Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

Withdrawals


Policies  > Academic Regulations > Withdrawals
 

Withdrawal Defined

The phrase ‘withdrawal’ applies to the dropping of all courses in all sessions of the current term for which the student is enrolled (registered) at the University of Houston. It may be initiated by students.

Official Term Withdrawal

In addition to following the procedure for dropping all courses for a term withdrawal, students must return all library books and laboratory equipment and have their UH record clear in every respect. Students who wish to withdraw must submit their request by following the process outlined on the Academic Forms website: http://www.uh.edu/academics/forms/index.php#termwithdraw

The recorded date for withdrawal will be the date the withdrawal is received by the Office of the University Registrar.

A student whose enrollment in a course is terminated on or before the last day to drop or withdraw without receiving a grade (Census/Official Reporting Date, as listed in the Academic Calendar ) will not have the course or grade appear on the permanent record. When termination is made after this date, the permanent record will show a grade of W for each withdrawn course and the date of withdrawal.

Withdrawal from the university is exempted from the 6W  count.

Any refund due to the student will be based on the date that the Term Withdrawal Request Form was received by the Office of the University Registrar.

Deadline

  • Generally, Undergraduate Students may request a term withdrawal through the last day to drop or withdraw with a ‘W’, as posted in the Academic Calendar 
    • Students are responsible for initiating action to withdraw from classes on or before the last day to withdraw.
    • Students who fail to do so will be retained on the class rolls even though they may be absent for the remainder of the term. In such instances, grades of F (or U in S/U graded courses) will be given unless mitigating circumstances warrant grades of I (incomplete).
  • Exceptions
    • Military withdrawal situations use a different process and deadline. Please consult with UH Veteran Services for more information.
    • Medical and personal emergency situations use a different process and deadline. Please consult with Undergraduate Academic Affairs for more information.

Procedure

University Withdrawal

In addition to suspension for academic or disciplinary causes, students may be withdrawn by the University for medical or financial reasons.

