Skip to main content

Withdrawal Procedures

Withdrawal Prior to the End of the Official Drop Period

  Semester Deadline
  Spring Semester Prior to March 4, 2024
  1. Withdrawal prior to the end of the drop period is a release from the University for the remainder of the semester.
  2. Students considering withdrawal should consult their major advisor and DGP.
  3. A student who wishes to drop all courses and who has preregistered and prepaid must go through the official withdrawal process which can be found at MyPack Portal > Student Homepage > Planning and Enrollment > Term Withdrawal.
  4. NC State students carrying coursework at another campus under the International Registration Program must also contact the Department of Registration and Records to initiate the paperwork necessary for removal from the class roll at the other institution.

Late Withdrawals

  Semester  Deadline
  Spring Semester  On or after March 4, 2024*

Graduate students may receive withdrawals after the last day of the official drop period. Students considering withdrawal should consult their major advisor and DGP. A student who wishes to pursue a withdrawal must go through the official withdrawal process which can be found at

MyPack Portal > Student Homepage > Planning and Enrollment > Term Withdrawal.

Withdrawals will be considered under one or more of the following conditions:

  1. Certification by a physician of inability to continue for medical reasons. Such medical petitions are subject to review by a University physician at Student Health Services.
  2. Certification by the Counseling Center or by an independent psychiatrist or psychologist of inability to continue for psychiatric/psychological reasons. In this case, the Counseling Center reserves the right to review pertinent records and to reexamine the student if necessary before recommending withdrawal. This is to certify that:
    • (a) there has been a significant decrease in the student’s usual level of psychological functioning and
    • (b) that regaining the previous level of functioning will involve a process of sufficient academic disruption to make continuing as a student unreasonable. In this situation, a “hold” may be placed on the student’s readmission pending certification by the Counseling Center or independent psychologist/psychiatrist that the student has regained an appropriate level of function and can be expected to maintain that usual level of psychological competence.
  3. Documentation of a personal or family hardship that adversely affected the student’s academic performance in a significant way

The DGP (Director of Graduate Programs) for your degree department, Dean of the College, and the Graduate School will review the student’s request, consulting with the Counseling Center and Student Health Services as appropriate. Once a final decision has been rendered, the student will be notified of that decision.

Retroactive Withdrawals

Requests for retroactive withdrawal may be made if the semester in which the student was registered has passed. Such withdrawals will normally be for an entire semester rather than for individual courses. Students considering such withdrawals should consult their major advisor and DGP. A student who wishes to pursue a retroactive withdrawal must go through the official withdrawal process through the Counseling Center. Withdrawals will be considered under one or more of the following conditions:

  1. Certification by a physician of inability to perform during the semester in question. Such medical petitions are subject to review by a University physician if a request for consultation is made by the Counseling Center.
  2. Certification by the Counseling Center or by an independent psychiatrist or psychologist, or inability to perform during the semester in question for psychiatric/psychological reasons. In this case, the Counseling Center reserves the right to review pertinent records and to reexamine the student if necessary before recommending withdrawal. The certification must show a significant decrease in the student’s usual level of psychological functioning resulting in severely diminished performance.
  3. Documentation of a personal or family hardship that adversely affected the student’s academic performance significantly during the semester in question.

The Counseling Center will communicate their recommendation to the Dean of the College in which the student was enrolled. The Dean of the College will review the student’s request and the Counseling Center’s recommendation, consulting with the student’s DGP if appropriate, and make a recommendation to the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School will approve or deny the student’s request accordingly.

Effect of Withdrawal on Meeting Continuous Registration Requirement

Any student enrolled in a graduate program who is registered for a given semester or summer session and withdraws during the official registration period (typically the first 10 or 5 working days of a semester or summer session, respectively) must obtain a leave of absence to meet the requirement for continuous registration. However, those students withdrawing after the official registration period ends DO NOT need to obtain a leave of absence and will be considered by the Graduate School as having met their continuous registration requirement.