Leaving FLC
ADVISING & REGISTRATION

Academic Affairs grants Administrative Withdrawals (AW) for serious, unforeseen circumstances that make it difficult to complete a course (e.g. severe injury, physical or mental illness, death in the family, etc.). There is no limit to the number of AWs you can receive while at FLC, but AWs are only granted for the current term.

How to petition for an Administrative Withdrawal:

• Submit an Administrative Withdrawal petition and provide supporting documentation
• Petition deadline is no later than 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday of the last week of classes
• Please allow up to a week for processing. You will be notified of the outcome of your petition via your FLC email.
• If your petition is accepted, "AW" will appear in place of a grade on your transcript for all the withdrawn courses
• If your petition is denied, you will remain enrolled in your current courses

How an Administrative Withdrawal can affect you:

• Transcripts, GPA, & credits: You will not be awarded credit for AW courses and they will not factor into your semester or cumulative grade point averages
• On-campus housing: Dropping below 9 credits or withdrawing from the current semester will make you ineligible to live on campus; you will have 48 hours to vacate the residence halls
• Financial aid: Change in your enrollment status can affect your eligibility for student loans and scholarships
• Student billing: You are still responsible for some or all of the tuition and fees for your classes, depending on when you withdraw

• Administrative Withdrawal form
• Tuition & Fees Refund Policies
• Contact On-Campus Housing

A Semester Withdrawal (also known as an SW) is when an enrolled student withdraws from all of their classes between Census (the 12th day of the semester) and the final day of classes for a semester. Each student is permitted to use one (1) Semester Withdrawal while an undergraduate student at FLC. Students can use their SW for any reason and any semester.

A Semester Withdrawal (SW) is separate from a Course Withdrawal (CW) and Administrative Withdrawal (AW).

Transcripts, GPA, & Credits

All courses you withdraw from using a Semester Withdrawal will appear on your transcript with "SW," where you usually see a grade. SWs do not factor into your semester or cumulative grade point averages (GPA). You will not be awarded credit for SW courses.

Financial Aid & On-Campus Housing Eligibility

Housing: Withdrawing from the current semester will make you ineligible to live on campus, and you will have 48 hours to vacate the residence halls. Contact the Housing Office as soon as possible if you are considering a Semester Withdrawal so that you can plan your move accordingly.

Financial Aid: Any change in your enrollment status can affect your eligibility for student loans and scholarships.

Tuition & Fees

You are still responsible for some or all of the tuition and fees for your classes, depending on when you withdraw. See the Fort Lewis College Refund Policies for more information.

Deadline

The SW deadline is the last regular day of classes for the semester from which you intend to withdraw. You cannot have a Semester Withdrawal after that date for any reason.

How to initiate a Semester Withdrawal

You can request a Semester Withdrawal any time between Census (the 12th day of the semester) and the last regular day of classes by filling out the Semester Withdrawal/Taking a Break Form located on the homepage of your Student Resource Center.

Every current undergraduate student can take up to two consecutive terms away from Fort Lewis College, after which they can return as a full- or part-time student without reapplying for admission. During this time out, a student is:

• Transcripts, GPA, & credits: You will not be awarded credit for AW courses, and they will not factor into your semester or cumulative grade point averages
• On-campus housing: Dropping below 9 credits or withdrawing from the current semester will make you ineligible to live on campus; you will have 48 hours to vacate the residence halls
• Financial aid: A change in your enrollment status can affect your eligibility for student loans and scholarships
• Student billing: You are still responsible for some or all of the tuition and fees for your classes, depending on when you withdraw

How Taking a Break can affect you:

• Transcripts, GPA, & credits: You will not be enrolled in courses
• On-campus housing: Dropping below 9 credits or withdrawing from the current semester will make you ineligible to live on campus; you will have 48 hours to vacate the residence halls
• Financial aid: A change in your enrollment status can affect your eligibility for student loans and scholarships. 
• Student billing: You are still responsible for some or all of the tuition and fees for prior semesters. You can request to be placed on an Extended Payment Plan.
• On-campus resources: You will not have access to the Student Life Center and other amenities included with student fees

How to Take a Break from FLC

• Submit the Taking a Break form
• A Registrar's Office staff member will contact you for the next steps
• Create an appointment with Student Billing to set up an Extended Payment Plan.

Returning from Taking a Break

You can register for classes like usual as long as you do not take a break for more than one academic year; you maintain "active student" status.

You must reapply for admission through our Circle Back program if you have been away from FLC for over three consecutive terms (Fall, Spring, and Summer); your status has turned to "inactive student."

How to leave FLC permanently:

If you intend to leave FLC during a semester you're enrolled in, you have two options:

1. Fill out the Semester Withdrawal/Taking A Break from located on the homepage of your Student Resource Center. Submit a Semester Withdrawal to withdraw from all of your classes for the current term.
2. Apply for an Administrative Withdrawal if you have already used your Semester Withdrawal.

If you intend to leave FLC for a future semester:

• Fill out the Semester Withdrawal/Taking a Break Form located on the homepage of your Student Resource Center and indicate that you will not be returning for a future semester. Submit a Leaving FLC Permanently notification

How leaving FLC permanently can affect you:

• Transcripts, GPA, & credits: You will be dropped from your classes for future terms
• On-campus housing: Leaving permanently will make you ineligible to live on campus; you will have 48 hours to vacate the residence halls if you are currently on campus.
  • If you have signed a housing contract for a future term and have not yet taken up residence, you must apply to cancel your housing contract through the Housing Office.
• Financial aid: Your financial aid for those terms will be canceled
• Student billing: You are still responsible for some or all of the tuition and fees for your classes, depending on when you withdraw. A past-due balance will prevent you from accessing your official and unofficial transcript, which could cause problems if you intend to transfer to another institution and/or need your transcript for future employment. If you have an outstanding balance, make sure you pay it off as soon as possible.
• Borrowed materials: You will be charged fees for any library materials and/or Outdoor Pursuits equipment you do not return, so be sure to do this before leaving campus.

• Contact Housing
• Cancel Housing contract