Withdrawal Graduate School Policy:

Official withdrawal from a term is required if a student wishes to drop all courses after a semester begins. The student must submit an electronic Withdrawal Form through their Connect Carolina Student Center and complete the withdrawal steps. Instructions for this process are noted below. If at the time of withdrawal the student is failing any course, a grade of F is assigned to the student’s permanent record and the student becomes ineligible to continue.

A student who withdraws during the first semester of enrollment in an academic program may submit an Application for Readmission if s/he later wishes to pursue the degree. After two years have passed, the student must submit a Reapplication to that program if s/he later wishes to pursue the degree. Withdrawal from the University is not equivalent to a formal leave of absence from The Graduate School.

International students who withdraw from the University may face critical consequences regarding their visa status. International students should contact the Office of International Student and Scholar Services to discuss the implications of noncompliance well in advance of processing a withdrawal.

Withdrawal from the University also has financial consequences for students who have been awarded tuition remission and/or in-state tuition award through a fellowship or assistantship appointment.

Note on Medical Withdrawals:  On-campus students may request an official medical withdrawal from the University must be processed directly by Campus Health Services. A student who receives a medical withdrawal may be required to receive medical clearance before being readmitted. Our online format is not eligible for medical withdrawals, but students may pursue academic withdrawals.

Withdrawal Process & Instructions:

• Before students begin the process of initiating a Withdrawal, they must speak with the Associate Director of Academic Advising and Student Life to ensure they understand the process and implications of the withdrawal.
  • Please Note: Withdrawing in a term does have financial implications including but not limited to late drop charges, financial aid, fellowships, VA benefits, etc.

• Once this meeting has occurred, if a student wishes to move forward with the withdrawal option for the semester, they can do so using Connect Carolina.
  • Detailed instructions on how to begin the withdrawal process in Connect Carolina can be found here.

• As part of the process to withdraw in Connect Carolina, students will need faculty in each class they are enrolled in for that term to certify that they are not failing their course.  Information on this step in the process can be found here.  The form faculty need to complete and return to the student to upload to their withdrawal request can be found here.
  • Note: It is recommended for students to fill out the top portion of the form, scan it, and send it to the faculty. Please note, if you are earning an F at withdrawal, this will be recorded as the final grade and would therefore make you academically ineligible.

• Once the withdrawal process has been initiated and completed by the student, the student will be dropped from courses in Connect Carolina.

• Formal application for readmission is required whenever a student fails to register for a regular (fall/spring) semester, whether the student had an approved leave of absence or withdrew. Once a student that has withdrawn is ready to return to the program and they are eligible to apply for readmission, they can follow the steps outlined below.

Application for Readmission Form:

• Return the completed Application for Readmission Form to the Associate Director of Academic Advising and Student Life (online or on-campus students). Please be sure to clearly indicate which term you are applying to be readmitted for (Fall, Spring, or Summer I).
• The MPA program director and The Graduate School will review and approve or deny the application. If approved, The Graduate School will email the student with the decision and students should be able to register for the next term a few days following.
• Readmission Deadlines:  Applications for readmission must be received by the program no later than the last day of week 8 of the current term.

In addition, North Carolina residents who have not been enrolled for a year or more will need to reapply for in-state tuition.