Withdrawal
GPA
The grade "W" is not computed into a student's GPA.
Fall 2023 Change to Withdrawal Deadlines!
Effective with the Fall 2023 semester, after the add/drop deadline a student may withdraw from any course through the end of the 12th week of classes of a regular semester, not including the exam period, or the day before the last day of classes for the all other non-standard semester courses (i.e., Maymester, Winter Term, 8-week sessions).
"Last day of classes" does NOT include Final Exam week. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for the withdraw deadlines for each semester and for non-semester-long classes.
Financial & Registration Holds
If students have any type of financial or registration hold but still wish to withdraw from a course they must submit the completed Drop/Add/Withdraw Form to the Office of the Registrar, or email register@odu.edu with the student's name and UIN, and the SUBJ/CRSE# and 5-digit CRN of the course(s) to be withdrawn.
All drop and withdraw deadines apply.
Military Deployment
All active duty military students who are unable to complete course requirements due to change in employment duties, work schedule or deployment to a duty assignment may be administratively withdrawn from current semester courses. Students are required to furnish a copy of their military orders to the Office of the University Registrar. Upon receipt and review of the copy of military orders, the student will be withdrawn from all courses and refund of tuition will be processed.
Withdrawal from classes occurs after the deadline to drop classes has passed. Students who withdraw are encouraged to contact their instructor, advisor, and financial aid counselor to discuss the implications of withdrawing. A grade of W will be assigned during this period.
Considerations when withdrawing:
- Course withdrawal may adversely impact satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes and may limit the student's ability to continue receiving financial aid.
- Some degree programs have withdrawal, continuance, and progression policies that supersede the policy because of the nature of the professional standards and practices underlying the specific curriculum. Students should consult with their advisor or student success coach (for online students) to determine if there are more stringent requirements for withdrawing from courses in specific majors.
- International students (F and J visa holders) who plan to drop below the required credit hours for immigration purposes must first obtain approval from Visa & Immigration Service Advising (VISA), 2006 Dragas Hall.
How to Withdraw
During Withdrawal Period - No Permission Needed
During the withdrawal period, no instructor permission is required and the withdrawal may usually be accomplished via LEO Online (Banner Registration) or by submitting a completed Drop/Add/Withdraw Form to the Office of the Registrar. Students who are unable to withdraw themselves online due to holds should email register@odu.edu with their name and University ID Number (UIN), and the course information, for assistance. Students who are manually withdrawn by the Registrar's Office will receive an email confirmation of the withdrawal to the ODU email address.
Students who withdraw from classes by any method should verify the withdrawal in LEO Online by viewing the Registration Status in the Summary tab of Banner Registration-->Register for Classes.
See the Office of Finance website for information about tuition refunds and refund deadlines.
After Withdrawal Period
Withdrawal from a course after the 12th week of a regular session (or its equivalent in a non-semester course) is usually not permitted. In the event of illness or other hardship beyond the student's control, the student may submit to the instructor a written petition for permission to withdraw. If the instructor does not approve the request, an appeal may be brought to the chairperson of the department offering the course. The completed and signed Request for Exception -- Permission to Withdraw After Deadline, must be submitted to the Registrar's Office for processing no later than the last day of classes.
Students who miss the deadline to withdraw and need to withdraw from all their classes due to extenuating circumstances should contact Student Outreach and Support (SOS).
Unofficial Withdrawal
A student who stops attending classes without officially withdrawing will receive a grade of "WF" except if the student's performance was an F at the time the student stopped attending class, in which case a grade of "F" will be assigned.
The grade of "WF" will carry no points, but will be computed in the student's grade point average.
Non-attendance does not relieve students of the financial responsibility for tuition charges after they are registered for a class. The University does not drop students for non-attendance or non-payment of tuition.