Withdrawal

Withdrawal

May I take a break from my studies at Cal?

If you need a break, take it. Some students have withdrawn, raised a family and then returned to finish their degrees. Others have withdrawn for a semester to travel, to work, to recover from an illness, or to discover their academic direction. The College advisers' experience is that the majority of students perform much better upon return, having decided on the importance of their degree or the right subjects to study. A long absence may mean that some College or major requirements will be revised but rarely in a manner that causes much difficulty. The reason you request a withdrawal is considered confidential and it will not appear on your transcript.

Who can help me decide whether to withdraw?

College advisers are available by scheduled or drop-in appointment in room 113 Campbell Hall (to schedule an appointment, please call 510-642-1483). The College advisers may refer you to other support services on campus to resolve financial, personal, academic, or medical problems.

What are the withdrawal procedures?

You may choose to withdraw before, during, or after completing a semester but not retroactively from a semester. If you wish to withdraw after the semester begins, you must meet with a College adviser (students who discontinue their work during a semester without formal permission should expect to receive the grade of F or NP in courses in which they are enrolled).

Approved requests for withdrawal are processed electronically by College advisers. Once your withdrawal is approved, all courses from the semester from which you are withdrawing will be removed from your transcript.

You may be granted a withdrawal at any time during the semester through the last day of instruction, if you have not taken any early final exams. If you withdraw between the first day of classes and Friday of the eighth week of classes, you may be eligible for readmission the following term. If you withdraw after the eighth week of classes, you will be subject to the "semester-out" rule.

If you hold a nonimmigrant visa, you should notify the appropriate office.

If you want to withdraw...

After completing semester
Do not enroll in classes for next semester. Pay no fees. Use Tele-BEARS to cancel your registration for the next semester. Apply for readmission when ready.

Before semester starts
If you have registered, use Tele-BEARS before the first day of classes to cancel your registration (full refund less $10 processing fee).

From the first day of classes to the eighth week of classes
Meet with an L&S adviser. Fees are refunded on a sliding scale, with no refund after the fifth week.

After the eighth week of classes
Meet with an adviser. The "semester-out" rule applies for the semester following the one from which you withdraw. The deadline for withdrawing is the last day of classes.

What is the semester-out rule?

The faculty have decided that students who withdraw after the eighth week of classes will be ineligible to enroll at UC Berkeley for one semester. During your semester-out, you have the opportunity to resolve the difficulties that may have led to your withdrawal. You may attend another college or a UC summer session while you are subject to the semester-out rule. If you are withdrawing due to circumstances beyond your control (e.g., illness, auto accident, unexpected change in work schedule), a College adviser or a dean may waive the semester-out rule.

Will I receive a refund of my registration fees?

A prorated refund of your registration fees will be processed according to the calendar published in the Schedule of Classes. No refund will be granted after Friday of the fifth week of instruction. Special rules regarding refunds apply to students on financial aid (check with your financial aid counselor in 211 Sproul Hall) and students on the deferred payment plan (check with the Office of the Registrar in 120 Sproul Hall). Fee refunds are based on the date on which the adviser processes the withdrawal, not when you stopped attending classes.

What happens to my financial aid if I withdraw?

If you have financial aid obligations, remember that withdrawal does not change those obligations. Suitable arrangements should be made with your financial aid counselor in room 211 Sproul Hall. Students receiving federal financial aid (Pell Grant, SEOG, NDSL, or GSL) should be aware that a percentage of any refund of fees will be used to repay that aid. You must meet all application deadlines to reactivate your financial aid upon approval of your readmission.

May I cancel a request to withdraw?

Yes. However, you must meet with a College adviser in order to cancel your request to withdraw.

May I attend another college while I'm away from Cal?

Yes. You should review the document entitled "Enrolling Elsewhere". This document explains the procedures for checking on course transferability, breadth credit, addition of credit to your Berkeley record, and readmission. Please be aware that if you attend another school during Fall or Spring semesters, the Office of Financial Aid will count this attendance as one of the ten terms for which you are eligible to receive financial aid.

If you wish to attend another school after you have attained junior standing (60 units), you should schedule an appointment with a College adviser to review completion of breadth and residency requirements. You must send transcripts from all the colleges you attend during your absence to: Office of Undergraduate Admissions, ADD CREDIT, 110 Sproul Hall, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720.