Withdrawal
FGCU students are expected to complete all classes in which they remain enrolled after the drop/add deadline. Students who wish to withdraw from individual courses or the complete term after the drop/add periods, but before the "last day to drop/withdraw without academic penalty" (as published in the Academic Calendar), can withdraw from their course(s), up to the last class, on Gulfline if the student does not have any holds. If the student does have holds, they must withdraw through Records & Registration. A withdrawal is initiated by submitting a completed Course Withdrawal or Term Withdrawal Form in person, by mail, or by fax to Records & Registration. These forms are available on the web https://www.fgcu.edu/recordsandregistration/forms.
Students are strongly encouraged to discuss all potential course or term withdrawals with their instructor(s) to determine if they are capable of successfully completing the course(s). Students should also consult an advisor in order to understand more clearly the academic implications of these actions.
Withdrawing from all courses does not officially constitute formal withdrawal from the University. A student is financially liable for all courses in which they are registered at the end of the drop/add periods. Students receiving financial aid are strongly encouraged to discuss all potential course or term withdrawals with Financial Aid and Scholarships in order to understand more clearly the financial implications of these actions.
Withdrawal Limit Rule
In order to encourage successful completion of coursework and a student's ability to stay on track for timely graduation, FGCU has instituted a Withdrawal Limit Rule. This Rule limits the number of courses in which a student may earn a grade of W (withdrawal without academic penalty).
A student may withdraw without academic penalty from as many as five undergraduate courses (numbered 1000-4999). If courses are corequisites, withdrawal from both during the same semester will count as only one withdrawal rather than two withdrawals for the purpose of the Rule. A course taken for zero credit hours is excluded from the Rule and will be assigned a grade of WE (Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances) by Records & Registration if the student withdraws from the course.
Some majors may have stricter requirements regarding allowable withdrawals. Students should consult with advisors and carefully review program handbooks to ensure that there are no additional requirements.
A student appeal of the Rule is submitted electronically, with a personal statement and supporting documentation, to Records & Registration at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?FloridaGulfCoastUniv&layout_id=15.
Withdrawals with Extenuating (WE) Circumstances
The following option applies only to active students enrolled in undergraduate courses. If a final grade has been given in the applicable class(es), only those courses for which the final grade was a C- or lower are eligible for a WE.
In some cases, students must withdraw from a class, classes, or a term due to extenuating circumstances. These include the following:
- Medical Withdrawal
- Military Call to Active Duty (For additional options, please see section on this topic.)
- Extended absence (usually more than two weeks) due to a death in the immediate family
- Financial Circumstances
- Other unusual or special cases, considered on a case-by-case basis.
If a withdrawal for extenuating circumstances is approved, students will receive a grade of WE. WE grades do not count toward the Withdrawal Rule limit.
Students must file a complete request for a WE within one year (365 days) from the last day of the semester in which the extenuating circumstance occurred. Students may receive a maximum of ten total WEs (one WE per course/CRN) throughout their academic careers at FGCU.
A withdrawal for extenuating circumstances is initiated by submitting a completed Application for Withdrawal, with a personal statement and supporting documentation, to Records & Registration at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?FloridaGulfCoastUniv&layout_id=15.