WITHDRAWAL/TIME OFF

There is no Leave of Absence status for undergraduates at UCLA, but there are three procedures which approximate it:

  • Not registering (paying fees) for a given term and declaring non-attendance on MyUCLA
  • Cancelling Registration before instruction begins if fees have been paid
  • Withdrawing from a term in progress or retroactively

Although none of the methods listed to the left require an authorizing signature, you should meet with a counselor in your advising unit before proceeding if:

  • You have withdrawn from a term before
  • You are not in good academic standing

If you are an international student and considering withdrawal from the quarter, then you MUST consult with the Dashew Center  in order to learn of any implications with regard to your visa standing.

WARNING TO NEW STUDENTS
New students who withdraw on/before Friday of Week 3 of their first quarter or cancel registration for their first term at UCLA will lose their admission to UCLA and will have to reapply to UCLA using a UC admission application.  This also includes new students who withdraw after Friday of Week 3 of their first quarter and request a refund exception based on a last day of attendance before Friday of Week 3.

Withdrawing from a Term in Progress or Retroactively

Once the quarter has begun and fees have been paid, you may withdraw (drop all of your classes) from a Fall, Winter, or Spring quarter provided that you have not completed the work in any course taken that term.  Please be aware that dropping all courses online through MyUCLA does not constitute an official withdrawal from the term.

WARNING TO NEW STUDENTS
New students who withdraw on/before Friday of Week 3 of their first quarter will lose their admission to UCLA and will have to reapply to UCLA using a UC admission application .  This also includes new students who withdraw after Friday of Week 3 of their first quarter and request a refund exception based on a last day of attendance before Friday of Week 3.
If you have extenuating circumstances that require you to withdraw from your first quarter, you may request a status exception when submitting your withdrawal. You should provide an explanation and documentation where available. Please note that approval is not guaranteed, and is determined by the Registrar’s Office.

If you are withdrawing on or before Friday of Week 9 of the term you wish to withdraw from, you may submit your withdrawal request here.
If you are withdrawing after Friday of Week 9 of the term or from a previous term, you will also need to submit verification from your instructors confirming that you did not attempt or complete the final exam/paper/project for your courses. Along with the withdrawal notice form, please also include a signed Withdrawal Supplement form   OR a PDF or JPG of email(s) from your instructors’ verifying the following:

  • What course is the student enrolled in?
  • Did the student complete all the coursework and/or take the final exam and/or submit the last paper/project/assignment?

If submitting emails as verification, please note that the answers to the above questions must be explicitly stated, or your withdrawal request cannot be processed.  We recommend you cut and paste the above questions and include them in your individual email requests to the instructors.

Once you have obtained instructor verification and are ready to submit your withdrawal, please submit your withdrawal request here.

Additional Points for Consideration

  • If you are an international student on a visa, please consult the Dashew Center for International Students & Scholars (DCISS)  before submitting a withdrawal form.
  • If you receive financial aid, you should consult with the UCLA Financial Aid Office concerning any refunds or repayment of money if such issues are relevant to your situation.
  • If you are not in good academic standing, or have withdrawn previously, or have any other questions, you should meet with an academic advisor in your College advising unit before submitting a withdrawal form.

Multiple Withdrawals

If you have withdrawn or were eligible to withdraw from a previous quarter (for example, you earned all Incomplete grades), you should meet with an academic advisor in your College advising unit before withdrawing from a subsequent term. There will be a hold placed if you withdraw or are eligible to withdraw but have not completed three academic terms (fall, winter, or spring) since your prior withdrawal.

Please note: If you are not enrolled at UCLA for two or more consecutive terms, your enrollment will be been deactivated, and you must file for Readmission in order continue at UCLA.  Please note that readmission is not competitive and is simply an administrative process to reactivate your enrollment if you are eligible to be readmitted.