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances

  1. Undergraduate students whose petition to return is denied by the Withdrawal Committee may appeal the decision within 10 business days of the date of the initial denial of the petition.
  2. An appeal of a petition to return must be based on one or more of the following criteria:
    1. Discrimination based on age, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression;
    2. Failure to follow published written University procedures for a withdrawal due to extenuating circumstances; or
    3. New information that was not available to the student at the time of the original petition to return.
  3. A written narrative and request for an appeal based upon the above listed criteria must be submitted to Larry Gourdine, Associate Dean of Students, at lgourdin@uncc.edu. The decision of the Associate Dean is final.

III. Definitions

  • Academic career – the period during which a student is enrolled at UNC Charlotte toward completion of one or more baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees.
  • Add/Drop Period – the time during which students may add or drop courses without a record on transcript or academic penalty, also called the “course adjustment period.” Add/drop deadline is the end of the Add/Drop Period or course adjustment period.
  • Cancellation of enrollment – the approved request of a student to cancel registered enrollment for a course of study at the University or the removal by the University of a student from a course of study.
  • Drop – cancellation of enrollment in a course before the published add/drop deadline.
  • Extenuating circumstances – personal situations that, upon administrative approval, allow students to withdraw late (if necessary) and to receive “WE” (Withdrawal for Extenuating Circumstance) grades that do not count against their W-limit hours for undergraduate students.
  • W-limit hours – the maximum number of credit hours (currently 16) for which undergraduate students are allowed to receive a grade of W over their academic careers.
  • Withdraw – to cancel enrollment in a course after the Add/Drop Period but before the published withdrawal deadline (during the 9th week of Fall or Spring semesters) and receive a grade of W.
  • Withdrawal from the University – withdrawal by a student from all courses in which the student is enrolled.

IV. Procedure Contact(s)

V. History

  • Established: December 5, 2016
  • Revised: August 11, 2017 [Updated Petition to Return information for Withdrawals for Extenuating Circumstances]
  • Revised: May 12, 2018 [Added procedure for event of the death of a student]
  • Revised: July 6, 2018 [Updated Appeals of Withdrawals for Extenuating Circumstances]

VI. Related Policies, Procedures, and Resources

VII. Frequently Asked Questions