  1. Financial Responsibility
    • All University of Houston students will accept the Payment Terms Agreement at the beginning of each term prior to completing enrollment in a class.  The Payment Terms Agreement outlines the student’s financial responsibilities to the university necessary to maintain enrollment.
    • Students who have a check returned as unpaid by their bank will be notified by Student Business Services.  All returned checks will be assessed a $25 service charge.  Returned checks for initial fee payment may result in dis-enrollment for unpaid tuition and fees. 
    • Students with two or more returned checks will forfeit check-writing privileges for one year and must petition for future eligibility. Students must then pay by cash, cashier’s check, money order, or credit card.
    • Students who fail to make their first payment indicated on their initial fee bill may be canceled from their courses for non-payment. Students who make their initial payment then fail to make subsequent payment by the final payment deadline provided will have a financial stop placed on their account and are subject to the following actions until the balance is cleared:
      • One time $50 severance of service fee.
      • Blocked from future enrollment.
      • No degree will be conferred. 
      • University housing may be denied.
      • Transcripts or statements regarding courses or prior credits will not be provided to or on behalf of the student.
    • Continued delinquency may result in the placement of the account with an external collection agency and assessment of a collection fee of at least 25% of the outstanding balance.
  2. Undergraduate Medical Withdrawal
    A student may request withdrawals from all courses in which the student is enrolled in cases where the student experiences a medical situation that impedes academic progress. The policy and procedures for requesting a medical withdrawal follow.
    1. Policy: Undergraduate and Postbaccalaureate Students
      1. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) may grant medical withdrawals at any time to students who must withdraw for medical reasons from all courses for which they are enrolled (registered) at the University of Houston. It is expected that the request will be filed as soon as possible, no later than 140 calendar days after the close of the term in which the coursework was taken.
      2. Students who receive medical withdrawals after the last day to withdraw without receiving a grade shall normally receive a W in each course for which they were enrolled (registered), although the instructor has the option of assigning an I or F.
      3. Students may not receive medical withdrawals for courses in which they have been found guilty of a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy. If a medical withdrawal is completed prior to a guilty finding, the student will become liable for the Academic Honesty penalty, including F grades.
      4. Students who receive medical withdrawals must obtain permission from the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designated representative) to enroll again at the University of Houston.
    2. Procedures
      1. Students (or their appointed representatives if they are unable to act for themselves) who seek to withdraw for medical reasons from all courses for which they are enrolled (registered) at the university shall, as soon as possible, submit a medical withdrawal request to the senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative), submitting all appropriate documentation, including a statement from a physician or psychologist, with their written request.
      2. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall
        1. review each request and its accompanying documentation,
        2. make inquiries and seek recommendations from instructors of record and others as appropriate,
        3. decide whether to approve or deny the request,
        4. inform both the student and the dean of the college of the student’s major of the decision in writing, and
        5. if the request is approved, place a medical withdrawal enrollment “stop” on the student’s record unless otherwise noted by physician, clinical psychologist or licensed clinical practitioner.
      3. If the medical withdrawal is requested with an effective date after the last day for a student to withdraw from classes without receiving a grade, the senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall, in making inquiries and seeking recommendations from each instructor of record, notify each that if approved, the withdrawal will normally result in a grade of W.
      4. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall determine the student’s final grade when approving the request, and shall inform the student and each instructor’s dean, the Office of the University Registrar (which will enter the assigned grades into the student’s record), the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, and Student Business Services.
      5. Students who receive medical withdrawals and later seek to return to the university shall submit a written request, including a statement from a physician or psychologist, to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designated representative justifying their readiness to resume their studies.
        1. review each request to resume study at the university,
        2. make inquiries and seek recommendations as appropriate,
        3. decide whether to approve or deny the request,
        4. inform both the student and the dean of the college of the student’s major of the decision in writing, and
        5. if the request is approved, remove the medical withdrawal enrollment “stop” from the student’s record. (This action does not remove any other “stops” that may have been placed on the student’s record by other university officials.
  3. Undergraduate Administrative Withdrawal
    A student may request withdrawals from all courses in which the student is enrolled in cases when the student experiences an extenuating personal or family situation, beyond the control of the student, that impedes academic progress. The policy and procedures for requesting an administrative withdrawal follow.
    1. Policy: Undergraduate and Postbaccalaureate Students
      1. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) may grant administrative withdrawals at any time to a student who must withdraw from all courses for which he or she is enrolled (registered) at the University of Houston based on an extenuating circumstance beyond the control of the student. It is expected that the request will be filed as soon as possible, no later than 140 days after the close of the term in which the coursework was taken.
      2. Students who receive administrative withdrawals after the last day to withdraw without receiving a grade shall normally receive a W in each course for which they were enrolled (registered), although the instructor has the option of assigning an I or F.
      3. Students may not receive Administrative Withdrawals for courses in which they have been found guilty of a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy. If an Administrative Withdrawal is completed prior to a guilty finding, the student will become liable for the Academic Honesty penalty, including F grades.
    2. Procedures
      1. Students (or their appointed representatives if they are unable to act for themselves) who seek to withdraw for administrative reasons from all courses for which they are enrolled (registered) at the university shall, as soon as possible, submit an administrative withdrawal request to the senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative), submitting all appropriate documentation, including a statement from a physician, psychologist or legal advisor, with their written requests. In the event of death of an immediate family member (mother, father, grandparent, sister, brother, child, spouse) an official death certificate will be required.
      2. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall
        1. review each request and its accompanying documentation,
        2. make inquiries and seek recommendations from instructors of record and others as appropriate,
        3. decide whether to approve or deny the request,
        4. inform both the student and the dean of the college of the student’s major of the decision in writing, and
      3. If the administrative withdrawal is requested with an effective date after the last day for a student to withdraw from classes without receiving a grade, the senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall, in making inquiries and seeking recommendations from each instructor of record, notify each that if approved, the withdrawal will normally result in a grade of W.
      4. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall determine the student’s final grade when approving the request, and shall inform the student and each instructor’s dean, the Office of the University Registrar (which will enter the assigned grades into the student’s record), the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, and Student Business Services.