Withdrawal | 2024-2025 Academic Catalog | SIU

Students who officially register for a session must officially withdraw from that registration in a timely manner to avoid being charged as well as receiving a failing grade for those classes. An official withdrawal must be initiated by the student, and processed by the Registrar’s office. Outlined below are the procedures to be followed for course drops and for withdrawing from the University.

Deadline Dates

Course Drops

Effective Fall 2009 all students that wish to officially add or drop classes will do so within the SalukiNet portal. Unless a student has processed an authorized drop from a course by the deadline in the schedule above, the student will not be allowed to drop the course. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the drop process is officially completed. It is probable that a student, who does not drop by the deadlines, but stops attending during the second half of the semester, will receive a grade of WF. Note: ceasing to attend a course may affect a student’s financial aid eligibility and the WF counts as an F in the calculation of the GPA. Students who drop courses after the full refund deadline, but remain enrolled in the University, will not receive any refund.

Withdrawal From the University

Students registered for academic work must obtain a withdrawal if they contemplate leaving the University. Semester withdrawal occurs when all courses for which the student is registered are dropped. If a housing contract has been purchased, the student must contact University Housing to cancel the contract.

Withdrawal from the University is a serious decision, which, in many cases, affects financial assistance status, housing contracts, and academic records. Semester withdrawal is processed through the Registrar's Office. A withdrawal will not be issued beyond the tenth week of the semester unless the reasons for the withdrawal are beyond the student’s control and verified in writing. Warning: if a student obtains a withdrawal after the 100% refund period and is receiving financial assistance, the student may be in violation of the Satisfactory Progress for Financial Assistance policy since no academic credit will be earned for the semester. The table above provides the deadline dates for withdrawal. All credits or refunds are determined by the effective date of the withdrawal and are subject to the direction of the USDOE for the distribution of Title IV funds if applicable.

Students receiving a withdrawal from a full semester length course within the first two weeks will, under normal circumstances, receive a refund of all tuition and fees paid by the student or family. Some or all financial assistance funds, depending on the source, will be returned to their original sources if the student withdraws during the 100% period.

Students who withdraw after the full refund deadline will receive an account credit equal to the appropriate refund of tuition and fees. An administrative fee will be assessed to all students who withdraw from the University and receive a refund beyond the full refund period. The amount of the fee will be a fixed charge of $100. See the following:

Refund Schedule for withdrawals from the University (Effective Fall 2011)
SIU Refund Policy

This chart is based on refunding for full semester length courses.

No tuition refund will be given after week four; no refund of fees will be given after week three. Student medical benefit fee cannot be refunded after week two and payment has been made to carrier. Student fees are charged as a condition of enrollment. Further explanation of tuition and fee refunding may be found at: registrar.siu.edu/schedclass.

Students who officially withdraw from school by the specific withdrawal deadline will receive a credit to their University account. Immediate cash refunds are not given for withdrawal from the University, reduction in credit-hour loads, or overpayment of account. The Bursar processes refunds at least once a week (twice a week during the week before the start of a semester and the first week of a semester) from an automated listing reflecting those accounts with a credit balance. No refunding of tuition and fees is made for a withdrawal occurring after the deadlines, except as described in the section titled Tuition and Fee Refund Policy and Procedures.

Student Military Service Policy

Short Term Absences (Up to 30 days)

Enrolled students who are members of the United States Armed Forces (including reserve components), including the National Guard of any State or the District of Columbia who are unable to attend classes for up to 30 days within a semester, because of a military obligation, will be afforded a reasonable time and opportunity to complete class requirements at no additional charge. If it is not reasonable for a student to complete class requirements, or not feasible because the class meets for less than 16-week term, or for other reasons, then the student will be allowed to withdraw from the class, with a full refund of tuition and fees. 

• Students should notify faculty members as soon as possible regarding any upcoming military service-related absences and discuss options for making up missed work.
• Students must provide faculty members with a copy of their official orders, training schedule, or letter from the applicable unit/commander, at the beginning of the semester, or as soon as possible, if received after the start of a term.
• Faculty members may request review of the student’s supporting documentation by Veteran Services to determine their validity and/or to consult on recommended reasonable due dates.
• If a student and faculty member are unable to come to a mutually satisfactory agreement concerning revised due dates, then the student should appeal to the appropriate Department Chair, and/or work with Veteran Services, to resolve the conflict.
• Students who miss an exam or quiz due to military service obligations will be provided an opportunity to make up the exam or quiz or complete an alternative if permitted by the faculty member.
• Students must be given an opportunity to earn participation points, group discussion points, extra credit, or any other points received during a class period that are missed because of military service, by offering equivalent make-up opportunities.
• If all students can drop an examination/quiz grade, then absences due to required military service shall not constitute a dropped examination/quiz grade, and the student must be afforded the opportunity to complete all examinations/quizzes.
• Students who begin the semester late due to a military obligation have a two-week period from the last day of their orders to decide to drop the course for a full refund of tuition and fees. Official Orders are required to be submitted to Withdrawals & Petitions division within the Registrar’s Office.
• Students who withdraw from one or more courses should contact Veteran Services and Financial Aid to determine any effects on their financial assistance.

Long Term Absences (30 days or more)

When called to active duty, the feasibility of completing the requirements of a currently enrolled course depends on many factors, including but not limited to:

• The course modality (online vs. in-person);
• The difficulty of the subject content;
• The percentage of the course the student has already completed;
• The number and type of remaining assignments;
• The format of the course (labs, classroom, experiential); and
• The service member’s ability to engage and complete coursework while deployed.

Students who receive orders for active-duty deployment should contact their faculty members as soon as possible to discuss the options for their course(s). The following options are generally available:

• Grade Issued: If the faculty member determines that the student has completed a sufficient amount of the course, a grade may be issued. The faculty member should discuss the grade to be issued with the student.
• Incomplete: Students who have successfully completed the majority of the course work and will reasonably be able to finish remaining requirements within one year can be given an INC (incomplete) grade at the discretion of the faculty member. There will be no additional tuition and fees assessed for completing a course with an INC grade.
• Withdrawal: The student should contact the Withdrawals & Petitions division within the Registrar’s Office if the student wishes to withdraw. The student will receive full refund for tuition and fees. The Registrar’s Office will process the withdrawal and arrange for appropriate adjustments to the student’s account. If the withdrawal is beyond the deadline to receive a full credit of tuition and fees, proof of deployment will be required. Students who withdraw from courses should contact Veteran Services and/or the Office of Student Financial Aid to determine how a withdrawal may affect any financial assistance they are receiving.
• Combination of the above: For students enrolled in more than one course, the student may withdraw, receive a grade, or receive an incomplete, in any combination during the semester of deployment.
  

Students who believe they have been unfairly disadvantaged due to their military service should contact Veteran Services for assistance.  

Students who wish to file a complaint of discrimination on the basis of military service may also contact the Office of Equity and Compliance.   

 Sources: Higher Education Act of 1965, Section 484C as amended; 20 U.S.C. 1091c, and implementing Regulations; Service Member’s Tenure Act, 330 ILCS 60/5.2; and Illinois Public Act 094-0587 (amending the Southern Illinois University Management Act, 110 ILCS 520/20).

** Acknowledgements Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville Student Military Leave Policy was the primary resource utilized in the development of this policy.