Withdraw from the University

Newly Admitted students who are not planning to attend UCSB and are seeking to cancel their Statement of Intent to Register must email admissions@ucsb.edu

 

Definitions

Complete Withdrawal refers to leaving UCSB after the quarter has started and the student is registered and paid.

Cancellation of Registration refers to leaving UCSB before instruction for the quarter has started, or, after the quarter has started but the student is not registered and/or paid.

Students can check their registration (Reg Status) and payment status (Fee Status) for the quarter in GOLD by clicking on "Registration."

reg and paid status in gold

Undergraduate students - please note:

Newly-admitted students
  • Newly admitted undergraduate students who cancel—either before the first day of instruction for the quarter of admission, or, after instruction for the quarter has started but they are not registered and/or paid—will not be eligible for readmission and must reapply to the University through the regular undergraduate admission process adhering to Admissions processing deadlines. For further information contact the Office of Admissions.
  • Newly admitted undergraduate students who withdraw after instruction the quarter has started and are in a registered and paid status are eligible to return to UCSB in a future quarter via the readmission process.
Continuing students
  • Continuing undergraduate students who cancel or withdraw from UCSB are eligible to return to UCSB in a future quarter via the readmission process.

 

Complete Withdrawal

Undergraduate students

Students who determine that they cannot complete a quarter for which they have paid fees, or signed a fee deferment agreement with the Billing Office, must submit an Undergraduate Withdrawal form to the Office of the Registrar. If the form and deadline requirements are met and the approval of the student's college dean is secured, they will be withdrawn officially.

  • Forms filed during the early weeks of the quarter, may be entitled to a partial refund of the quarterly fees as listed by the fee refund schedule.
  • Forms filed prior to the first day of instruction are considered cancellations and may be submitted through GOLD, which will result in a cancelled registration and a 100% refund of fees. See below for more information.
  • The deadline for undergraduate students in the College of Engineering and the College of Letters and Science to submit a completed form is the last day of instruction for the quarter.
  • The submission deadline for the College of Creative Studies is the last day of the quarter.
  • The date the completed form is received by the Office of the Registrar is the official withdrawal date.

 

Graduate students

Continuous registration is required of graduate students. Leaves of Absence may be granted under extraordinary circumstances. Consult the Graduate Division for information on eligibility.

 

Cancellation of Registration

Students who wish to cancel registration prior to the beginning of a quarter may do so on GOLD using the Quarter Cancellation Petition.

Note: International students and visiting students are not eligible to use the GOLD petition and will need to submit a signed Cancellation of Registration form to the Office of the Registrar.

Domestic students who are unable to use the GOLD Quarter Cancellation Petition will need to submit a signed Cancellation of Registration form to the Office of the Registrar.

 

Important Withdrawal Information

  • Students should discuss their plan to withdrawal or cancel with the Financial Aid Office before taking action. Federal and state regulations require that students who cancel or withdraw and received financial aid to 1) Return a portion of their aid if they withdraw before completing 60% of the quarter, or 2) Return 100% of aid if they cancel registration prior to the first day of instruction.
  • Undergraduate students who submit a completed withdrawal form after the final drop deadline will receive a grade of W for each course in which the student was enrolled.
  • Students who complete the enrollment process but discontinue work for the quarter without filing a withdrawal form will receive failing grades in all the courses in which they are enrolled. They are ineligible for a refund of fees and their future registration privileges may be blocked.
  • The Office of Student Life (OSL) may offer assistance with a current quarter withdrawal for a student who cannot do so due to serious medical or hardship circumstances. For more information, call (805) 893-4521.  Note: Requests made through OSL must receive final approval by the student’s college before the withdrawal form is submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
  • After withdrawal and before future registration, students must receive permission to return. A readmission/reinstatement application must be filed before the published deadline date.
  • Students are advised to consult with faculty, departmental or college advisers, and/or Counseling and Career Services before withdrawing so as to consider the full implications of this action.