Graduate Retroactive Withdrawal, with Dean or Dean’s Designee Approval, Process and Criteria

See AP.1.5.6., AP.1.5.7, AP.1.5.8. and AP.1.5.9. of the University Catalog for additional information on withdrawal. Please see the academic calendar for specific term dates. No change in registration is complete until it is submitted through Patriot Web or processed by the University Registrar. Note: certain account holds may prevent withdrawal. Withdrawal results in a grade of W on the student’s transcript for the specified courses and no tuition will be refunded.

Requests for retroactive withdrawal from a current term, for non-academic reasons, from one or more courses begins after the Unrestricted Withdrawal Period has ended (5^th week of the term) until the Last Day of Class.

How to Request a Retroactive Withdrawal after the Unrestricted Withdrawal Period has ended and before the Last Day of Class:

Email the College of Engineering and Computing Office of Graduate Studies (CECGS) at CECGS@gmu.edu with your full name, G#, the course(s) you are requesting to withdraw from and the non-academic rationale for your request.

Notes:

You are strongly encouraged to discuss your plans with your instructor(s) and your advisor before applying for withdrawal; there may be alternatives available to you.
International students may be adversely affected if they withdraw from a course and drop below full-time status. These students should consult OIPS before making a request for withdrawal.
Students receiving a tuition waiver from a GTA or GRA position should consult their hiring department before withdrawing from a course.
Students may not selectively withdraw from courses after the last day of class.

Requests for retroactive withdrawal from a prior term applies to an entire semester of coursework, not from individual courses. Requests will not be accepted from inactive, conferred, terminated or resigned graduate students.

To request retroactive withdrawal from a prior term, students are required to submit a detailed rationale for their request and supporting documentation to the College of Engineering and Computing Office of Graduate Studies (CECGS), CECGS@gmu.edu. Requests for retroactive withdrawal from a prior term will only be considered for:

Death or medically documented major illness of the student that was unpredictable and prevented them from withdrawing before the end of the withdrawal period (e.g., a student who becomes suddenly hospitalized for an extended period of time which prevented them from withdrawing appropriately). Personal/family issues or work-related obligations are not valid rationales. Students with functional impairments related to a disability are strongly encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Services to discuss appropriate accommodations.

Military deployment of the student.