It is normal and common for students to change their course enrollments once the term has begun.
Common reasons for dropping a course(s) include:
- Schedule challenges
- Academic difficulty
- Health-related issues
- Change of interest in course topic
- Change of academic plans
- Personal challenges
Whatever a student’s reasons for dropping a course, before they drop they should meet with their instructor and with their advisor to discuss their experience and review the impact of the change on their degree requirements. Students are also welcome to schedule an appointment with an L&S academic dean. In some cases, resources or alternative approaches may assist students in completing a course they had originally planned to drop. In other cases, students may gain information about the impact of dropping the course on housing, financial aid, health services, or visa status.
Regardless of the outcome, meeting with a staff member can help students identify available resources, including but not limited to the following:
- Tutoring, like GUTS, the Writing Center, or other subject-based learning support services
L&S undergraduates who decide to drop a course are responsible for reviewing the relevant deadlines and policies and completing the appropriate steps in a timely manner. If you need to consult another resource to assist with your decision, please do so well in advance of the posted deadline. Students seeking permission to drop a course after the deadline has passed must initiate the process by completing the Late Drop Application and responding to outreach from L&S Undergraduate Academic Deans’ Services.
Students should consider themselves enrolled in a course until information in their Student Center indicates a drop has been approved.
Always make sure to refer to Registrar’s dates & deadlines for the latest deadlines for any particular semester/term at UW-Madison.
Helpful links:
- Dropping a course vs withdrawing from a term
- Impacts of drops on:
Please note that the date listed here is for the main 15-week A1 (Regular) session in the current term.
Other important deadline information can be found at:
Dropping a class versus withdrawing from a term
Please note that to drop a class is not the same as withdrawing from the semester/term. To withdraw means to drop all of your classes and remain unenrolled for the current term.
A student cannot withdraw and remain enrolled in one or more courses for the term. Thus, withdrawal is only to be used if you wish to drop all of your courses and leave the university for the remainder of the term.
Financial aid
Students receiving financial aid support should reach out to the Office of Student Financial Aid to learn whether dropping below full-time or withdrawing from the current term will have an impact on their financial aid package.
Student-athletes
If you are an L&S student-athlete and need to drop below 12 credits during the academic year, you must speak with your Athletics advisor. NCAA regulations require student-athletes to maintain full-time status (a minimum of 12 credits) during the fall and spring terms.
Visa holders
All students on an F-1 or J-1 visa must enroll in a full-time course load (minimum 12 credits) each fall and spring term. If you are on an F-1 or J-1 visa and would like to drop below 12 credits, you must submit the completed application for Reduced Course Load (RCL) using TerraDotta. Review of these applications can take time, so students are advised to submit their applications as soon as they know they need to drop a course. More information is available on the ISS website.