Drop & Withdraw

Dropping a course (not withdrawing) by the deadline can be done through:

• Buff Advisor
• In person at the Office of the Registrar
• By fax or letter including signature, student ID, course number, section number, and term
• Send a request via Buff email and include student Id, course number, section number and term 

Students may drop courses on Buff Advisor, but are strongly encouraged to fill out a Withdrawal form in the Registrar's Office to complete the withdrawal process. Students that are registered for more than one semester, and have only one class for each semester can drop the single class online, which is actually a withdrawal. Because the system software does not recognize a drop as a withdrawal, potential refunds may be delayed due to lack of proper notification with the Registrar's Office. Students are strongly encouraged to file a withdrawal if they are enrolled in one course and drop it online.

Example: A student is registered for one class for Summer 1 and 5 classes for Fall. The student can drop their Summer 1 class online because the system still sees the student enrolled in other classes. However, because the student was enrolled in only one class for Summer 1, this is actually a withdrawal for that semester. The student did not notify the Office of the Registrar, so withdrawal paperwork is not generated and the student’s refund is not processed until the student contacts the Office of the Registrar regarding their withdrawal.

If you drop a class, but continue to be enrolled in other classes, you will have 100% of your charges for the dropped class removed from your bill only if you drop by the semester census date (see academic calendar for current date information):

• 12th class day for Fall and Spring
• 4th class day for Summer semesters
• 2nd second class day for intersessions

Withdrawals can be filed the following ways:

• Completing the withdrawal form
• Completing a withdrawal form in the Office of the Registrar

Students that do not wish to complete their semester, regardless of the number of hours enrolled for the semester should file a withdrawal with the Office of the Registrar, cancel their housing and meal plan contract with Residential Living, (where applicable), and contact the Financial Aid and Scholarship Services offices, (when student has applied for financial aid and/or been awarded scholarships). Students enrolled in only one course that drop the course online have not completed the withdrawal process and the result will be a delayed refund, or notice of balance due, if any, due to lack of notification of withdrawal in the Office of the Registrar.

Withdrawals cannot begin to be processed for refund or notification of balance due until after the census date for the semester has passed. Intersession semesters cannot be processed until the following semester census date has passed, (12th class day for fall, spring and 12th class day of spring for January intersession, 4th class day of summer 1 for May intersession and summer 1, and 4th class day for summer 2).

If a student follows the proper withdrawal procedure, they may be granted a full or partial reversal of charges due and possible refund of payment depending on the date they filed their withdrawal set forth by section 54.006 of the Education Code, which sets the policy for refund of tuition and mandatory fees billed to the student, (non-mandatory fees are fees such as matriculation fees, New Student Orientation, Buff Branding, payment plan fees, late fees, and meningitis vaccines are charged at 100% if the student withdraws after classes have started. Housing rates are prorated on a 20 calendar-day rate from the first day housing is open to students. Meal plans are refunded by unused portion at time student vacates campus), to students who withdraw from the University.

The refund is calculated on the total cost of mandatory tuition and fees charged for the courses in which the student was enrolled prior to withdrawal.

Section 54.006 (b-1) states:  If a student has not paid the total amount of the tuition and mandatory fees charged to the student by the institution or unit for the courses in which the student is enrolled by the date the student withdraws from the institution or unit, instead of issuing the student a refund in the amount required under Subsection (b), the institution or unit may credit the amount to be refunded toward the payment of the outstanding tuition and mandatory fees owed by the student.  The institution or unit shall issue a refund to the student if any portion of the amount to be refunded remains after the outstanding tuition and mandatory fees have been paid.

All questions regarding the drop or withdrawal process can be addressed in the Office of the Registrar, Old Main 103, 806-651-4911, or via email.

If a student withdraws during a fall or spring semester, or a summer term of 10 weeks or longer, the reversal of mandatory tuition and fee charges from the student bill are as follows:

*Check the current academic calendar to find actual date information for 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, and 21st class days.

If a student withdraws during a summer term of 10 weeks or longer, the reversal of mandatory tuition and fee charges from the student bill are as follows:

 *Check the current academic calendar to find actual date information for 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 7th class days.

Intersession semesters are tied to the following semester for federal reporting and refund purposes. If the student chooses to stay enrolled in the following semester past the census date, (Spring for January Intersession, and Summer 1 for May Intersession), the withdrawal will be reconsidered as a dropped course prior to census for billing purposes. In addition, refunds for paid amounts for these semesters cannot be refunded until after the census date for the following semester, (12th class day for Spring, 4th class day for Summer 1).