Overview

A withdrawal is a request to drop all classes in the selected term with the intention of leaving the university.

Because of the potential consequences of a withdrawal, a submitted withdrawal request will go through your academic dean for review before being sent to the Office of the Registrar to be processed.

For more information on the withdrawal process, please review Term Withdrawal FAQ.

• Withdraw from Current Term
• Withdraw from Future Term
• Withdraw Past the Term Withdrawal Deadline

Withdraw from Current Term: Step-by-Step

1. 1. Log in to MyUW.
   2. Click on the Student Center tile, then the Manage Classes tile.
      
      
      
      
      
      
   3. From the menu on the left, select Enrollment: Term Withdrawal.
      
      
      
      
   4. Select the relevant term, and click Continue.
      
      
      
      
   5. The Withdrawal Process panel explains the process and shows you contact information for your academic dean’s office. This panel also directs you to review information and the next steps for medical withdrawals. Click Continue.
      
      
      
      
   6. The Withdrawal Consequences panel gives you suggestions of which services may be affected by your withdrawal. Click Continue.
      
      
      
      
   7. If you are an international student on an F-1 or J-1 visa or a student athlete, you will see an additional Withdrawal Consequences panel. Click Continue.
      
      
      
      
   8. The Withdrawal Reason panel asks for information about why you are requesting a withdrawal. This helps your academic dean and advisor be ready to discuss this request with you. Select the primary reason, enter an explanation of the circumstances behind the withdrawal, and click Continue.
      1. If you select Medical as the primary reason, please consult the Medical Withdrawals page for important instructions on next steps.
         
         
         
         
   9. The Enrolled Courses panel shows your currently enrolled courses. When you withdraw, you will drop those courses. Click Continue.
      
      
      
      
   10. The Tuition Adjustment panel may show you dates for tuition adjustments (refunds), depending on your courses and when you choose to withdraw. Click Continue.
       1. Medical withdrawals: The refund table will not reflect tuition refunds per the medical withdrawal policy. Please consult the Medical Withdrawals page to review the tuition refund schedule.
          
          
          
          
   11. The Confirm panel shows your official withdrawal date and the campus email address which will receive a confirmation of this request. Click the Finish Withdrawing button.
       
       
       
       
   12. Next, your request is routed to your academic dean for review and approval. You may be asked by your academic dean for an interview to review your withdrawal request.
       1. If you selected Medical as the primary reason, please consult the Medical Withdrawals page for important instructions on the next steps.
       2. If you are an international student on an F-1 or J-1 visa, International Student Services will also review your request.
       3. If you are a student-athlete, an Athletic Academic Eligibility coordinator will also review your request.
   13. After approval by your academic dean, your withdrawal request is received by the Office of the Registrar to complete the process. We will send you a confirmation email when you have been officially withdrawn from the University of Wisconsin–Madison for the requested term.

Withdraw from Future Term

You do not need to submit a withdrawal request in the following situations:

• If you are attempting to withdraw from a future term
• If you are attempting to withdraw from the current term before your earliest session start date (in most cases, that would be the first day of classes).

Trying to submit a withdrawal request in these situations will result in an error message. You should drop all of your classes using Course Search & Enroll instead.

For more information about course drops, see Course Search & Enroll - Dropping a Class.

Withdraw Past the Term Withdrawal Deadline

You will not be able to submit a withdrawal request past the term withdrawal deadline. Trying to submit a withdrawal request past the deadline will result in an error message directing you to contact your academic's dean's office.