Withdrawal - FAQs

Dropping or Withdrawing from a Course

Students not attending a class in which they are enrolled must drop or withdraw from the class; failure to do so will result in a failing grade on the student’s record (F or WU). Students should not assume the University will remove them from a class for non-payment of fees or that the instructor will remove them for non-attendance.

It is the student’s responsibility to adjust his or her enrollment by the deadlines to avoid charges or be eligible for a full or pro-rated refund. Students who do not plan to attend should drop all classes before the first day of the session of the class to get a full refund. Once the session begins, students who drop/withdraw from their classes will be responsible for pro-rated fees (drop penalty fee if enrolled in extension credit programs) based on the date of dropping or withdrawing. For information about fee refunds and appeals, please visit Student Business Services. For extension programs, visit Extension and International Programs Refund Form.

The difference between dropping class and withdrawing from a class is based on the timing of your decision to stop participating in a class and when you act on that decision:

• Dropping occurs when you take appropriate action to remove the class(es) from your academic record on or before the “last day to drop a class without a grade of W”. For extension credit programs deadlines, please refer to your program website on extension.fullerton.edu. You may drop classes online throughout the self-service registration period without departmental approval. The classes will not be included on your transcript and the units will not count toward the Undergraduate Withdrawal Limit. NOTE:  Dropping may affect your tuition calculation and Financial Aid. Deadline: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 .
• Withdrawing occurs  when you remove yourself from class AFTER the “last day to drop a class without a grade of W”. For extension credit program deadline, please refer to your program website on extension.fullerton.edu. Before withdrawing, you should consider the consequences of such an action and consult with your academic advisor since it will generally impact your progress towards your degree, future course enrollment and financial aid eligibility. Deadline: Monday, November 13, 2023.

When you decide to stop participating in a class and take action to withdraw, the class will be included on your transcript with a W symbol. The W indicates that you attempted the class but eventually withdrew prior to completing it for a letter grade. Withdrawn classes are included in the tuition calculation.

Withdrawals are subject to the Undergraduate Withdrawal Limit and are permissible only for a serious and compelling reason. Withdrawing requires approval from the instructor and the chair of the department offering the class. If the petition is approved, a W will be assigned and will appear on your transcript. The Undergraduate Withdrawal Limit policy allows you to withdraw from a maximum of 18 units over the course of your entire CSUF undergraduate career including special sessions, EIP enrollment, and re-enrolling after separation from the University. Once the limit is reached, you can no longer withdraw and must remain enrolled. Your instructor(s) will assign appropriate grade(s). You may review your courses and number of units applied to the Undergraduate Withdrawal Limit by accessing your Student Center and selecting Withdrawal/Repeats from the pull-down menu in the Academics section.

For help with these withdrawal forms, please visit the following:

• Student Instructions for Filling out Withdrawal Form
• Faculty Instructions for Filling out Withdrawal Form