Withdrawal from Courses

Withdrawal from a Course

You may withdraw from individual courses from the end of add/drop period through the end of the ninth week of the term (Summer withdrawal dates vary according to the session) by completing a Monitored Withdrawal Request Form (PDF).  You need to complete this form in the office of the undergraduate dean for the school that offers the course.

  • For College of General Studies and Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences courses, email the completed form to StudentRecords@AS.Pitt.edu
  • For all other courses, please visit the respective school website for details.

A “W” grade will be assigned and will appear on your transcript; however, it will not affect your GPA. You will be 100 percent financially responsible for any course from which you have withdrawn. Before you make the decision to withdraw from a class, consider these tips:

  1. Speak with your instructor about your performance in the class. The class may be graded on a curve, so you might not be doing as badly as you think.
  2. Discuss the implications of withdrawing with your advisor. It may impact your selection of classes in future terms or may have financial aid implications.
  3. If you are a student athlete, it is your responsibility to discuss this further with your academic support counselor.
  4. If you are an international student (with F1 status), you must contact the Office of International Student Services beforeyou submit the Monitored Withdrawal form.
  5. Be sure to check Pitt's Academic Calendar for the exact deadline for each term.

Withdrawal from All Classes

A student may withdraw from all classes for the term. The student must fill out the Withdrawal from All Classes form (PDF) and then submit it to studentrecords@as.pitt.edu. The student's academic record will bear the grade "W" for each registered course for the term. This may only be done one time while registered as a CGS student. These requests must be submitted prior to the last week of classes each term.  

Note that withdrawing from all classes may affect your financial aid for future terms and does not relieve you of your financial obligations to the University. Check with your advisor or call 412-624-6600 for the deadline to withdraw from all classes.

Appeal for a Late Withdrawal

After the normal withdrawal period, a withdrawal is permitted only in extraordinary circumstances with the permission of the Dean. Students can appeal for a late withdrawal by meeting with an Assistant Dean. Appointments can be set up by calling 412-624-6480.

This is an appeal; it is not guaranteed. Those students, who fail to withdraw properly or whose appeal is rejected, will be assigned a letter grade for the course by the instructor, which will be factored into your GPA.

Resignation

Once you register for classes, you are liable for all costs incurred as a result of that registration. During the add/drop period at the beginning of each term, you can drop some or all of your courses through the enrollment function in your student center at my.pitt.edu.  This will eliminate financial charges for courses dropped before the add/drop deadline. If you decide to drop all your classes after the add/drop period, you must resign and your charges will be adjusted. 

You may resign by calling 412-624-7585, sending an e-mail to resignation@bc.pitt.edu or visiting the Student Appeals office, room G-12 Thackeray Hall immediately. The date of your call, visit, or postmark will be the effective date of resignation and will determine the amount of liability. Telephone resignation service is provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Students who do not go through a formal resignation process will be liable for 100% of the tuition charge. You cannot resign (drop all your courses) by completing an enrollment form. Resignation from all classes can occur between the end of the add/drop period and day 60 of the term or day 30 of a session. Learn more here.