Drop or Withdraw from a Class

The information on this page applies to dropping or withdrawing from one or more Main Campus classes while remaining enrolled in a session or semester.

Withdrawing from all of your Main Campus classes constitutes a semester withdrawal and has a different impact on your tuition and fees. SeeÌýWithdraw from the Semester for details.

Understanding Drop and Withdrawal Deadlines

Use theÌýAcademic Calendar ´Ç°ùÌýSpecial Session Calendars to determine when you can drop a class without a W notation versus when you’ll receive a Withdrawal (W) notation and be charged tuition. Please note that exceptions cannot be made for being unaware of deadlines, and it’s your responsibility to learn class drop and withdrawal deadlines.

For main campus deadlines, view theÌýAcademic Calendar ´Ç°ùÌýSpecial Session Calendars and search for the following dates: Last Day to Drop a Class without a W Notation and Last Day to Withdraw a Class.

Learn more aboutÌýspecial sessions to determine if you’re in any special session classes. For continuing education classes, seeÌý for more information.Ìý

Any class drop occurringÌýprior to the equivalent three-week deadline; no record of class enrollment on transcript.

You may drop a class without receiving a W notation during:

The last day to drop a class without tuition/fee charges and without a W notation is published in the Academic Calendar.

Any class drop after the initial drop period and up to equivalent 10 week self-service deadline; W notations are assigned and no tuition is refunded.Ìý

You’ll have access to withdraw from individual classes following the drop deadline through the equivalent 10th week of classes (see calendar below). During this time, a W (withdrawn) notation will post to your transcript and you'll be required to pay full tuition and fees for the class. W notations may also impact Satisfactory Academic Standing.Ìý

While a W notation is permanent on your record, it will not impact your semester or cumulative GPA. The W notation indicates that you withdrew after the drop deadline.ÌýÌý

To learn more about grade policies, see theÌý in the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ catalog.

Any class drop after the equivalent 10 week self-service deadline and through the last day of classes; W notations are assigned and no tuition is refunded. Students must petition for a late class withdrawal.Ìý

Effective Fall 2026, during the initial semester in which a student petitions for one or more late class withdrawal(s) due to experiencing extenuating circumstances, the request will be approved pending faculty input. Students will be required to verify they are experiencing extenuating circumstances through a statement of acknowledgement, but no documentation of the extenuating circumstances will be required.ÌýAfter the initial semester of petitioning, students will be required to provide documentation of their extenuating circumstancesÌýand a statement outlining how engagement in the requested class(s) is uniquely impacted. Approval is not guaranteed and students should continue attending class until the final decision is rendered. If a student is found responsible for academic dishonesty and violations of the honor code they may be re-enrolled in the class at the request of the instructor and approval of the student’s primary college, school or program. Law students should contact the Law School regarding their late course withdrawal policies. Nondegree students should contact ceregistration@colorado.edu for their withdrawal policies.Ìý

In order to equitably review petitions while also supporting the student experience, please see our definition of extenuating circumstances below:

Extenuating Circumstances

“A studentÌýmayÌýpetition during the current semester if the student’s ability to successfully engage in a specific class is directly and negatively impacted by escalating, disruptive and/or involuntary conditions. Conditions that may qualify include:Ìý

  • Illnesses or death of a close relative, friend or partner
  • Evacuation due to weather (flooding, tornadoes, fire)
  • Political conflict impacting family in home country
  • Financial problems (loss of job covering tuition),
  • Physical or mental crises (emerging or chronic illness or injury)Ìý
  • Systemic conditions that suddenly deprive a student of essential necessities such as safety and dignity; this could be housing or food insecurity, discrimination, harassment or assault.Ìý

In and of themselves, the following are not reasons for a student toÌýpetition for a late class withdrawal:Ìý

  • Non-attendance or incomplete participation
  • Poor performance
  • Insufficiently researching the academic rigor of a class
  • GPA protection
  • Undergraduates changing their major thus making current classes ineligible for new degree requirementsÌý

Students are expected to learn and know deadlines via the academic calendar and watch their schedule for updates and failure to abide by withdrawal deadlines is not an acceptable reason for petitioning.

