Administrative Withdrawal (AW)

What is an Administrative Withdrawal?

Administrative Withdrawals (also known as AWs) are granted by the Academic Affairs Office for one or more classes under serious, unforeseen circumstances that present a considerable obstacle to course completion (e.g. severe injury, physical or mental illness, death in the family, etc.). NOTE: If you need to withdraw from one or more classes for medical/health reasons, you should petition for an Administrative Withdrawal (FLC does not have a "medical withdrawal" option).

In order to be considered for an AW, you need to submit a petition (see instructions below). Each petition will be considered separately and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. There is no limit to the number of AWs you can receive while at FLC, but AWs are only granted for the current term.

Transcripts, GPA, & Credits

All courses from which you withdraw using an Administrative Withdrawal will appear on your transcript with "AW" where you would usually see a grade. AWs do not factor into either your semester or cumulative grade point averages (GPA). You will not be awarded credit for AW courses.

Financial Aid & On-Campus Housing Eligibility

Housing: You must be enrolled in at least 9 credits to live in the residence halls. Dropping below 9 credits or withdrawing from the current semester will make you ineligible to live on campus and you will have 48 hours to vacate the residence halls. Contact the Housing Office as soon as possible if you are considering an Administrative Withdrawal that will drop you below 9 credits so that you can plan your move accordingly.

Financial Aid: Any change in your enrollment status can affect your eligibility for student loans and scholarships. If you have questions about your eligibility, contact Skyhawk Station by phone (970-247-7301) or (email the Skyhawk Station).

Tuition & Fees

You are still responsible for some or all of the tuition and fees for your classes, depending on when you withdraw. See the Fort Lewis College Refund Policies for more information.

Administrative Withdrawal Deadline

Petitions must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday of the last week of classes. Petitions submitted after this date and time will not be reviewed.

How to Petition for an Administrative Withdrawal

You will need the following information for each course to fill out the petition form:

  • The five digit CRN (Course Reference Number: the unique 5-digit number assigned to each course)
  • The course number and program code (for example: BIO 110)
  • The course title
  • The number of credits
  • The instructor's name
  • Supporting documentation: you need to provide supporting documentation of the serious, unforeseen circumstance or event with your petition. Petitions that do not include documentation will not be reviewed. Documentation may include, but is not limited to, any of the following: a letter from a counselor, doctor, or therapist; a police report; a copy of a funeral program.


What happens next?

Once you have submitted the Administrative Withdrawal Petition you will be redirected to a page confirming that your petition was received. Please allow up to a week for processing. You will be notified of the outcome of your petition via your FLC email.

  • If your petition is accepted, "AW" will appear in place of a grade on your transcript for all of the courses from which you withdrew.
  • If your petition is denied, you will not be withdrawn from the class(es).

Questions & Assistance

Stop by Skyhawk Station, send us an email, or give us a call at 970-247-7301. We’re here to help!