Withdrawal from the University | Leave of Absence | Administrative Cancellation | Reinstatement After Administrative Cancellation  Readmission

Withdrawal from the University

Students who need to withdraw or take a leave of absence may learn more and start the process at the Undergraduate Advising website (Withdrawal and Leave of Absence),

Notation on Your Official Academic Record

When you file a petition to withdraw during a quarter, no courses will show for that quarter on your official academic record. The following notation will be posted where the courses would appear: Withdrawn (effective date). LOA status does not appear on the Official Academic Record.

Withdrawal for Medical Reasons (after sixth week of the quarter)

If the need to withdraw after the sixth week of the quarter is medically based (including psychiatric), supporting documentation is required.  Contact your college adviser if you need to withdraw after the sixth week. Supporting medical documentation is typically completed by either a clinician at the Student Health Center (if the student has been under a campus clinician’s care) or by the student’s off-campus physician/psychiatrist. The health care provider will estimate the duration of the illness or injury and specify the student’s ability to resume studies. The college must have both supporting documentation and receive the online Petition for Undergraduate Withdrawal/Leave of Absence  in order to process the medical withdrawal. For more information, please consult your college academic adviser or preceptor. Please also refer to  Readmission after Medical Withdrawal.

Financial Implications of Withdrawal

The effective date for determining a refund of fees is the date of the student’s official notice of withdrawal from the university. This date is typically the date the student first notifies his or her college of the need to withdraw during the quarter.

For students who withdraw before a term has begun, through the first day of instruction, fees will be adjusted as follows:

• Continuing and reentering students: all registration fees reversed.

• Newly admitted students in their first quarter: all fees reversed except the nonrefundable $250 Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) fee.

If you qualify for a refund, it will be issued after the completed petition is filed at the college and after any financial aid and housing charges have been adjusted. If you have authorized an electronic funds transfer (EFT), the refund is issued in the form of an EFT; otherwise, a check is mailed to your mailing address. Allow at least 21 days after receipt of your payment by the UC Cashier before any refund is issued. A full refund of the registration fees is granted to students called to active duty during the quarter.

• Financial Aid: If you withdraw during a quarter and have already received financial aid, you may be billed for some or all of the aid you received. You may contact the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office, (831) 459-2963, if you have questions. Please note that after you submit your Withdrawal/leave of absence, the process may take up to 30 days to complete if you have received financial aid.

• Deferred Payment Plan: If you are participating in the Deferred Payment Plan (DPP) through the Student Business Services Office and you withdraw or take a leave before completing all your payments, you may still owe registration fees depending on your date of withdrawal. After filing your online petition, call Student Business Services at (831) 459-2107 for more information.

For students who withdraw after the first day of instruction, fees will be adjusted as follows:

• Schedule of Refunds: Please refer to the Fee Refund Schedule available through the Office of the Registrar web site.

• Financial Aid Recipient: If you withdraw after receiving financial aid, you may be billed for some or all of the aid you received. See the Financial Aid and Scholarships web site.

• Deferred Payment Plan: If you are in contract for the Deferred Payment Plan (DPP), and you withdraw before completing all your installments, you may still owe registration fees as determined by your date of withdrawal. After filing your withdrawal petition, call Student Business Services at (831) 459-2107 for more information.

• Refund of Fees: If you qualify for a refund, it will be issued approximately three weeks after the completed petition is filed at the college and after any financial aid has been adjusted.  Financial aid adjustments may take up to 30 days. Any outstanding debts to the university are first deducted. If you signed up for Direct Deposit with the Student Business Services Office, the credit will be deposited in your personal bank account. If not, a check will be printed and mailed to your mailing address during the first week of the quarter. A full refund of the registration fees is granted to a student entering the U.S. armed forces or called to active duty during the quarter.

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence (LOA) is a plan to leave UCSC while arranging for a specific pre-approved return date within one to six quarters.

• In general, the college will approve LOA status for students who withdraw before the withdraw deadline, have completed at least one quarter at UCSC, and who are making satisfactory progress toward a degree.
• The $70 LOA fee, added to your UCSC account, is nonrefundable and nontransferable.
• Campus services available to students on leave of absence include access to your UCSC email and MyUCSC. LOA services are also available through Family Student Housing, the Career Center, Community Rentals, and Office of Physical Education, Recreation and Sports. Some offices may charge an additional service fee. Students should also contact Transportation and Parking Services to determine transit and parking pass eligibility while on leave.
• UCSC-approved LOA students may be eligible to purchase voluntary insurance coverage for a limited period. See the Health Center Insurance site for information, and contact the Insurance Office at 831-459-2389 if you have questions.
• During the LOA, you may not take UCSC classes. If you wish to return early, contact your college academic adviser before the quarter you wish to return begins.
• To extend your LOA up to a total of six quarters, contact your college academic adviser before your approved return term.
• If you attend another institution during your absence, an official transcript of the work must be sent to UCSC, addressed to the Office of the Registrar.
• You are encouraged to keep your student ID card in a safe place during your absence from campus. If you lose it, you will be required to pay for a new card upon returning to campus.
• During your LOA, keep your contact information up-to-date. If you move, update your address(es) on MyUCSC.
• Remember to meet the FAFSA deadline and the supporting document deadline each year to be considered for all forms of aid available when you return. Contact the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office for more information.
• During Advising Week of your return quarter check MyUCSC for the Schedule of Classes, your enrollment appointment, and any enrollment holds.
• Additional steps are required if you are taking a leave of absence for non-UCSC study abroad purposes. For more information, see the Global Engagement website.

