Dropping a Course

You may drop a course through the eighth week of the term. If you drop a course through the fourth week, we delete the course from your permanent record; between the fourth and eighth weeks, we record a grade of W (withdrawal).

You may drop mini-courses and summer session courses on a schedule with the same proportion as is used for fall and spring terms. If you drop a mini-course after the regular drop-delete deadline, you will receive a grade of W. (See the current term’s schedule of classes for dates.)

Be aware that if you are receiving financial aid or have a graduate assistantship, dropping a course may jeopardize your eligibility for continued funding.  See the section titled Continuing Eligibility for Financial Aid in the Financial Information portion of this catalog.

You may petition the Registrar’s Office in writing for an exception to the drop policy. The petition requires justification and the written reviews/approvals of your advisor and the course instructor. In applying for an exception, you must provide specific and verifiable reason(s) that your petition should be granted. Petitions for exceptions are not automatically approved.

If you have not participated in a course but also have not officially dropped that course and your name appears on the final grade report, you will receive a failing grade for that course. Your instructor cannot record a W on the final grade report. (If you wish to withdraw from all courses, see Withdrawing from NAU, in this section.)

Click here for Adding a Course or Administrative Drop.