Semester Withdrawal

Prior to the start of classes, you may send an email to registrar@binghamton.edu from your official Binghamton email account (please include your B number) if you will not be attending Binghamton. 

Things to know:

  • Mere absence from class does not constitute notice of semester withdrawal.
  • Semester withdrawal is only applicable for current fall or spring semester only; a past or future fall or spring semester withdrawal requires prior approval from Dean of Students.
  • Semester withdrawal may occur from the first day up until last day of classes for current fall or spring semester.
  • Students seeking to drop all summer or winter term courses should refer to the Center for Learning and Teaching website for deadlines. The Semester Withdrawal Form is used for major semesters (fall or spring) only.
  • The action of semester withdrawal is noted on a student’s record as an Official Withdrawal and, in place of a regular grade, all courses will have a “W” on a student’s transcript. NOTE: If a semester withdrawal is submitted and processed prior to the semester add/drop deadline, all courses will be deleted and not marked with a “W” on a student’s transcript; no grades are recorded for students who formally withdraw before the add/drop deadline.
  • If receiving financial aid, including federal student and/or parent loans, students are strongly encouraged to speak to a financial aid counselor to determine the impact of semester withdrawal on current and/or future financial aid eligibility.  Below is a summary of what the impact may be on aid, based on the date a student withdraws: 
      • A student’s effective withdrawal date is the date the student last participated in coursework as noted on the withdrawal form or by their instructor.
      • Federal regulations state that if a student has not attended more than 60% of the term, federal financial aid may be reduced according to the formula published by the Department of Education.  This formula considers how much of the semester the student attended before withdrawing, and the student’s charges. This reduction can result in a balance due to the University.
      • The types of federal aid that can be potentially subject to reduction are: Federal direct loans (including Subsidized, Unsubsidized and PLUS loans), the Federal Pell grant, the SEOG grant, and the TEACH grant. Funds that have not yet disbursed but for which the students could meet the requirements for a post-withdrawal disbursement for are included in the formula’s calculation.
      • The order in which the formula required funds to be reduced and returned to the Department of Education is as follows: Federal Unsubsidized Loans, Subsidized loans, Grad PLUS loans, Parent PLUS loans, Pell grant, SEOG grant funds, and finally TEACH grant funds. 
      • Once a student has attended more than 60% of the term, the student is considered to have earned 100% of their federal aid, and no adjustment to federal aid is needed. For the 2024-25 academic year, this means semester withdrawals on or after October 22 for the fall 2024 semester, or on or after March 29 for the spring semester 2025, will not require that semester’s federal financial aid to be reduced.
      • New York State aid may be impacted by a semester withdrawal depending on whether the semester’s tuition charges are reduced when the student withdraws (see Tuition & Fees Pro-ration below).
  • Tuition & Fees Pro-ration: Refunds are given based on the following schedule in accordance to the New York State Board of Trustees policy: Week 1- 100 % tuition and fees; Week 2 - 70% tuition and fees; Week 3- 50% tuition and fees; Week 4 - 30% tuition and fees; Week 5 and After- No Refund. Students will be billed for any portion of unpaid tuition, fees and miscellaneous charges owed to the University. See Student Accounts for more details.
  • Campus Housing Pro-ration: Charges for room occupancy are based on the daily room rate multiplied by the number of days the student occupied the room. Vacancy is determined by the date the student removes his/her belongings from the room, completes a room inventory and returns the room keys to a member of the Residential Life Staff. Move out of room is required within 24 hours of withdrawal.
  • Meal Plan Pro-ration: The amount of a Resident dining plan refund is a percentage of the total meal plan paid for that semester, determined according to a prorated weekly schedule. No refund can be made, under any circumstances or at any time, of any part of a discretionary fund balance transferred forward from the fall to the spring semester.

Undergraduate withdrawal form

Graduate Students

The graduate student withdrawal form is required if you wish to drop ALL fall or spring semester courses or to withdraw from Binghamton University in good standing.

