Adding or Dropping a Course

Adding a Course in Fall 2020

1^st through 4^th class days (August 26–August 31)
Students can only add a course if a seat opens on the online registration system or they are promoted from a waitlist.

5^th through 12^th class days (September 1–September 11)
Please do not ask instructors for permission to add the class. Instructors are not authorized to give such permission. You must follow this process:

Please check that the class is:

Open
Web-based

open web class2.jpg

And that you:

Meet the prerequisites
Meet any restrictions (e.g. if a class is restricted to certain majors)

If adding a class will put you over 18 hours, you need to either:

Drop a class, or
Receive persmission from your advisor/college to register for more than 17 hours (processes vary by college)

If you meet all the above, you will be able to meet virtually with a Student Advising representative during the 5^th-12^th class days. In order to meet with the Student Advising representative, please go to the Moody Current Students website.

If you have questions, please email commstudentadvising@austin.utexas.edu.

After the 12^th class day (September 11)

Students who need to add a class after the 12^th class day should meet with their academic advisor.

Dropping a Course

Note that if you with to drop all of your classes, or to drop the only class for which you are registered, you must withdraw from the University. To begin the withdrawal process, you must meet with your academic advisor.

1^st through 12^th class days (1^st through 4^th class days in the summer)
You may drop a course using the online registration system. Courses dropped during this time are removed from your record and will not count toward your six Q-drop limit. Your tuition bill will be adjusted, and you will receive a partial tuition refund if you drop below 12 hours.

After the 12^th class day (4^th class day in the summer) through the mid-semester deadline (or the rest of the session for the summer)
All courses dropped during this time period will be recorded as Q-drops. When you Q-drop a course, a grade of Q is recorded on your transcript for that course. The Q will not affect your GPA. You will not be refunded for a course that you Q-drop.

IMPORTANT: Students are limited to a total of six (6) dropped courses for academic reasons during undergraduate studies. Full details can be found here.

Dropping a class for non-academic reasons before the mid-semester deadline (or through the last class day of the summer)

You may Q-Drop a class for academic reasons by submitting the form below. Otherwise, please make an appointment with your academic advisor to discuss a non-academic drop.

The two options for non-academic drops are as follows:

For course drops due to a health-related issue, you must use the University Health Center’s process to apply for a medical course load reduction. Your academic advisor will need to approve your course load reduction application.
For all other non-academic reasons, you must submit a Non-Academic Drop Petition. This petition must be accompanied by supporting documentation. Your advisor will provide more information.

To request an academic Q-Drop, please submit this form.

Request Academic Q-Drop

Dropping a class after the mid-semester deadline in a long semester.

You must meet with your academic advisor if you want to drop a course at this point in the semester. The two options for dropping a course are as follows:

You may use the One-Time-Exception if you have not already done so. Or,
You must have an urgent and substantiated non-academic reason for dropping a course.
- If it is before the University Health Center’s medical course load reduction application deadline and the reason for your drop involves your physical or mental health, you must use the University Health Center’s process to apply for a medical course load reduction. Your academic advisor will need to sign your course load reduction application.
- For all other urgent and substantiated nonacademic reasons, you will need to submit a Late Drop/Withdrawal Petition (available from the Student Advising Office). This type of petition requires you to submit:
  - a written explanation;
  - a questionnaire completed by your course instructor regarding your performance in the course; and,
  - supporting documentation.

If you are registered for less than 12 hours of coursework in a fall or spring semester, you are considered a part-time student. Please see this webpage for full details.