Withdrawing from the College

This is an archived copy of the 2022-2023 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.wofford.edu.

Students who decide to withdraw from the college, either during or at the end of the semester, must complete the Withdrawal Process available through myWofford. The online process requires the student to submit an effective withdrawal date (or last date of attendance) and to complete a brief exit survey. The student should meet with the Financial Aid Office to review the implications of stopping out or transferring to another institution and communicate with Residence Life regarding final departure and room checkout. Students can request an official transcript online through myWofford or on the Registrar's website.  Students who decide to return to the College after having withdrawn must apply for readmission by submitting the Application for Re-admission form which is available on the Registrar's Office website.

Medical Withdrawal

Wofford supports all students who need to withdraw from the college due to physical illness/injury or to seek treatment for chemical dependency or other psychological conditions.  Students must submit a formal request to the Office of Accessibility Services.  Those who withdraw are eligible to return once they have been cleared to return by their health care provider. The Office of Accessibility Services may confer with the appropriate campus offices in evaluating the student’s request. This may include, but is not limited to: medical or mental health professionals, current course instructors and advisers, Dean of Students, Director of Residence Life, Registrar, and/or Provost.  The student is required to provide supporting documentation from their current health care provider. The supporting documentation must be submitted within 30 days of the initial medical withdrawal request.  Once the documentation is reviewed and approved, students who are granted a medical withdrawal will receive a grade of 'W' for ALL courses attempted during the semester or term in question. A 'W' does not affect the student’s GPA or hours earned, but will be noted on the transcript.  Students who do not provide appropriate supporting documentation will be held to the regular withdrawal policy which will result in either a grade of ‘W’ or ‘F’ ('W' or 'U' for a pass/fail course).

Students granted a medical withdrawal will have a hold placed on their record pending readmission to the college. The college expects the medical leave to be of sufficient duration to allow the student to address the issues that necessitated the withdrawal and thus enhance the likelihood of success upon return.

Students requesting a Medical Withdrawal must complete the following steps:

  1. Submit a request by the last day of class of the term in question.  Medical Withdrawals will not be retroactively considered or applied. A written request should be submitted to accessibilityservices@wofford.edu.  Alternatively, students can complete the Submit Accommodations Request Form which is housed under Accessibility Services Accommodations on the student menu of myWofford.
  2.  Submit appropriate documentation from a health care provider stating the student’s diagnosis and support for withdrawal from school, as well as confirmation of the treatment plan during the withdrawal period. 
  3. Documentation must be received within 30 days of the request for Medical Withdrawal.  If appropriate documentation is not received within 30 days, the Medical Withdrawal policy is no longer applicable and the college’s standard Withdrawal policy will apply. The Office of Accessibility and Counseling Services will notify the appropriate campus offices, as well as the student’s faculty, of the withdrawal. 
  4. The student is responsible for contacting the Financial Aid and/or Business Office to discuss financial aid, scholarships, and tuition/fees.  This may be done at the student’s convenience and is not necessary to complete during the initial request.

Students wishing to return after a medical withdrawal must complete the following steps:

  1. Notify the Office of the Registrar of their desire to return by completing the Application for Re-Admission available through the student section of myWofford and on the Registrar’s Office website.
  2. Submit documentation from the attending health care provider to the Office of Accessibility Services attesting to the student’s ability to resume studies with a reasonable likelihood of success. The statement must provide a description of the student’s diagnosis and the treatment rendered. It must outline, as appropriate, a plan of treatment to be followed upon return. All documentation will be maintained in strict confidence in the Office of Accessibility Services.  The Readmission Application and medical documentation must be submitted at least one month prior to the beginning of the term the student wishes to return, but exceptions can be granted when appropriate.
  3. Contact the Financial Aid and/or Business Offices to discuss financial aid, scholarships, and tuition/fees.  
  4. Contact Residence Life if on-campus housing is desired.
  5. Submit an official transcript to the Registrar’s Office if coursework was taken at another institution.

Once all appropriate documentation is received, the Office of the Registrar, in consultation with other campus offices as appropriate, will make the final determination regarding the student’s readmission request.  Upon readmission the student will need to work with the Registrar’s Office regarding registration for the upcoming term.  Upon re-enrollment, students are expected to meet with a staff member in the Wellness Center to discuss their treatment plan for the initial semester of return and follow the treatment plan as established by their health care provider.

Special Conditions for Interim
A student who is able to finalize the request before the first day of Interim is eligible for a pre-approved Interim waiver.  This allows the student to waive one of the four Interims required for graduation.  The student is still responsible for the hours necessary for the appropriate degree.  To be eligible, the student must make the formal request, provide appropriate documentation, and receive a status of "Finalized" from Accessibility Services.  Students who finalize the withdrawal process after the start of the Interim will be considered for the waiver on an individual basis and will need to follow the medical withdrawal policy as outlined above.