Withdrawal

Students may withdraw from one or more courses after the add/drop deadline with resulting grades of W, WE, WX or WF. A withdraw request submitted no later than the Last Day to Withdraw Without Academic Penalty as published in the academic calendar will earn a grade of W. A grade of WX will be assigned if the course has a co-requisite that will also be withdrawn. For undergraduate students, the Withdrawal Limit Rule will apply. All withdraw requests submitted after the Last Day to Withdraw Without Academic Penalty will result in grade of WF (Withdrawal With Academic Penalty).

Withdrawal from an individual or multiple courses up to the last course for a term can be done via Gulfline, or by submitting a Course Withdrawal form to the Enrollment Services Center. To withdrawal from all classes in a term, students must complete and return the Term Withdrawal Form to the Enrollment Services Center. Both forms can be submitted to the ESC in person or via email from your Eagle Email account to ESC@fgcu.edu.

Course withdrawal may impact students both academically and financially. Prior to initiating the withdraw request, it is strongly recommended that students discuss the academic impact of the withdraw with their instructor and academic advisor. For the financial impacts, especially related to a term withdrawal, students should discuss with Financial Aid and Student Account Services.

Withdrawal Limit Rule

FGCU has implemented a Withdrawal Limit Rule to help undergraduate students stay on track for timely graduation. This rule limits the total number of courses in which a student may earn a grade of W (withdrawal without academic penalty). Students are allowed to withdraw from a maximum of five (5) undergraduate courses (numbered 1000-4999) during the period between the add/drop deadline and last day to withdrawal without academic penalty. Any subsequent withdrawal attempts will result in a grade of WF (withdrawal with academic penalty). A withdrawal counter is available on your DegreeWorks degree audit on Gulfline. Withdrawals for approved extenuating circumstances such as medical reasons and active duty military service will not count toward this limit.

An appeal of the rule can be submitted by the student to Records & Registration by completing the appeal form along with a personal statement and supporting documentation.

Please see the FAQs on this topic below. Additional information about withdrawals and the withdrawal limit rule can be found in the Academic Catalog.

Please note, the withdrawal for extenuating circumstances only applies to undergraduate courses.

Online Petition for an Appeal for Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to Appeal for Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances?
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You are only required to complete an Appeal for Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances if you meet the following criteria:
- You need to withdraw from some or all courses due to an extenuating circumstance AND
- You have missed the ADD/DROP date listed on the academic calendar (see academic calendar link below)
View academic calendar
What constitutes a reason for an Appeal for Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances?
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- Medical Withdrawal
- Military Call to Active Duty (For additional options, please see section on this topic.
- Extended absence (usually more than two weeks) due to a death in the immediate family
- Financial Circumstances
- Other unusual or special cases, considered on a case-by-case basis.
Online Petition for an Appeal for Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances
How much time do I have to complete an Appeal for Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances?
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An Application must be submitted within one term after the term for which the Appeal for Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances is being requested. (i.e. Fall courses must be petitioned no later than the last day of the following spring semester). If submitted outside of the timeframe, reasons for the delayed request must be specified.
What grades will show on my transcript if I complete Withdrawal for Extenuating Circumstances?
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How does a WE grade affect my GPA?
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What are my refund options? (tuition, housing costs, meal plan, bookstore)?
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Approved Applications for an Appeal for Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances may be forwarded to the University Fee Appeal committee to be considered for a refund of tuition and fees. An approved Withdrawal does not dismiss the student from their entire financial obligation to the University. The student will still be responsible for any housing costs as per the Terms and Conditions of the student’s housing agreement and any repayment of financial aid and scholarships in accordance with federal student aid, state, and institutional guidelines. Students are encouraged to speak to officials within Housing and Residence Life as well as Financial Aid to determine their financial obligation. Additionally, students will still be responsible for any meal plan costs as per the Terms and Conditions of their meal plan agreement.

You’ll have the option to forward your documents to these departments for further review.
How long will the process take?
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How will I be informed of the outcome?
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To whom does the Withdrawal Limit Rule Apply?
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Every FGCU student may withdraw from a maximum of five (5) undergraduate courses (numbered 1000-4999) without academic penalty. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Degree Seeking Students
- Dual Degree
- Double Major
- Second Bachelor’s Degree
- Transfer Student
- Transient Student
- Non-Degree Seeking Student
How do I know which classes will be used towards the Withdrawal Limit Rule when I withdraw?
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W grades will be assigned in the chronological order in which a student withdraws from the course. For example, should a student wish to withdraw without academic penalty from six lower level courses, a W will be assigned to the first five courses listed on the Course Withdrawal or Term Withdrawal form. The remaining course(s) over the allowed Withdrawal Limit Rule will receive a WF grade.