Withdrawal/Leave of Absence from W&M

Mid-semester Withdrawal before deadline

A student who desires to withdraw from the university in the course of an on-going semester must fill out the withdrawal/leave of absence form and submit it to the Office of Academic Wellbeing for approval to withdraw before the end of the ninth week of the semester. A student who acts in that time frame can be confident of approval. The withdrawal counts as an attempted semester within the 10-semester rule.

Students must complete the withdrawal/leave of absence application.

Mid-semester Withdrawal after ninth-week deadline

After the ninth week, withdrawal is allowed only for extraordinary circumstances. The student must petition for permission to withdraw from the Committee on Academic Status. A student who wishes to withdraw after the ninth week should consult with a staff member in the Office of Academic Wellbeing to discuss the CAS petitioning process. The withdrawal counts as an attempted semester within the 10-semester rule if the petition is granted. Failure to be officially withdrawn will result in grades of failure recorded for all courses carried in that semester if the student stops attending classes.

Withdrawal between Semesters (Will Not Return) and Leaves of Absence

A student takes a leave of absence when he/she intends to return to W&M after one or two semesters away. A Will Not Return withdrawal is taken by a student when he/she does not intend to return to W&M. Both types of withdrawal require the completion of a withdrawal/leave of absence application prior to the first day of classes of a semester.

Medical Withdrawal

A student who is unable to complete the requirements for registered classes in a semester due to a documented medical situation may petition for a full withdrawal from the university. The Medical Review Subcommittee of the Committee on Academic Status reviews the student’s written request and the written recommendation of a physician and/or an appropriate healthcare professional. Students considering this type of withdrawal should consult with a staff member in Care Support Services. A full medical withdrawal is not counted in the 10-semester rule. A medical leave of absence applies for a withdrawal between terms.

Administrative Academic Withdrawal (Academic Suspension)

This withdrawal is the result of the student not meeting the minimum probation/continuance standards of the university. The student is notified by the Dean of Arts & Sciences when the student has been academically suspended by the Committee on Academic Status following the completion of the semester.

Transcript Notation and Future Registration

Students who complete the process to personally withdraw before the end of the ninth week of the semester or with the permission of the Committee on Academic Status (mid-semester withdrawal) will have their current registration noted on their transcript with a “W” beside each registered course. When a student has completed the process for a withdrawal/leave of absence for the upcoming semester, the student will receive grades for the current semester with no notation on the transcript. A medical withdrawal from the university results in a transcript notation of “WM” beside each registered course for the withdrawal semester. In all forms of withdrawal, future registration and housing are canceled. If the student has been academically suspended, the student no longer is in “good standing” with the university and must complete specific requirements in order to be reinstated.

Taking Courses Away

Any student who intends to take coursework while withdrawn from William & Mary must have written permission in advance from the University Registrar to ensure that credit will be transferred. No retroactive transfer of such credit is permitted. Forms are available on the Registrar’s website. Students who have been academically suspended from the university are no longer in good standing and cannot transfer credits to William & Mary from their time away.

Reenrollment

Reenrollment after any type of withdrawal requires the submission of the Reenrollment Application form no later than the deadlines posted on this website. Virginia students re-enrolling after a withdrawal must re-apply for domiciliary status and are subject to the same criteria as entering students.

Reenrollment following a Full Medical Withdrawal is not automatic and involves a medical clearance procedure, which includes submission by the student of all necessary documentation addressing the behaviors or conditions that caused the original withdrawal. This process must begin by the deadlines posted on this website. Reenrollment may be contingent upon additional restrictions or requirements for the student’s safety and success.

Reenrollment after an academic suspension requires that the student first be reinstated by the Committee on Academic Status.

Upon reenrollment, the student’s Social Class will be adjusted to reflect the period of absence from the university. Social class generally indicates the expected year of graduation assuming four years of full-time enrollment after high school graduation.

Other Factors

Financial Aid: If the student is receiving any type of financial aid and has questions about eligibility for future aid or any obligations for repayment, the student should talk with a staff member of the Financial Aid Office in Blow Memorial Hall (757-221-2420).

Mailbox Keys: Students must return campus mailbox keys and complete a mail forwarding card to the Postal Services Office before they leave campus. Failure to return the key will result in a replacement fee that will put a hold on transcripts until the fee is paid.

Residence Hall Housing: Email Residence Life at living@wm.edu immediately after you submit your withdrawal request to the Office of Academic Wellbeing. Residence Life will then confirm that your withdrawal has been processed and that you have moved out of your residence hall. Residence Life will cancel your housing assignment(s), void your current contract(s), and remove the related housing fees from your student account.

