Withdrawals
Course Withdrawal Options
As a student at Lakehead University, there are certain responsibilities associated with registering for classes. These responsibilities include dropping courses that you intend not to complete. In general, there are three withdrawal options:
For detailed regulations surrounding Withdrawals, see section X Withdrawals, under the Regulations section of the Academic Calendar.
NOTE: A Late Withdrawal (Self-Late Withdrawal or Petition for Late Withdrawal) will be allowed only once in a course.
Withdrawal From a Course Without Academic Penalty
Students may withdraw from a course with no academic penalty up to the Final Date to Withdraw (Drop) deadline, as indicated in the Academic Calendar. To find the Final Date to Withdraw (Drop) for a specific term, refer to the Important Dates section of the Academic Calendar.
A course dropped by the Final Date to Withdraw (Drop) will not show up on a student's academic record. Depending on the time of the drop, there may still be financial penalties, as determined by the refund policy for that term.
Students are required to withdraw from a course using myServices. Discontinuing attendance, notifying an instructor, or other means do not constitute official withdrawal from a course. As such, students are subject to the tuition and fees associated with the course(s) they have registered for, until the point in which they officially drop the course(s) through myInfo.
Self-Late Withdrawal
Students may request a Self-Late Withdrawal for up to a maximum of 3.0 FCEs over the course of their studies at Lakehead, up to and including the final day of class for the respective term. A Late Withdrawal will remain on the student's transcript, showing "W" (withdrawn). No credit will be retained and the course will not be included in the student's average calculation, or considered an attempt. Removal of the W is not permitted, and no refund of tuition fees will be provided for courses dropped through Self-Late Withdrawal.
If you have any questions about the Self-Late Withdrawal process, do not hesitate to reach out to Student Central.
The Self-Late Withdrawal option does not apply for the following: Graduate level courses, students in a Master’s or PhD program taking an undergraduate course, practica/internships/co-op or other experiential learning placements, exchange or courses taken at another institution, or students undergoing an academic misconduct investigation
How to Self-Late Withdraw
To request a Self-Late Withdrawal, complete the Application for Self-Late Withdrawal, and return it to Registrarial Services by emailing the completed form to mywithdrawal@lakeheadu.ca.
Note: You must submit an Application for Self-Late Withdrawal by emailing exclusively from your Lakehead University email address.
Deadlines
For the 2024-2025 Academic Year, a completed Application for Self-Late Withdrawal form must be submitted to Registrarial Services no later than:
- December 3, 2024 (for Fall 2024 courses)
- April 4, 2025 (for Fall/Winter (Year-Long) 2024-2025 and Winter 2025 courses)
- Variable Dates (please see the Academic Calendar > Important Dates > 2024-2025 > Schedule of Academic Dates for Spring/Summer term dates, the final date of classes for each term is the final day to Self Late Withdraw from classes in that term)
Petition for Late Withdrawal
Once a student has 3.0 FCEs of Self-Late Withdrawals, or should a student wish to be considered for withdrawal after the last day of classes, a Petition for Late Withdrawal will need to be submitted for consideration by Registrarial Services. A Petition for Late Withdrawal is not automatic, and approval is not guaranteed. Request for Petition for Late Withdrawal must be submitted online through myInfo, demonstrating exceptional circumstances to support their request. A Petition for Late Withdrawal must be submitted within two months of the release of the final grade(s).
Exceptions (The Petition for Late Withdrawal option does not apply for the following): Students that have graduated from the university, exchange or courses taken at another institution, student undergoing an academic misconduct investigation, or student requiring retroactive accommodation.
Program Withdrawal
An undergraduate student who wishes to withdraw voluntarily from the University after they have registered for courses must withdraw from their courses as per the X Withdrawal Regulations (a) and (b) within the Academic Calendar.
An undergraduate student not registered for two or more consecutive years (Six Academic Terms) must re-apply to enter a program of study and will be governed by the academic regulations and program requirements in effect at the time of readmission. Exceptions to this regulation are for undergraduate students registered in the Faculties of Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Natural Resources Management, and the Schools of Nursing and Social Work, where students are required to re-apply after one year (Three Academic Terms) of non-registration and will be governed by the academic regulations and program requirements in effect at the time of readmission.