Policies Governing Withdrawal from a Course

Students may withdraw from a course through the eleventh week of the semester with the permission of the instructor and should consult the Academic Calendar for the official Withdrawal deadline for each semester. After the eleventh week, students must petition the Committee on Undergraduate Academic Standing to withdraw from a course. Such petitions will not be granted without documentation of extenuating circumstances.

If a student is considering withdrawing from a course, they should consult their instructors and advisors (pre-major, major or College Contact whose information is listed in Path@Penn). Students begin the process by completing the "Withdraw from a Course" form on Path@Penn. If the request is granted, a grade of "W" will appear on the transcript and will not affect the student's grade point average.

To submit a petition to late withdraw from a course after the eleventh week, the student should reach out to their College Contact. 

Students should be aware that their petitions may be denied.

Students considering a withdrawal should speak with an advisor before taking any action and should be aware of the risks of being being under-enrolled.

Withdraw from a Course before the Deadline