This is not an exhaustive list and is meant to provide examples. Your situation may qualify. Please discuss with your academic advisor if you have any questions.

Administrative drops can occur for two reasons:

  • Nonattendance
  • Missing required course prerequisites or corequisites

You must attend class regularly to guarantee your place in a class before the drop without a W notation deadline of the semester or session. If you fail to attend, youÌýmayÌýbe administratively dropped at the discretion of the department offering the course; however, this is not guaranteed. Administrative drops by the department must be completed by the drop without a W notation deadline.

For remote or online classes, attendance policies are developed by instructors in consultation with their department chairs. Instructors have been asked to clearly define their policies in the syllabus, and to remain in communication with their students to verify class attendance andÌýparticipation.

Check with your instructor about their specific policy regarding administrative drops for nonattendance, and reviewÌýyour schedule to confirm any and all drops.

Ìý

Before Dropping or Requesting a Late Class Withdrawal

Before deciding whether to withdraw from class prior to the 10-week deadline or request a late class withdrawal, please read about potential impacts. In some cases, it may be beneficial to withdraw from the class and alleviate barriers to your mental and physical health. In other cases it may be best to remain in the class.Ìý

AlwaysÌýcontact your academic advisor if you’d like to discuss options given your unique circumstances. Additional considerations for:Ìý

You may want to remain in the class and take the final grade.Ìý

  • Complete the class:ÌýDepending on the grade you receive, you may still be eligible to graduate on time. Double-check the syllabus with your academic advisor. You may be able toÌýretake the class for grade replacement.
  • Request an Incomplete grade:ÌýIf you’ve completed a majority of the class and you have an extenuating circumstance, contact your instructor to see if you are able to take an incomplete grade. Assigning an incomplete grade is at the instructor’s discretion, and they may factor in considerations such as the amount of classwork that needs completing in their decision.Ìý

If you are assigned a class withdrawal and the class is a prerequisite for future classes or isn’t offered on a regular basis, this could impact your timeline for graduation. You can discuss this timeline with your academic advisor.Ìý

Other specific student populations impacts:

  • Student-athletes: This could impact your NCAA academic progress. Contact your athletic and academic advisor.

  • Graduate students: Completing a class withdrawal may impact the time limit of your degree programÌýand you may be required to request an extension. Class withdrawals are not covered by the tuition waiver and you will become responsible for the tuition associated with the class. Contact your graduate department program assistant for more information.

Depending on the graduate program you’re looking at, W notations may or may not negatively impact your application. Often,Ìýadmissions committees review your academic record holistically with the goal of determining if you are prepared to enter their graduate or professional program. They may look for positive trends such as improving grades. A pattern of W notations throughout your transcript could be a worrying trend and in some rare cases admissions committees may prefer to see a failed grade instead of a withdrawal. This may also present you with an opportunity to explain how you’ve had to overcome difficult conditions and adversity.Ìý

Contact your prospective admissions office for more information. In some cases, and even with grade replacement, graduate schools will calculate all grades in your GPA to determine if you are academically eligible and prepared for their program.

There are other impacts to consider when thinking about dropping or withdrawal from a class. Please review our Requirements or Impacts webpage for more information.Ìý

Ìý

How to Drop

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ Class Search Buff Portal
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ Class Search

To drop one or more of your enrolled or waitlisted classes, follow the steps below:

  1. Log in to .
  2. Click the cart icon on the upper right.
  3. In the cart,Ìýclick the class you want to drop.
  4. In the course details panel, click "Drop."
  5. A pop-up willÌýconfirm that you're adding a drop requestÌýto your cart. Click "OK."
  6. In the cart,Ìýclick "Continue to Enrollment."
  7. If there are changes in your cart you don't want to submit, untick the checkbox to the right of those classes.
  8. When you're ready to submit the selected changes, click "Submit Registration."

