How do I withdraw from a class?
The course withdrawal process is dependent upon the date you are trying to withdraw from a class.
- During the Add/Drop Period. You can drop classes on your own in SPIRE, with no record.
- After Add/Drop, but before the Last Day to Drop with a “W” (also known as the Midsemester Date): You can drop in SPIRE with a “W.”
- After the Last Day to Drop with a “W” you must petition the Academic Deans of your College. In SBS, Dean Jackie Brousseau-Pereira and Dean Vanessa Blais review late withdrawal petitions. You must follow this process to have your petition reviewed.
- Read the SBS Late Course Withdrawal Petition form below to understand acceptable grounds for a later withdrawal.
- Complete the SBS Late Course Withdrawal Petition form below, as well as a course change request form
- Include proper documentation
- The form below will be automatically emailed. The Course Change Request form should be emailed to sbsadvising@sbs.umass.edu.
- After your paperwork is received, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment with one of the deans.
**The UMass Amherst Academic Calendar show dates for Add/Drop, the Last Day to Drop with a “W” (or Midsemester Date), and other important academic dates and deadlines.
** Dropping below full-time status (12 credits in Fall/Sping) could result in a reduction in your financial aid. Students on an international VISA or students with NCAA status must remain full-time.
** If you want to withdrawal from all your class, please visit the Dean of Students Office for information on the University Withdrawal process.
SBS Petition for Late Course Withdrawal
Process for petitioning for a late withdrawal (W-drop)
1. Complete and submit the online form below.
2. Email any supporting documentation to sbsadvising@sbs.umass.edu. In the subject line, please write “Documentation for late withdrawal.”
3. Call our office (413-577-1057) to schedule an appointment to discuss your petition with one of the SBS Academic Deans. If no one picks up, please be sure to leave a message that includes your name, phone number, and SPIRE ID number along with the reason you are calling.
Please note the following:
*Poor academic performance does not constitute grounds for a late course withdrawal, regardless of whether a course is a requirement or an elective; for this reason, the University has a repeat course policy.
*Instructors cannot grant permission for late withdrawals.
*Students can drop a class with a "W" in SPIRE until the W-Drop date, which is set by University Regulations and can be found on the UMass Academic Calendar. The late withdrawal petition here is for students who are dealing with extenuating circumstances and would like to petition for a late withdrawal after that date. These are granted sparingly.
*Academic Deans rarely review petitions for late withdrawals for classes that were taken more than a year ago.
*It is rare that a request will be approved that would mean a loss of earned academic credits.
If you have any questions about what information, details, and/or documentation to provide, please call the SBS Pathways Center 413.577.1057, or email your question to sbsadvising@sbs.umass.edu.