Withdrawals, Leaves of Absence & Readmission

Please visit the Academic Calendar for a list of course withdrawal deadlines. 

Students who withdraw from a course before the end of the program adjustment period (also known as the add/drop period) will have the course registration deleted from their records. 

Students who withdraw from a course after the program adjustment period and up through the course withdrawal deadline will have a grade of W (withdrawn).  

Students cannot withdraw after the course withdrawal deadline without the approval of the Graduate School Dean. 

Students seeking to late withdraw from a course due to extenuating circumstances can submit a Graduate Request for Exception to Course Withdrawal Deadline.   

When the student submits an appeal electronically using the form linked above, a copy is automatically submitted to the course instructor for feedback and approval. As of Fall 2021, students cannot initiate late withdrawal requests that date back more than one year.

Appeals must include information about the extenuating circumstance and why it prevented the student from dropping the course by the deadline. Visit the Academic Calendar for a list of course withdrawal deadlines. 

Students must have been making satisfactory academic progress before the extenuation circumstances occurred. Appeals based solely on poor performance will not be considered. 

Exceptions to the course withdrawal deadline will be granted only in the most exceptional, documented extenuating circumstances (e.g., an absolute incapacity to meet the deadline because of a medical emergency).

The student will be notified via their UAlbany email after a decision is made. 

Approved appeals require an administrative fee per course, which must be paid before the withdrawal can be processed. Instructions for paying the fee will be included in the notification email. Approved appeals will result in a grade of W. Students cannot appeal to drop a course without the grade of W. 

These appeals do not affect tuition liability; students who are granted appeals to late withdraw from courses are still financially liable for the course. However, enrollment changes may impact my eligibility for financial aid for current and/or future terms. Please contact the Student Financial Services to inquire how a late withdrawal will impact financial aid.

A graduate student who has withdrawn or is no longer active in their program but wants to continue their studies must submit a new graduate admissions application. 

Once the Graduate School receives the completed application, it is reviewed by their academic department. 

Please note that previous admissions decisions do not guarantee readmission for future study. 

Visit our Apply to a Degree or Certificate Program page for application instructions. 

If a student withdraws before completing at least 60% of the academic term, a portion of their federal Title IV aid — which includes federal loans — may be returned to the appropriate aid program. If aid is returned, they may still owe a balance to the University.  

If you officially withdraw from the University or reduce the number of credits for which you’re registered by dropping a course without swapping it with another, you may be entitled to an adjustment of charges or a refund of payments you have already made.

Visit Student Financial Services’ page on Financial Liability for Dropping Courses or Withdrawing for more information.

Students who have dropped or withdrawn from courses and are seeking an exception to the SUNY tuition policy will need to submit an appeal to the Tuition Appeals Committee. Information regarding exceptions to the SUNY tuition policy can be found on the Student Financial Services' page on Financial Liability for Dropping Courses or Withdrawing. If you would like to submit an appeal, please complete the Tuition Appeal Request. 

For questions related to medical documentation, please contact Student Health Services or Counseling & Psychological Services directly, not the Graduate School.  

Please complete the Medical Withdrawal Form and send it directly to either Student Health Services (SHS) or Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), depending on the nature of the condition or circumstances.  

You or your health care provider must also send your supporting documentation to SHS or CAPS within 15 calendar days of your withdrawal form submission. 

The documentation must be completed and signed by the licensed professional or treatment facility providing the student with treatment. It must include: 

• The number of assessment and/or treatment sessions the student has had, with beginning and end dates 

• The student’s ICD-10 or DSM-V diagnosis 

• A brief description of the student’s health condition, including a statement highlighting the ways in which their condition significantly interferes with their performance as a student 

• An explicit recommendation for a medical withdrawal 

This documentation will be stored in your SHS or CAPS medical record and will not be included in your academic record. For this reason, please do not send medical records to the Graduate School. 

Students withdrawing for physical medical reasons should send their documentation to SHS: 

• Director of Student Health Services: 

  • Phone: 518-442-5454 

  • Fax: 518-442-5444 

  • Email: [email protected] 

  • Mailing Address: 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 

Students withdrawing for psychological reasons should send their documentation to CAPS:  

• Director of Counseling & Psychological Services: 

  • Phone: 518-442-5800 

  • Fax: 518-442-3096 

  • Email: [email protected] 

  • Mailing address: 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 

Students are responsible for confirming the correct office has received all required documentation.

Medical withdrawals effective on or before the mid-semester point may qualify the student for tuition and fees adjustment for the term of withdrawal.  

However, if a student withdraws before completing at least 60% of the academic term, a portion of their federal Title IV aid — which includes federal loans — may be returned to the appropriate aid program. If aid is returned, they may still owe a balance to the University.  

Visit Student Financial Services’ page on Financial Liability for Dropping Courses or Withdrawing for more information. 

For questions related to medical documentation, please contact Student Health Services or Counseling & Psychological Services directly, not the Graduate School.  

If you left UAlbany with an approved medical withdrawal, you must also receive medical clearance to return. 

To be medically cleared, you or your health care provider must submit evidence of your treatment to either Student Health Services (SHS) or Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), depending on the nature of the condition or circumstances. 

The documentation must be completed and signed by the licensed health professional or treatment facility providing the student with treatment. It must include: 

• The number of assessment and/or treatment sessions the student has had, with beginning and end dates 

• The student’s ICD-10 or DSM-V diagnosis 

• A brief description of the student’s condition, including a statement highlighting the ways in which their condition has improved and will no longer significantly interfere with their performance as a student 

• An explicit recommendation for readmission 

Students who withdrew for physical medical reasons should send their documentation to SHS: 

• Director of Student Health Services: 

  • Phone: 518-442-5454 

  • Fax: 518-442-5444 

  • Email: [email protected] 

  • Mailing Address: 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 

Students who withdrew for psychological reasons should send their documentation to CAPS:  

• Director of Counseling & Psychological Services: 

  • Phone: 518-442-5800 

  • Fax: 518-442-3096 

  • Email: [email protected] 

  • Mailing address: 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222 

Students are responsible for confirming the correct office has received all required documentation.  

This documentation will be stored in your SHS or CAPS medical record and will not be included in your academic record. For this reason, please do not send medical records to the Graduate School.

Student Health Services and Counseling & Psychological Services reserves the right to make an independent evaluation of a student's readiness to return to the University.