Dropping or Withdrawing from a Course
Penn State Continuing Education instructors must issue a grade to all students in their respective courses who have not dropped the course. If you choose to stop attending your course, a grade of F will likely be entered on your academic record unless you have obtained permission to receive a deferred grade or have successfully dropped the course.
If you are considering a course drop or withdrawal, we strongly encourage you to contact your academic adviser before making any course changes.
Dropping All Your Continuing Education Courses
To drop all your Continuing Education courses after classes begin, you must take an action called withdrawing. Please contact us if you wish to drop all your Continuing Education courses.
Dropping a Course due to a Scheduling Error
A scheduling error is registering for the wrong course, or the wrong section of a course. If you find yourself in this situation and want to drop the course, contact us to request an administrative course cancellation.
Dropping a Continuing Education Course
Penn State's standard drop/add period begins on the first day of classes and typically runs for ten calendar days thereafter. What follows is called the late-registration and late-drop period. To see the standard drop/add dates for your current semester, visit the University's Academic Calendar Web page.
We also strongly encourage you to use the "Course Drop Dates" tool on eLion, especially if you are enrolled in a part-semester course, which will have a different drop deadline than a regular semester course.
Course Drops during the Drop/Add Period
There is no fee for dropping a course during the standard drop/add period, unless you drop enough courses to take you below full-time status--or drop below your originally registered credit levels. In that event, you may be assessed a tuition penalty. Adjustments to your tuition will be determined by the effective date of your drop, and any adjustment of charges will be made according to Penn State's Tuition Adjustment Policy.
Late-Dropping a Course
A $6 processing fee is charged for each course you drop after the standard drop/add deadline. You can either pay the fee at the Penn State Bursar's office, or it will be included on your next billing statement from the University.
When you choose to late-drop a course, you will use what are called late-drop credits. Bachelor's degree students may use a maximum of 16 late-drop credits; associate degree and nondegree students may use a maximum of 10 late-drop credits. Late-drop credits don't apply to graduate degree students.
To see the late-drop dates for your current semester, visit the University's Academic Calendar Web page. We also strongly encourage you to use the "Course Drop Dates" tool on eLion, especially if you are enrolled in a part-semester course, which will have a different drop deadline than a regular semester course.
Helpful Definitions
Regular Drop Period: Begins with the first day of class and ends when 10 percent of your course length has elapsed (also the drop/add deadline). A symbol of W (withdraw) will be recorded on your academic record unless you are receiving a grade in another course for the same semester. In that case, no grade is recorded. No late-drop credits apply.
Late-Drop Period: Extends from the end of the regular drop period until 80 percent of your course length has elapsed. The $6 per-course-dropped processing fee will be assessed whether or not you register for another course that meets your originally registered credit level. A symbol of WP (withdraw passing), WF (withdraw failing), or WN (withdraw, no grade) will be recorded on your academic record. Late-drop credits apply.
No Drop Permitted: A course may not be dropped after 80 percent of the course length has elapsed, unless you are dropping all your courses. If you are dropping your last or only course for the semester in which you are enrolled, it is considered a withdrawal, and late-drop credits do not apply.
