Semester Withdrawal
It can be a challenge to juggle school, family, financial needs, work, medical challenges, and all other aspects of life.
There are many resources available to students both on and off campus, which are listed in the Community Resources tab above.
We understand that at times it can feel very overwhelming to balance being a student with other responsibilities and life events, but withdrawing may not be your only option.
We encourage you to weigh all your options before you withdraw.
Feeling too overwhelmed to know where to begin? You're not alone. Your academic advisor can help you put together a plan for your next steps.
Alternatives to a Semester Withdrawal:
- Warning: Not all courses are offered with a credit/no credit option. Check your syllabus or contact the Registrar's Office to verify at registration@umontana.edu.
- Warning: Major, minor and general education requirements must be taken for a traditional letter grade. However, if you need to repeat the course anyway, this can help preserve your GPA in the meantime.
- Great alternative to dropping a course
- Credit/no credit grades do not impact your GPA
- Earn credit if you receive the equivalent to a D- or higher
- May help keep you in good academic standing
- May help keep you off financial aid probation/suspension. Remaining eligible for federal financial aid can be complicated. You can start by reviewing the Maintaining Eligibility page or contact the Financial Aid Office at (406)243-5373 with specific questions.
- If you are passing (D- or higher) at least one of your courses, it is recommended that you don't withdraw from the semester. Instead, explore dropping some courses so that you can focus on finishing the ones you are passing.
- Course drop policies vary depending on the time of semester. Speak with your advisor or instructor to see if this is an option for you.
- After the 15th class day, courses appear on your transcript as W, WP, or WF. They do not impact your GPA, but they do count as attempted credits.
- See UM Catalog for details on Academic Policies & Procedures.
- Contact the Registrar's Office at (406) 243-5600 or registration@umontana.edu for questions about the course drop policy.
- Consult with your instructor about the option of an incomplete.
- May be eligible if you have been in attendance and doing passing work up to three weeks before the end of the semester.
- May be eligible if, for reasons beyond your control (and are acceptable to the instructor), you have been unable to complete the requirements of the course on time. Negligence and indifference are not acceptable reasons.
- The instructor will set the conditions for the completion of your course work.
- In most cases you have one calendar year (or otherwise established by your instructor) to complete the requirements or an alternate grade (assigned by the instructor) will be assigned.
- See UM Catalog for the complete policy on incompletes.
How to Withdraw
Current Semester
Current Semester Withdrawal
To withdraw you must follow these steps:
- Carefully read through the information provided on this page. Many of the frequently asked questions are answered on the FAQs page. Feeling overwhelmed and not sure what to do? Connect with an academic advisor to get started.
- Click on the Semester Withdrawal Form button below. This will take you to the UM Solutions Center.
- Once in the UM Solutions Center, the Submit Semester Withdrawal Button on the right.
- Sign in with your NetID and password. Or, if you are already logged in to the system, it will take you directly to the form.
- Complete the form, then click Submit at the bottom of the page.
- Check your UM student email account for a confirmation email to verify your submission. You can also check inside the UM Solutions Center under My Requests/Tickets.
- Your form will be processed by the Office of the Registrar, and you will receive a final email notification once complete.
Future Term
Future Term Cancellation
If you registered for classes for an upcoming semester and no longer plan to attend, email the Office of the Registrar at registration@umontana.edu from your UM email account with the following information:
- Full name
- UM student ID number (usually starts with 790...)
- If you don't know your UM student ID number, you may send your date of birth and your phone number.
- The semester you wish to cancel
Your cancellation will be processed based on the day you sent the email. You will receive a confirmation once it is processed, and you will be able to see the change in CyberBear at that point.
If you signed up to live in the residence halls, University Villages, or Lewis & Clark Villages, you must contact UM Housing staff to cancel your housing arrangements. If you currently live in campus housing, be sure to submit the appropriate move-out paperwork.