A student may withdraw from a course through myBanner and receive a grade of "W" when dropping after the 100% refund deadline and prior to the “Drop with a “W” Grade Deadline for the particular course (for full-term fall and winter courses, this deadline is the end of the eleventh week of the semester). Please use the searchable course schedule to determine withdrawal deadlines for parts-of-term courses.

Before a student withdraws from any courses, there are many factors to be considered. Students should talk with their advisor, or they can reach out to any advising centers. Students should then think about the following points: 

• Being enrolled in classes is a requirement for on-campus residency eligibility.  If a student lives on campus and withdraws from all of their classes, they will be required to move out of their on-campus assignment within 3 business days. 

• If a student has loans, scholarships, or grants and withdraws from all their classes, GVSU policy or federally mandated calculations will determine how much aid they are allowed to keep for the semester. For federal financial aid, the calculation depends on the late date of academic activity or engagement in the course and not just their withdrawal date.  For more information, please visit the Financial Aid website.  

• If a student wishes to withdraw from all courses in the current semester and future semesters via self-service Banner, they need to choose each semester and withdraw from classes for that semester.   

• These factors apply to both undergraduate and graduate students who are considering withdrawing from their courses.

• Review the Course Drop/Add and Refund Schedule page for information about deadlines.

Students withdrawing from all of their classes after the W-grade deadline must submit an Undergraduate Complete Withdrawal Form to the Registrar’s Office. Any refunds will be based on the date the completed form is received by the Registrar’s Office. Students in good standing who wish to return to Grand Valley after an absence of two or more semesters should contact the Registrar’s Office to update their records and be activated to register for classes. Questions? Please contact the Registrar’s Office.

Students who receive financial aid should consult the Financial Aid Office before withdrawing from any of their courses.

Students who do not withdraw before the eleventh week must accept a grade other than W depending on the instructor’s judgment of their performance in the course(s) and any mitigating circumstances.

A "W" grade is not factored into a student's GPA or earned credit hours; it appears on a transcript to show that a student attempted the course.

If the semester is still in session, Undergraduate students who request an exception to the withdrawal deadline due to extenuating circumstances must present the following to the director of the Student Academic Success Center:

1. Explanation of appeal
2. Registration and Drop/Add Form signed by their professor and department chair
3. At least one statement of support from the professor or department chair

Undergraduate students should continue attending class until notification of a final decision about their appeal is received.

After the drop with a “W’ grade deadline, a degree-seeking graduate student may only withdraw from one or more courses, and receive a grade of W, via the Graduate Course Late Withdrawal Form with the approval of the course instructor, the director of the graduate program in which they are enrolled, and the Vice-Provost of The Graduate School.

After the drop with a "W" grade deadline, a non-degree seeking graduate student may only withdraw from one or more courses, and receive a grade of W, via the Graduate Course Late Withdrawal Form with the approval of the course instructor and the Vice-Provost of The Graduate School.

Graduate students should continue attending class until notification of a final decision about their request is received.