FAQ, Total University Withdrawal

A total university (semester/session) withdrawal means that the student's status with the university for that semester/session will be inactive. For the semester/session of the withdrawal, the student no longer may receive funds, accept financial aid, use a meal plan, or reside in university housing.

After withdrawing from the university, the student will receive a "W" designation for that semester's/session's coursework. His/her cumulative QPA will return to that of the previous semester. Freshmen will have a transcript but no real grade-point average. While the "W" does not negatively affect the student's grades, it does reduce his or her percent of progress. Percent of progress is required for some forms of financial aid.

The Total University Withdrawal policy provides students who are unable to complete a semester/session with the option of withdrawing from all classes, and thus from the university, for that semester/session. During the Fall and Spring semesters, Total University Withdrawals may be processed between the end of drop/add and the end of the eleventh week of the semester. During summer parts of the term, the deadline is the two-thirds point of each summer course for which the student is registered.

Students taking a total university withdrawal from all of their courses at IUP may find their financial aid for that particular semester affected. The 1998 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act requires educational institutions to calculate a Return of Federal Student Aid Funds (Title IV aid) for students who withdraw from all classes on or before the 60 percent attendance point in the semester. A pro-rated schedule is used to determine the percentage of the semester attended; that percentage determines the amount of federal funds earned. Please visit the Office of Student Billing's website to view the adjustment/refund schedule.

The percentage of tuition and fees that are forfeited are listed, by withdrawal period, on the Office of Student Billing's website.

A student who withdraws for the university needs to apply for readmission, available by one of the following options:

• By logging on to MyIUP. Select "Student Services" and select "Apply for Readmission to IUP
• By downloading a form from the Registrar's office website
• By going to the Office of the Registrar, Clark Hall Lobby
• By calling 724-357-2377. During evening or weekend hours, you may call this same number and leave your name and address and a form will be mailed to you.

The application is available from the Registrar's office, Clark Hall, and must be completed and returned to the Registrar by a specified deadline. Automatic readmission is fairly standard for students in good standing (as defined by the college and/or major). Students who are not in good standing, who have no grade-point average, or who are in size-restricted majors will have their readmission application reviewed by their associate dean.

A student who has on-campus housing must contact the Office of Housing, Residential Living, and Dining on the day of his/her withdrawal to make arrangements to schedule a time to officially check out of his/her room/apartment and return all keys. Questions about housing or dining fees to be assessed or refunded should be directed to the Office of Housing, Residential Living, and Dining, 724-357-2696.

The first point of contact within your department should be your academic advisor. Your academic advisor can ask the right questions and help you organize your thoughts. He/she will also be able to explain the consequences a withdrawal will have on your academic plan, including course sequencing and how/if it will affect your time of graduation.

If you do not know how to contact your academic advisor, you can log in to MyIUP and go to the "Student Services and Financial Aid Menu." Next, go to "Academic Records," and finally to "View Your Advisor." This screen will provide you with the contact information for your academic advisor.

If you are unable to access your academic advisor, you should seek out the chairperson for your department. If you do not know how to contact the chairperson for your department, you can access this information from your departmental homepage or the IUP directory.

If you are unable to access the chairperson for your department, you should seek out the associate dean for your college. This information can be found on each college's homepage or the IUP directory.

The decision whether to process an individual course or a total withdrawal is best made in consultation with the student’s instructor(s) and advisor. Some of the considerations will include the time in the semester/session, how well the student is doing in each course, and whether a partial (individual) course withdrawal might free the student to do well in other courses. Other considerations may include financial issues. Students are advised to check with the Student Billing office and Financial Aid office before processing any type of withdrawal.

If you have already registered for classes in a future semester and you know you will not return to IUP, you should drop your future classes via MyIUP. This will help prevent the possibility that you are inadvertently academically or financially penalized for being registered if you do not plan on returning to the university. If you do plan on returning to IUP in a future semester, you will need to apply for readmission.