Courses: Withdrawal from

• In making a decision to withdraw, you might discuss your situation with your instructor, for example:
  • How are grades determined in this course?
  • What grades do you have to-date?
  • What is the best- and worst-case scenario at the end of the semester?
  • Does your instructor have suggestions for how you might better study? 

• You can also talk with your academic advisor and academic dean. You might also consider support offices and resources where you can improve your study skills and time management.
  • The Academic Advising Center discusses strategic choices at midterm time.

• Withdrawing from a course overload to a normal load (4.0 credits) is permitted in multiple fall/spring semesters. Withdrawing from a course during a summer session is also permitted, with the only restriction that the withdrawal be implemented by the withdrawal deadline.

• Withdrawing from a normal course load to an underload (3.0 to 3.75 credits) is generally permitted only once in a fall or spring semester. However, you may begin another semester in an underload, with certain restrictions. You may also be permitted to withdraw to an underload more than once if there are significant medical reasons (see below).

• Note that withdrawal to an underload is a serious step that can have implications for your ability to continue at Duke. Beginning in your second semester of enrollment, you must receive passing grades in 3.0 credits every semester to remain enrolled as a student. If you are unable to do this, you would be dismissed for academic reasons. This policy on continuation requirements may have an impact if you are having difficulty in more than one class. Be sure to discuss your situation with your academic dean.

• Students on academic probation are expected to remain in a full course load during their semester of probation and will be permitted to withdraw to an underload by their academic dean only in compelling circumstances.

• Withdrawal from a course will not be approved by your academic dean if disciplinary action is pending, a Faculty-Student Resolution has been completed, or a sanction has been imposed by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards related to the course in question.

• If you have a Duke merit scholarship (e.g., AB Duke Scholarship) or other special scholarship that requires you to maintain a normal course load, check with that scholarship office to see if withdrawing from a course might be in breach of the terms of that scholarship.

• Depending upon how debilitating your medical situation is, and when in the semester your health concerns emerge, it may be the case that other types of relief, such as an incomplete or even a medical leave of absence, are more appropriate.

• Students who request a medical withdrawal after the withdrawal deadline will be advised to take a medical leave of absence if the condition negatively impacts multiple classes or a grade of incomplete will be assigned to the course of concern. The conditions of the incomplete grade will be determined per policy.

• The decision whether to approve a course withdrawal is an administrative one to be made by your academic dean. If you request permission to withdraw from a course for medical reasons, your dean’s decision will be informed by the opinion of your attending health care provider but not driven by it. Beyond the information provided by your doctor, the dean will take into account all that is known about your situation at Duke including such factors as your medical history, your use of resources in the past, your compliance with medical expectations, how you have conducted your academic responsibilities in courses to date, and other such indicators that you have been managing your condition and your academic affairs in responsible ways.

• Because medical compliance and responsible conduct of your academic affairs are among the factors considered in the decision whether to authorize a medical course withdrawal, it is important for you to continue to attend classes and to keep up with your work in your courses throughout the semester. If due to a serious illness you fall behind in your work, you should contact your instructor, your dean, and health care provider so that you can receive the help that you need and can demonstrate your efforts to manage your illness responsibly.

If you need to seek a second or subsequent withdrawal to an underload for a medical condition, this can be indicative of a chronic condition that may make you eligible for accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Accordingly, you should consult with a representative of the Student Disability Access Office (if you are not already registered with that office) to discuss your eligibility for accommodations through that office.

To withdraw from a course for medical reasons, you should follow the procedure below. Your dean may request medical documentation that will enable him or her to understand your medical situation and needs. He/she may ask you to have your health care provider fill a form for this:

Forms: 

Online request to withdraw form

STEP 1: Confer with your instructor, advisor, dean, family or others on your ability to continue with this class. Consider whether support offices and resources would be helpful.

STEP 2: Email your academic dean to let them know your intention to withdraw: 

• If you are withdrawing from an overload to a normal load, complete the online request to withdraw form, you will receive an email from the Trinity Deans Office if the request is approved or denied.
• If you are withdrawing to an underload for any reason, you will need to schedule an appointment with your academic dean so they can explain the policy on underloads and possible complications.

The deadline to request to withdraw from a course is 11:59 pm on the day four weeks prior to the last day of classes in a fall or spring semester. The deadline for withdrawing during a summer session will depend on the summer term. Deadlines for all course withdrawals are published in the Academic Calendar.  

STEP 3: Your academic dean will then process the form, and if approved, will send confirmation to you and the course instructor and will ask the registrar's office to issue you a W in place of a final grade. You should see the W appear on your Academic History on DukeHub within a week or so.

See also:

• Academic Advising Center: Strategic Choices at Midterms
• Academic Calendar
• Continuation Requirements
• Course Load
• Incomplete Course Work
• Medical Leave of Absence
• Summer Session