All students are subject to UMGC policies on course drop and withdrawal and refunds. On rare occasions, however, students may experience extenuating circumstances that warrant exceptions to the published policy.
Students may request university consideration for an exception by completing the Request for Exception Form. Requests for exceptions are reviewed by Student Affairs.
Required Criteria
Students seeking an exception must meet the following criteria:
- A direct cause-and-effect relationship can be demonstrated between the extenuating circumstances and the student’s ability to persist in his/her course(s).
- Circumstances experienced and their resultant impact were not foreseeable and/or could not have been reasonably prevented during the time period in question.
- Relevant documentation can be furnished from an appropriate authority to support the claim. Documentation must be on official letterhead of the issuing authority and include the contact information for this authority. Examples of such documentation include a letter from a physician, commanding officer, employer, etc. Please note that all documentation submitted with your Request for Exception to the Withdrawal Policy is kept confidential.
Exclusions
The following issues cannot be addressed through the Request for Exception process:
- Satisfactory Academic Progress appeals under Policy 220.32 and Policy 220.33
- Disputes regarding the denial of financial aid or the amount awarded
- Appeals for alleged arbitrary and capricious grading under Policy 130.80
- Complaints about class instruction or curriculum (Students should contact the appropriate academic department.)
Please consult your advisor for assistance regarding the above issues.
Deadline to Request an Exception
All requests for exceptions to the UMGC drop and withdrawal and/or refund policies must be submitted within 90 days from the last day of the term during which the circumstance occurred.
Note: Submitting a request does not suspend billing or stop collections activity.
University Decision
The requesting student will be notified of the university's decision approximately six to eight weeks from the time of submission of all documentation.