Information for Graduate Students
As a graduate student, you are required to maintain continuous attendance from the semester of admission to the semester of graduation, with the exception of summer sessions. Considerations related to health, family, job or personal circumstances may prompt you to consider withdrawing. If you are considering a withdrawal for financial reasons, you may think that withdrawal may reduce or eliminate your semester charges. Please read below, as this is not always the case.
There are several types of withdrawal:
TYPE: A leave of absence or temporary withdrawal for a future term.
What: If you plan to complete courses in your current semester of study but cannot/choose
not to return for the next term, you can request a leave of absence.
How: Discuss your situation with your adviser to secure approval. Read the information below regarding payment and student loan considerations. Complete the Application to Withdraw for Graduate Students and submit it to the Registrar’s Office.
Timeframe: You can be approved for a full year or a single semester of leave. Please specify your requested timeframe on the Application to Withdraw. Applications for a leave of absence should be filed as soon as you decide to take a leave.
Returning from your Leave: Send an email to Registrar@SHU.edu to request reactivation. If you are in good academic standing and have not exceeded the one-year leave limit, the Registrar’s Office will reactivate your student record which will restore your access to PirateNet and allow you to register. In some cases, it may be necessary to refer your reactivation request to the department for approval.
TYPE: A leave of absence or temporary withdrawal for the current term (non-medical).
What: If you cannot complete the courses in your current semester, you can request a leave
of absence.
How: Discuss your situation with your adviser to review your options and secure approval.
Read the information below regarding payment and student loan considerations before
you make any firm decision to withdraw, as financial implications need to be considered.
If you determine that you do want to withdraw from the University, complete the Application to Withdraw for Graduate Students and submit it to the Registrar’s Office.
Timeframe: If your leave request is approved, you can receive WD grades in all your semester
classes if you request your leave within the withdrawal period (by the end of the
eighth week of class; consult the academic calendar for the term for an exact deadline).
If your leave request is submitted after that point, you must submit a fully executed
Course Adjustment Form approving a WD grade for each of your courses. If you are not
in good academic standing and/or are not passing your semester courses, please discuss
your options with your adviser.
Financial Implications: If you are withdrawing from all your courses within the first five weeks of the semester, you may qualify for a partial tuition credit (fees are payable in full). Please note that there is no pro-rated tuition adjustment for summer courses. The amount of your credit is based on your withdrawal date:
| Date of WD Request | Percentage of Tuition Credit | Percentage of Tuition you must pay |
| Within add-drop period | 100% | 0% |
| 1st week after add-drop ends | 80% | 20% |
| 2nd Week after add-drop ends | 60% | 40% |
| 3rd week after add-drop ends | 40% | 60% |
| 4th week after add-drop ends | 20% | 80% |
| 5th week or later | 0% | 100% |
Returning from your leave: Send an email to Registrar@SHU.edu to request reactivation. If you are in good academic standing and have not exceeded your approved leave timeframe, the Registrar’s Office will reactivate your student record which will restore your access to PirateNet and allow you to register. If you are not in good academic standing, your request for reactivation must be approved by your chair/program director.
TYPE: A leave of absence or temporary withdrawal for the current term for medical
reasons
What: If you cannot complete the courses in your current semester due to health issues,
you can request a medical leave.
How: Discuss your situation with your adviser to review all options. Complete an Application to Withdraw for Graduate Students. Submit it to the Registrar with accompanying medical documentation which should include the general nature of your condition, its date of onset and projected duration, and the professional judgment of your medical professional that you cannot function in an academic setting due to your condition. You do not need to submit Course Adjustment Forms to receive WD grades in your courses. The Registrar’s Office will automatically withdraw you from all semester courses. A medical withdrawal is a total withdrawal; you must withdraw from all semester courses.
Timeframe: You need to file a request for a medical withdrawal as soon as you are able; all requests must be received prior to the end of the semester for which the withdrawal is requested.
Financial implications: Upon receipt of your request, the Registrar’s Office will confirm your last date of attendance in the term with your professors. Your tuition for the semester will be then be adjusted with tuition calculated on a per day basis from the start of the term to your last date of attendance. Federal and institutional aid will also be reduced according to federal and university regulations.
Returning from your leave: Submit a written request (email is acceptable) to the Registrar’s Office. You must include medical clearance from your medical professional on official stationery certifying that you are medically eligible to return to your studies. Upon receipt, the Registrar’s Office will reactivate your student record which will restore your access to PirateNet and allow you to register. If you are not in good academic standing, your request for reactivation must be approved by your chair/program director.
Type: Permanent Withdrawal
What: If are thinking about discontinuing your studies permanently, please discuss your
situation with your adviser to confirm that this is your best option. You can also
check with the Bursar and Financial Aid offices if you have any questions regarding
the financial implications of your withdrawal.
How: Having made the decision to withdraw, please complete the Application to Withdraw for Graduate Students and submit it to the Registrar’s Office in Bayley Hall (or to Registrar@SHU.edu). Make sure to drop any courses in a future term for which you have registered.
Timeframe: You may file an Application to Withdraw at any point. If you request withdrawal as of the end of a semester, you will be graded for that semester and then your student record will be closed. If you are registered for a current term and are opting not to complete the courses in that term, please review the information above regarding a temporary withdrawal with respect to WD grades and tuition credit options.
Financial implications: Tuition can be reduced if your request to withdraw during the course of a semester is submitted within the first five weeks of the semester (or the first two weeks for courses that do not meet for the full semester). There is no pro-rated tuition adjustment for summer classes. If you have federal loans, please be aware that an official withdrawal will start the repayment clock ticking. Your six-month grade period will begin as of the date of your official withdrawal. You should contact the Office of Financial Aid with any questions regarding repayment regulations.