Late Withdrawal

OTC may grant a Late Withdrawal to a student who experiences non-academic emergencies which interfere or prevent the completion of coursework and which cannot be resolved through traditional withdrawal methods. Typically, circumstances (non-academic emergencies) that may be grounds for a Late Withdrawal tend to fall into one of three categories: medical, personal and/or financial. OTC does not grant late withdrawals unless there is a compelling reason for such requests.

The late withdrawal process is not the appropriate venue to resolve or petition academic matters. Students must address such concerns to the respective department. In addition, the Late Withdrawal process is not an alternative means to drop classes after the last published date to drop/withdraw to remove unwanted grades or to prevent resulting academic/financial aid actions.

The following conditions apply to Late Withdrawal:

  1. Students are not eligible for Late Withdrawals in any course in which they successfully completed the class requirements.
  2. Students must apply no more than four weeks into the following semester, including the summer term. This applies whether or not the student enrolls in the next semester. In significant extenuating circumstances, this timeframe may be extended at the sole discretion of the Dean of Students
  3. If a student is granted a late withdrawal, the student may not be eligible for a late withdrawal for subsequent terms.

To apply for a Late Withdrawal, the student must submit the following to the Office of the Dean of Students:

  1. Complete the Petition for Late Withdrawal. 
  2. Write a personal statement of hardship. The written personal statement should explain how and/or why the non-academic emergency impacted studies. It is essential that the student gives accurate details about the circumstances. For instance, students should provide date(s) of the emergency. They should also give an account of how the situation specifically prevented the completion of coursework and why the student could not drop before the published last date to drop/withdraw.
  3. Attach supporting documentation:

Medical:

Medical

Type-written correspondence on office letterhead from a licensed healthcare professional. The correspondence/documentation should include the dates the student was under the healthcare professional’s care, a statement of how the illness/accident/condition interfered with the completion of coursework and the name, title, phone number of the healthcare professional.  Notes on prescription pads, appointment slips and/or medical consultation forms are not acceptable.

Personal (e.g., death in the family, family emergency, personal crisis, etc.):

Personal

Documentation of family emergencies generally requires official documents or correspondence from a state agency, government entity or reputable business.  For example, death of a close family member requires a death certificate and/or obituary with name and date of publication.

Financial (e.g., loss of sole-supporting job, head of household challenges, mandatory job changes):

Financial

Financial emergencies typically require the student’s employer to document the mandatory change(s), the date of the change(s), and the organization’s representative who can verify the circumstances of the job change(s).

The Dean of Students will review and rule on all applications for Late Withdrawal.

 

Last Reviewed: 06/02/2020