If it worked, you'll see a confirmationÌýmessage. If it didn't, you'll see an error message; read theÌýdescription for details.

  1. Log inÌýwith your IdentiKey to access .
  2. In the registration system, select the "Drop Classes" menu option and tick the checkbox next to each class you want to drop. Click "Next."
  3. Review your selection(s), then click "Drop Classes" and confirm by clicking "Yes" on the "Are you sure you want to drop the selected class(es)?" prompt.Ìý

If it worked, you'll see a confirmationÌýmessage. If it didn't, you'll see an error message; read theÌýdescription for details.

To drop one or more of your enrolled or waitlisted classes:

  1. Follow this link to Buff Portal'sÌýÌý(you may be prompted to log in).
  2. Select the class you want to drop.
  3. Select "Drop/Swap/Edit Class."
  4. Select "Drop This Class," then "Continue."
  5. In the registration system, scroll down to the "ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ Shopping Cart" sectionÌýand tick the checkbox next to each class you want to drop.
  6. Click "Drop Selected Classes."
  7. Review your selection(s), then click "Finish Dropping."

If it worked, you'll see a confirmationÌýmessage. If it didn't, you'll see an error message; read theÌýdescription for details.

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ the Late Class Withdrawal Petition

Petition Eligibility Deadline to Submit Completing the Online Form Timeline for Committee Review/Decision How to Craft Your Petition Carefully Answer the Following Questions Writing Your Personal Statement Providing Supporting Documentation
Petition Eligibility

In order to petition:

  • Leeds School of Business undergraduate students must meet with an advisor before their petition will be reviewed or considered.Ìý
  • Is this your first or initial semester of requesting a late class withdrawal?ÌýIf yes,Ìýyou must acknowledge the extenuating circumstances that are directly affecting your participation in the classes indicated on the petition. See Extenuating Circumstances above.Ìý
  • Is this your subsequent or second semester requesting a late class withdrawal?ÌýIf yes,Ìýyou will be required to provide documentation of an extenuating circumstance. Once you complete this form, your petition will be routed to a review committee. If your request is approved, a W notation will be assigned and full tuition and fees will be assessed. Read the sections below on how to craft your petition.Ìý

The deadline to submit is the last day of instruction. For a full-term class,Ìýthis is the last day of classes before finals. For a summer or special session class this is the day before the last day of classes.Ìý

No exceptions are made for missing this deadline. Please discuss your options with your academic advisor.

Your petition is not considered complete until all required fields are completed and you’ve received a confirmation page once you click submit. After submitting and within 5-10 minutes you will receive confirmation via email to your ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ inbox.Ìý

If you encounter any errors - please try clearing your browser’s history, closing all browser tabs and then restarting your browser. If issues persist, please emailÌýregistrar@colorado.edu.Ìý

Petitions take 4-5 business days to review and 4-5 business days for processing once received by the Office of the Registrar. Students are encouraged to attend classes until they receive their final decision.

The University Late Class Withdrawal committee is asking students to craft a petition demonstrating that their circumstances meet the university’s definition of extenuating circumstances.ÌýThe committee comprises of members from the various academic colleges in order to remain aligned with policy and consistently and equitably review petitions.Ìý

Students will only haveÌýoneÌýopportunity to petition for an individual class and so students should ensure their petition is complete.ÌýYour petition may be denied if it is incomplete or did not demonstrate extenuating circumstances.ÌýSubmitting a petition with documentation does not guarantee approval.ÌýAll decisions are final.ÌýIn order to efficiently and fairly review petitions, no appeals are allowed if your petition is denied. If your petition is denied, you may contact your academic advisor to discuss options outside of the late class withdrawal process.Ìý

To ensure your petition is complete, it must include the following components:

  1. A personal statement
  2. Documentation supporting your personal statement.
  3. Answer the questions included on the petition.Ìý

Please read the sections below on how to prepare your petition.Ìý

Prior to completing your petition online, consider creating a Word document and drafting your answers to the following questions. This will also help you craft your personal statement. Once you’re ready to submit your petition, you will enter your answers in the online petition. Answering these questions helps the committee better understand your circumstances.Ìý

  1. Please describe the unforeseen extenuating circumstances which impacted this one class and how these circumstances impacted your engagement in this class.Ìý
  2. Why/How these extenuating circumstances did not impact your engagement in your other class(es).
  3. Why did you not drop the class by the posted deadline within the semester?

