Once you've registered, your class schedule is not set in stone. You can make changes for quite some time. What should you think about when considering adding or dropping courses?
- If you're dropping a course and adding a course, be sure to submit both changes simultaneously. Why? Because if for some reason you can't add the course, the computer won't drop you from your course, either — because no part of the transaction will occur unless all the requests are ok. This can save you if you are trying to get the one space in a popular course. If the space has disappeared, you won't lose the course you wanted it to replace.
- If dropping a course will take you below 12 credits, consider whether you need to have full-time student status. Typical reasons you may need to be full-time: for financial aid, if you are an international student, and to remain on your parents' insurance.
- You can't drop only part of a Freshman Interest Group (FIG).
- To drop a whole FIG, just drop the GEN ST 199 course and submit. The whole FIG will be dropped.
- Courses move very quickly at the UW. Even missing the first few class meetings may put you far behind your classmates. If you plan to add a course after the quarter has begun, consider attending the course even before you're officially registered for it. If that's not feasible, ask your classmates and/or instructor for any material you missed from the first few days.
- Aside from the issue of falling behind, there are a number of restrictions on dropping and adding after the first week of the quarter (see below).
Alternatives to Dropping
Before dropping a course you are having trouble in, consider your options. Talk with the instructor and/or TA about the problems you are having. If there is one, use the UW's study centers and/or writing centers. Take advantage of other campus resources listed in the Help! section of this website. Also, consider the following alternatives:
Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory (S/NS) grading
You can change any course (except a Credit/No Credit course) to S/NS grading through the seventh week of the quarter. S/NS courses can’t be used toward any graduation requirement except general electives, so think carefully!
Incomplete
If you’re unable to complete the work required for a course before the end of the quarter, you can request an “incomplete” from the instructor. If s/he agrees, you will get extra time to finish the work.
Hardship Withdrawal
If it is too late to drop a course (i.e., after the seventh week of the quarter) AND you have experienced a documented hardship (e.g., injury, death in the family), you can petition for a Hardship Withdrawal. The process takes several weeks, and, if approved, will result in “HW” being entered instead of a grade. You may request a Hardship Withdrawal for one or more courses, and can even submit retroactive requests for courses taken in previous quarters.
Withdrawal from All Courses
If none of the above options work in your situation, you can withdraw from ALL your courses right up through the last day of instruction. You won’t receive credit for any courses taken in the quarter, and “W”s will be entered instead of grades. No explanation or documentation is required. If it’s before the end of the seventh week of the quarter, just drop all your courses. After that you have to do it in person at 225 Schmitz Hall. There is no charge for withdrawing if you do it in person at Schmitz Hall.
Dropping and Adding through the First Week (days 1-7) of the Quarter
From the time you are first eligible to register through the first week of the quarter you can make as many changes as you want to your schedule. During this time, there are no penalties or fees for making changes. Also, the changes do not appear on your transcript.
Dropping and Adding After the First Week of the Quarter
After the first week of the quarter it is still possible to make changes to your registration, but any change should be carefully considered. Restrictions are discussed below:
Weeks 2 and 3 (days 8-21): Late Add Period
All courses added during this time require an entry code. Faculty are usually reluctant to allow a student to add a course after the first week of the quarter. A $20 fee is charged, covering all registration transactions made on a single day.
Week 2 (days 8-14): Unrestricted Drop Period
Courses dropped during this week do not appear on your transcript, but are subject to the $20 change-of-registration fee and possible tuition forfeiture.
Weeks 3 - 7 (day 15-end of week 7): Late Course Drop Period
Students may drop one course each academic year (Autumn through Summer quarters) after the 14th calendar day of the quarter. The course is recorded on your transcript, along with a “W” and a number indicating the week you dropped the course. A $20 change-of-registration fee is charged, and there may be some tuition forfeiture (see below).
Weeks 8 - 10
After week 7 you can’t drop an individual course, but you’re allowed to drop ALL your courses for the quarter through the last day of instruction.
Fees and Tuition Forfeiture
$20 Change of Registration Fee
There is a $20 fee for any change in your class schedule (including changing back and forth to S/NS grading) made after the first week of the quarter. The fee is not $20 per transaction but rather $20 per day, so after the first week of the quarter try to make all your changes on the same day.
Tuition Forfeiture
Your tuition is based on the number of credits you are registered for at the end of the first calendar week of the quarter, plus any courses you add after that date. If you drop one or more courses after the first week of the quarter, you may receive a partial tuition refund.
If you stay within the 10-18 credit range, there will be no change in your tuition. If you drop a course and your credit total falls below 10 credits, you will be refunded half the difference in tuition, through the 30th calendar day of the quarter. The other half of the difference is forfeit. If you drop a course after the 30th calendar day of the quarter there is no tuition refund, and all the tuition difference (if any) is forfeit.
For example, if you are registered for 13 credits you will be charged full-time tuition. If you drop a 5-credit course in the second week of the quarter, you will be refunded half of the difference between full-time tuition and the tuition charge for 8 credits. The other half of the difference is forfeit.
The deadline dates for full and partial tuition refunds are in the Academic Calendar.
