Retroactive Withdrawals

How do I withdraw from a course or courses that I took in a previous semester?

This is known as a "Retroactive Withdrawal Appeal" or "RWA." 

Deans and advisors: for questions pertaining to Dean's office action for RWAs, please email Katie Silver. 

RWA Form: Click Here to download

Please note: The Retroactive Withdrawal Appeal process can have an impact on financial aid and scholarships, to more fully understand the implications for you as a student, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and scholarships at https://www.uky.edu/financialaid/contactus or by phone at (859) 257-3172

Spring 2023 Meeting Dates
Files are considered by the order in which they are received. Dates subject to change. 

• Wednesday, January 25, 2023
• Thursday, February 9, 2023
• Friday, March 10, 2023
• Thursday, April 6, 2023 (April 6 meeting cancelled, rescheduled for April 12) 
• Wednesday, April 12, 2023
• Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Student Guidance for Retroactive Withdrawals

Please note: Senate Council Office staff are not permitted to discuss any aspect of a student’s retroactive withdrawal or status at the University with anyone outside of the University or with anyone who is not the student (i.e. family member, friend, guardian, etc.) unless a formal FERPA release of information is on file.

In order to be eligible for a retroactive withdrawal, a student must demonstrate satisfactory evidence that they have incurred one of the following that impacted the semester from which they are requesting to withdraw from:

1. A serious injury or illness;
2. Serious personal or family problems;
3. Serious financial difficulties; or
4. Permanent disability verified by the Disability Resource Center and diagnosed after the semester for which the withdrawal is requested.

Typically, a student may withdraw from a given semester only if the withdrawal is from all courses during the semester. In the exceptional circumstance that a student submits a request for a partial retroactive withdrawal, the criteria to grant such an unusual request shall be higher than for a more ordinary full withdrawal. For a request for partial withdrawal to be considered, the statement must clearly explain why the circumstances that merit the withdrawal were limited to one or a few courses.

The application must be completed and submitted to the academic dean of the college in which you were enrolled during the semester from which you wish to withdraw. You should consult with that dean for further guidance before you submit the application. Your advisor has primary responsibility in offering assistance on compiling the application file. If you wish to make multiple semester requests to withdraw, you must complete a separate application for each semester from which you want to withdraw.

Your completed application – including all required attachments – must be received in the dean’s office within two years from the last day of classes of the semester from which withdrawal is requested AND prior to graduation (please note: a student’s status in a course cannot be changed after graduation). Two years is defined as two consecutive periods of 365 days (or 366 if leap year) from the last day of classes for the semester for which the withdrawal is requested.

Your completed application should contain the following items for submission to your college’s dean’s office:

1. The University Senate’s Retroactive Withdrawal Application (Part 1)
2. A completed Instructor Feedback Form (IFF) for each course from which you seek to withdraw
3. A detailed personal statement, which explains
   1. Your serious illness, serious personal or family problem, serious financial difficulty, or a permanent disability verified by the Disability Resource Center and diagnosed after the semester in questions; AND
   2. Why you did not withdraw during the semester in question
4. Documentation supporting your personal statement. In the case of a medical reason, a letter from a medical professional is required. Total supporting documentation should not exceed 15 pages.

Once you have submitted your application to your college’s dean’s office, the dean will review the application. The dean will include an unofficial copy of your transcript and prepare a letter detailing their recommendation to support or not support your request. Your dean’s office will then transmit your completed file, along with your unofficial transcript and their recommendation to the Senate Council Office for transmission to the Senate Retroactive Withdrawal Appeals Committee (SRWAC).

The SRWAC meets once a month during the fall and spring semesters. Applications are considered in the order that they are received. The SRWAC will forward a copy of its decision regarding the application to the student’s college’s dean’s office. The Dean is responsible for notifying the student of the decision made by the SRWAC.

The SRWAC will forward all approved requests to the Office of University Registrar for processing. The Office of the University Registrar is also responsible for tuition refunds. For more information regarding tuition refunds, please contact the Office of the University Registrar (859-257-7157). Please note, it is your responsibility to understand how such a refund will affect financial aid, grants, and scholarships.

Please be aware that all University employees are required to share reports of sexual harassment they receive from students with the Title IX Coordinator. For more information regarding mandatory reporting and Title IX, please visit https://www.uky.edu/eeo/faqs. Faculty, staff, and students can also submit an alert to the Center for Support and Invention when they are concerned about the wellbeing of a student. The Center for Support and Intervention is not a disciplinary arm of the University of Kentucky. These reports are not listed on your transcript.

College Contact Information for Students

If you are unsure which college you were enrolled in during the semester from which you want to withdraw from or if you do not see your college listed, please contact your advisor or email Katie Silver (coordinator for the SRWAC) at katie.silver@uky.edu in the Senate Council Office.

Current Deadlines

Your completed application – including all required attachments – must be received in the dean’s office within two years from the last day of classes of the semester from which withdrawal is requested AND prior to graduation (please note: a student’s status in a course cannot be changed after graduation). Please be aware that the last day of classes is different than the end of the semester. Academic calendars can be found on the University Registrar website (https://www.uky.edu/registrar).

Additional Resources for Students