The procedure for dropping a course depends on when, in the course of the semester, you are attempting to drop the course.

After registering and through the first seven (7) instructional days of the semester, students may use the Cyberbear Student Services Registration link to add courses or change sections and credits; through the first fifteen (15) instructional days of the semester, students may use the Cyberbear Student Services Registration link to drop courses.

Fees are reassessed on the sixteenth day of the term. Added courses and credits may result in additional fees. For courses dropped by the fifteenth instructional day, no fees are charged and courses are not recorded.

To drop, add, or change the grading option for a course between instructional days 16-45 of the semester, students should use the Cyberbear Student Services Course Add/Change/Drop link. The electronic request will be automatically forwarded to the instructor and advisor of record for approval. Upon receipt of all required approvals, the request will be processed by the Registrar's Office.

Dropping a course during this time will result in a “W” appearing on the transcript, in lieu of a letter grade. This is to indicate the student was enrolled in the course, but withdrew.

To drop a course between instructional day 46 through the last day of class, students must students should use the Cyberbear Student Services Course Add/Change/Drop link. The electronic request will be automatically forwarded to the instructor and advisor of record, as well as the student's Dean for approval. Upon receipt of all required approvals, the request will be processed by the Registrar's Office.

Dropping a course during this time period will result in a “WP” or “WF” on the transcript to indicate the student was either passing or failing the course at time if withdrawal.

Dropping a course during finals week is not permitted.

Refer to the Financial Aid Maintaining Eligibility webpage. There, Financial Aid Warning, Satisfactory Academic Progress, and other important information is explained. Ensure you familiarize yourself with these policies and definitions.  

Should you have ANY questions at ANY time related to your financial aid, please contact the Financial Aid office at 406-243-5373. You may also request an appointment to meet with a Financial Aid Officer at Missoula College or the mountain campus by calling this number.

Students who withdraw from the University while a semester is in progress must complete a withdrawal form obtained from the Registrar's Office at Missoula College. Drop/add forms cannot be used to withdraw from school and students are not allowed to drop all their courses through Cyberbear.

International students must first contact the Foreign Student Advisor before withdrawing as visa status will be affected. Medical withdrawals are granted only for a student's significant health problems and must be documented by a healthcare provider.

When withdrawal forms are completed/submitted before the last two weeks of the semester, grades of W (withdrawal) are assigned. Beginning two weeks from the end of the term, students may not withdraw from the University except for very unusual circumstances. Such late withdrawals are to be approved by the student's academic dean before the end of the semester. However, in exceptional cases, a student's academic dean may approve retroactive withdrawal for the last semester in attendance, provided the request is approved before the end of the student's next semester of enrollment.

Students whose academic performance was negatively impacted by events beyond their control may consider retroactively withdrawing from a specific semester. The retroactive withdrawal form must be filled out and accompanied with a typed statement explaining the specific reasons why they are requesting the withdrawal. 

Once the paperwork is completed, it must then be signed by the student’s advisor, department chair, and college dean. If the semester in question was the last semester the student attended, and the form is turned in prior to the last instructional day of the student's subsequent semester of attendance, the request is automatically processed. If the student has attended at least one full semester since the semester in question, the request is formally reviewed by the Withdrawal Committee and is either approved or denied.

Retroactive withdrawal forms may be obtained in-person at the Missoula College Registrar’s Office.

A policy called Academic Forgiveness allows students in this situation an opportunity for a “fresh start.”

A University of Montana – Missoula undergraduate, seeking her/his first undergraduate degree, who returns to the university after a minimum absence of three years and completes 30 credits of academic study with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 is eligible for Academic Forgiveness.

Academic Forgiveness allows a student who has met the requirements above to select a prior semester or semesters s/he wishes to have excluded from calculation in the cumulative GPA. The semester(s) chosen must have occurred prior to his/her return to the university.

Receiving Academic Forgiveness for a semester or semesters results in all credits and grades earned in the semester to be excluded from the student’s GPA calculation. A student will not be allowed to select specific grades and credits to retain while excluding others earned within the same semester.  The excluded courses and grades will remain on the transcript; however, they may not be used to fulfill any university requirements.

Only University of Montana – Missoula grades and credits will be excluded. A student will be granted Academic Forgiveness only one time. Students who receive Academic Forgiveness will be bound by the University Catalog in effect at the time of their return to the University or any subsequent catalog in accordance with University policy.

Students wishing to apply for Academic Forgiveness should complete the Academic Forgiveness form available online, or at the Registration Counter in Griz Central on the mountain campus. The mountain campus Registrar’s Office will then be responsible for verifying eligibility and notifying the student of approval.

Other options exist for students who have not left the university such as course repeat, withdrawals, and other mechanisms listed under academic policies in the catalog. Students are encouraged to visit with their advisor about the best options for them.

Students are placed on Academic Probation at the end of any semester after which the institutional cumulative GPA (the GPA of all coursers taken at UM) drops below 2.00. Academic Probation is the “yellow light” phase of academic progress; it indicates that the student is experiencing challenges at the University that are now reflected via course performance.

Being placed on academic probation does not mean the student cannot succeed at the University; it's a time for the student to reassess his/her goals, seek help from advisors, faculty, tutors, and the array of services and programs offered at UM. Feel free to contact the AAC for help with identifying appropriate resources that may assist in better academic performance.

A student remains on academic probation as long as his/her cumulative GPA is below a 2.00. Once the student's cumulative GPA returns to at least a 2.00, s/he will be put back into Good Standing, the “green light” of academic progress.

If, while on Academic Probation, a student’s subsequent semester’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.00, s/he will be placed on Academic Suspension. Students on academic suspension are required to sit out one semester or the entire summer term and may not re-enroll at the University unless they have been reinstated.

Suspended students must set an appointment in advance to complete the reinstatement appeal process. If it is the student's first academic reinstatement, s/he may call Betsy Cincoski at (406) 243-7826 to set an academic reinstatement appointment. If it is not the student's first academic reinstatement, s/he must set a reinstatement appointment with her/his program academic advisor. (Refer to the Who is My Advisor? directory for specific contact information.)

Students must complete the reinstatement appeal paperwork in advance and bring it with them to their appointment. This paperwork packet is available through the Missoula College academic reinstatement webpage.