It can take up to 10 business days after you have moved out, returned your housing key(s), and your withdrawal has been confirmed by the Office of Academic Wellbeing for any billing adjustments to be updated. 

Be advised that if removal of the student from the residence hall occurs as the result of university disciplinary action or administrative withdrawal, the student will not receive a refund of room rent and may be billed for the remainder of the contract. Withdrawing students currently living in W&M campus housing are required to:

• Move out within 48 hours from the date of the withdrawal unless otherwise approved by Residence Life
• Remove all personal belongings from the university premises 
• Return your room key(s) to the Residence Life office during business hours or place the key(s) in an express check-out envelope and place it in the key drop box outside your residence hall duty office

• When students leave W&M, they are considered commuting students upon re-enrollment
• If a student desires on-campus housing upon return, the student must submit a housing application via Residence Life's Housing Portal as soon as possible after re-enrollment
• It may take up to 3 business days after re-enrollment to access the Housing Portal
• On-campus housing is required for students with a social classification of Freshman or Sophomore and is not guaranteed for other social classes
• WIthdrawn students are not eligible for the housing lottery unless they are approved for re-enrollment by the room selection housing contract deadline

Tuition and Fees: When students withdraw from the university they may be eligible for refunds of tuition and fees based upon published deadlines. Housing and meal plan refunds are pro-rated. Students who wish to receive a refund of monies on their Express account must fill out the appropriate form in the Tribe Card Services Office. Please contact the Bursar’s Office/Student Accounts for any questions related to billing (757-221- 1217). Failure to address financial holds could result in an inability to acquire transcripts.

Parking Permits: Students should return on-campus parking permits to the Parking Services office and may apply for a pro-rated refund.

Withdrawal Information for Honor or Conduct Reasons

To assist with the withdrawal process, Community Values & Restorative Practices (CVRP) provides the following information to students who have been issued a sanction of Suspension or Permanent Dismissal. This information is not intended to be exhaustive; rather, we provide it to help ensure the student conducts a proper exit from the university. Please direct any questions related to a specific process to the appropriate offices or departments. Students are responsible and will be held accountable for withdrawing appropriately. For more information, please consult versions of the Student Handbook and the Undergraduate Course Catalog or contact our office.

Permanent Dismissal is an involuntary separation from the university without future readmission. The student must leave the campus and is not eligible to participate in classes or any university-sponsored or university-related activities.

Suspension is an involuntary separation from the university for an indefinite period during which time the student must leave the campus and is not eligible to participate in classes or any university-sponsored or university-related activities.

Students separated from the university as a result of conduct or honor actions are not permitted on campus without prior permission from the Dean of Students.

After the conduct process is completed, the university automatically removes separated students automatically from their current and future pre-registered classes; students also will be blocked from future registration until reinstated to Good Standing. Students must first be reinstated to Good Standing by CVRP and then must complete the reenrollment process in order to register for courses.

Due to many types of financial aid and the varying policies and regulations associated with them, we strongly encourage students to speak with the financial aid staff to determine how removal from the university might affect their aid.

Students living in residence halls must complete the necessary paperwork to properly check out of housing. To check out properly, the student must:

• Schedule a check-out with an RA or Residence Life staff member
• Complete a Room Condition Report
• Turn the key into the RA
• Remove all personal items

If a student is suspended or dismissed for an incident that occurred in the same semester as the suspension or dismissal, the student is not eligible for refunds of tuition or fees. As the Housing Contract is a year-long contract, the student also is responsible for payment of housing fees for the entire academic year.

Students must return their student ID cards to CVRP upon withdrawal.

Students should return on-campus parking permits to Parking Services and may apply for a pro-rated refund.

Students must return mailbox keys to the Campus Post Office and should complete a mail forwarding card.

Students who wish to return to the university after a period of suspension should submit a petition for reinstatement to CVRP. CVRP will direct the petition to the appropriate committee or administrator who issued the initial suspension for their review. The letter conveying the original sanction will usually provide a date after which the student may petition. Visit the CVRP Reinstatement Page for more information about the reinstatement process and timeline.

Once a student has been reinstated, the student must complete a Reenrollment Form that can be found on the Academic Wellbeing website. The form must be submitted to the Office of Academic Wellbeing no later than July 15 for readmission for the Fall semester and no later than November 15 for readmission for the Spring semester. If a student has been reinstated and there are no other encumbrances on the student’s return, then the student is generally granted reenrollment by the Dean of Students.