Administrative Cancellation

Your student status may be cancelled by the campus administration at any time if you:

• are barred from enrollment for one or more quarters for academic deficiencies,
• are disqualified for academic deficiencies,
• are subject to disciplinary action,
• fail to respond to official university notices,
• fail to settle financial obligations, or
• fail to enroll in classes.

Cancellation for any of the first three reasons will be noted on your official academic record.

Administrative cancellation means that your enrollments are dropped, financial aid is cancelled, and you are ineligible to use campus services reserved for students. The registration fee refund, if applicable, is determined by the effective date of the administrative cancellation.

Reinstatement After Administrative Withdrawal (No Show)

At the end of the third week of instruction, student status is administratively withdrawn for all students who failed to enroll in classes. If your student status is withdrawn  because you failed to enroll in the classes you are attending, you may petition for reinstatement. Approval is not automatic.

Obtain a permission number or use the Add by Petition form (instructions are on the form—note the deadline). Contact  the  Office of the Registrar with the permission number or the Add by Petition form, along with the following:

• proof of payment of all fees and debts required to complete registration;
• approval of your college academic preceptor.

Reinstatement will not be approved after the eighth week of instruction.

Readmission

An application for readmission is required of any student formerly registered in regular session at UCSC who has not been in continuous attendance or granted a leave of absence.

The readmission application and additional information is available at the Undergraduate Advising Center website.  Students are readmitted to the college in which they were last enrolled. If you withdrew for medical reasons, see Readmission after Medical Withdrawal. Complete the application, and return it to the Office of Admissions. The nonrefundable readmission application fee will be posted to your student account.

You must provide transcripts to your college of all academic work undertaken during your absence from UCSC, whether or not the credits are transferable. In addition, an official copy of your transcripts should be sent to the Office of the Registrar.  At least a C or 2.0 grade point average is required in all such work.

If your absence from UCSC is greater than five years, provide the Office of the Registrar with official transcripts of all work undertaken elsewhere, including transcripts that may have been previously submitted when you were originally admitted.

Financial-aid applicants must meet Financial Aid's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA Information) deadline.

For information regarding major requirements after readmission, see the Navigator's section on Catalog Rights.

Readmission After Medical Withdrawal

If you withdrew after the sixth week of a quarter for medical reasons, you will be required to submit documentation of readiness to return from your health care provider prior to your return. This is required to ensure that you are ready to return to the rigors of academia and that you have a plan for follow-up care, if needed. The Readiness to Return after Medical Withdrawal form is available on the Undergraduate Advising Center website.

Plan well in advance of the deadline listed on the form to obtain this verification. If you were under the care of the Cowell Student Health Center, these requests are not considered an emergency and you may have to wait several weeks for an appointment. Please be advised that staffing in the summer is very limited. If your form is signed by your private health care provider, the information contained within may still need to be clarified by the UCSC Health Center staff.

Any questions about this process should be directed to your academic adviser or preceptor at your college. If you will need accommodations to continue your studies, it is imperative that your college is aware of this. Advising staff will help connect you with vital resources.

Readmission After Barred or Disqualified from UCSC

Readmission after being barred or disqualified from UCSC is not guaranteed and subject to approval by your college.

If you were barred from UCSC for academic reasons and wish to be readmitted, contact your college. To allow enough time for your college to consider your application, apply by the date listed for priority enrollment for the quarter you intend to return.

If the academic standing committee imposes conditions for readmission at the time of barred enrollment, you must fulfill imposed conditions before readmission. To be considered for readmission after being disqualified from UCSC, you must meet one of the following conditions during your absence:

• the completion of a full-time program of courses with a grade-point average of 3.0 or better for two regular semesters or three quarters at another accredited institution of higher education (see Academic Standing);

• ability and seriousness of purpose as to indicate that you are prepared and able to undertake university work successfully. This alternative is approved only in exceptional cases.

Contact your college adviser for more information. Academic Senate regulation 5.2 contains the policy regarding readmission of students disqualified for academic reasons.

Readmission After Disciplinary Action

Readmission to the University of California requires the specific approval of the chancellor of the campus to which a dismissed student has applied. Readmission after dismissal may be granted only under exceptional circumstances.

Revised: 04/22/24