When writing your personal statement, the committee acknowledges that sharing details may be difficult or seem intrusive. You are not required to adhere to specific academic style guides or academic vernacular when writing your statement.Ìý The committee commits to meeting each semester in order to calibrate petition review in a consistent, culturally competent and intersectional manner. This also includes considerations of your privacy and only sharing your personal information within the role of committee members.

As such, we ask that you write a summary of the relevant details of how events have unexpectedly or negatively impacted your ability to attend regularly scheduled class meetings, complete assignments, engage in class discussions or instructor office hours, take exams, etc.Ìý This may also include sharing how you’ve used campus or personal resources to ameliorate your circumstances.Ìý

Your personal statement should be 1-2 paragraphs in length and must includeÌýthe following components:

  1. Dates of eventsÌý
  2. Severity of circumstancesÌý
  3. How this has impacted your academic performance in the specific class you’re petitioning.Ìý

Please also note that campus resources likeÌýCAPs,ÌýOVA andÌýSOAS are here to support you during your academic career. If you are experiencingÌýHousing Insecurity ´Ç°ùÌýFood Insecurity, the Basic Needs Center can also provide resources.

Each situation our students may encounter will likely be unique and the documentation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The committee acknowledges that systemic barriers may disadvantage or cause harm to interlocking and different aspects of a person’s identity and that students may have varying access to opportunities and resources. This may include but is not limited to a disparity in access to counseling, medical treatment, housing and food security, and more.Ìý

As such, documentation may come from different sources or from on-campus resources you may be utilizing. The committee is seeking documentation from a health provider, instructor or advisor,Ìýa campus representative, an employer or from someone who knows you in a professional or academic capacity, or other records that support the reasoning provided in your personal statement.Ìý

Documentation should be succinct. It should attest to the specifics of your situation and how this has impacted your academic performance. Remember that committee members may only have access to the documentation that you provide.Ìý

Try to build your best case with the resources available to you. Strong documentation typically includes the following:

  • Letters of support from a care provider detailing the following:Ìý
    • The date you started seeing the practitioner or using the campus resource.Ìý
    • Description of the issue
    • The severity of the issue and how it affected your ability to be successful academically
    • If appropriate, an explanation of your inability to attend classes and/or withdraw
  • Obituary, memorial, or service announcements.Ìý
  • News articles detailing the situation.Ìý
  • Correspondence with instructors and/or other campus resource officers.Ìý
  • Resources you may have you utilized that will help you to succeed moving forward.
  • W-2’s or bank statements which clearly outline a change.Ìý

We encourage students to contact the most relevant source for documentation.Ìý Students may use the following template when requesting support:

Dear Name,
I’m currently a student at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ. Due to recent events, I am seeking to petition for a late class withdrawal for {Class information if appropriate, ex: SOCY 1010}. In order to submit my petition, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ is requesting documentation that current and extenuating circumstances have negatively impacted my ability to engage in my academics. I believe that you have the most relevant and appropriate knowledge to confirm my circumstances.Ìý

If willing, would you write a letter which includes the following?Ìý

  • A letter on your professional or academic stationary if applicable.Ìý
  • The date you noticed the events occurring as either your patient, employee or student.Ìý
  • A brief description of my current circumstances.Ìý
  • The severity of the issue and how is affecting my ability to be successful academically, professionally or personally.Ìý
  • If appropriate, an explanation of how these circumstances have prevented me from attending classes or withdrawing.Ìý

I appreciate your assistance in obtaining this documentation for my petition.Ìý

Contact Us

ÌýÌý registrar@colorado.edu
ÌýÌý 303-492-6970

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