Please be sure you have read the policies on graduate student withdrawal in the Binghamton University Bulletin and the Graduate School Manual.

  • If you would like to return to the University without readmission to The Graduate School, you must also submit a Request for Leave of Absence Form.

Graduate Withdrawal Form

REQUEST FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Submit the completed Leave of Absence form to the Graduate School at graduate@binghamton.edu

Additional Information Based on Withdrawal Type

Academic, Financial or Other

Students withdrawing for these reasons cannot return without reapplying. Readmission is not guaranteed.

Medical

Students withdrawing for doctor-recommended medical reasons may be required to have their healthcare provider submit documentation to Decker Student Health Services for review. This documentation will only be reviewed by healthcare professionals at Binghamton University.  

Self-Medical

If there is no previous withdrawal on the student’s record, the student can initiate a self-medical withdrawal with a signature from the Dean of Students Office for approval. If the student wishes to return, they should also complete the Request for Leave of Absence form.

Administrative Medical

Students attempting a second (or more) semester withdrawal for medical reasons will have their cases reviewed on an individual basis by the Dean of Students Office and must submit a provider recommendation form prior to approval. If the student wishes to return, they should also complete the Request for Leave of Absence Form.

Any student seeking a medical withdrawal should consult with the Dean of Students Office to determine the best withdrawal option based on their individual situations.

The Provider Form can be found online at:

https://www.binghamton.edu/services/care-team/provider-withdrawal.pdf

If the withdrawal is approved, the student will receive an approval letter from the Dean of Students Office, and a temporary hold will be placed on the student’s record. This hold will remain on the record until the student submits appropriate documentation for return.

Active Military Duty

Students withdrawing to begin active military duty must provide copies of their deployment orders and submit a Request for Leave of Absence Form. If you are a United States citizen, you must also notify the Office of Veteran and Military Services (607-777-3668) and Student Accounts (607- 777-2702).

International students called to military service in their home country should contact the International Student and Scholars Services (ISSS) Office at 607-777-2510 before starting the withdrawal process, for information on appropriate departure procedures required under U.S. Immigration law.

Retroactive

The Graduate School considers requests for retroactive withdrawals only under extraordinary circumstances that have prevented the student from withdrawing by the regular semester withdrawal deadline (for example, the combination of a trauma and an illness at the time of the deadline). All requests for retroactive withdrawals must be submitted to the Graduate School and must be accompanied by verifiable documentation (for example, official death certificates, documentation provided by healthcare providers, or police reports). Any requests for additional documentation will be made by the Graduate School. The request will be reviewed by the Graduate School and the school in which the student is enrolled and will, if necessary, be considered by the Decker Student Health Services Center. The decision will be made by the Graduate School in consultation with the school in which the student is enrolled. If the student is granted a retroactive withdrawal, the student’s grades for that semester will be replaced with “Withdrawn (W)” marks.

Returning to Binghamton University 

Students who withdraw for medical reasons or have taken more than one semester withdrawal, will need to be cleared by the Dean of Students Office prior to returning to campus. Clearance requires that the student’s healthcare provider submit documentation to Decker Student Health Services regarding the student’s preparedness to return. The Dean of Students Office reviews these recommendations and facilitates appropriate action and notification. If cleared, the temporary hold will be lifted from the student’s record and online registration will be permitted. The forms for re-enrollment can be found here:

https://www.binghamton.edu/services/care-team/provider-reenrollment.pdf

https://www.binghamton.edu/services/care-team/release-of-information.pdf

These forms must be faxed by the healthcare provider to Decker Student Health Services. Students may not submit these forms themselves. They should also not be sent to the Dean of Students Office for confidentiality reasons. Students should sign the release of information and give that form along with the re-enrollment form to the provider for completion.

Contact information

 Students are encouraged to contact the Graduate School or Dean of Students for any questions relevant to a full semester university withdrawal.