Academic Procedures and Services

Change of Academic Program

Students who wish to change their academic program, or declare/add or remove a major or minor may do so by submitting an Official Program Change Form [SoftDocs form]. Forms may be obtained in the Office of Enrollment Services at your appropriate campus. Please note that the Change of Academic Program may require Director/Chair and/or Dean’s signature. Please see your appropriate academic department for more information.

Undergraduate Grade Relief

When students find it necessary to change their academic program, they may be relieved of grades of F and, at their discretion, grades of D in subjects not required by the new academic program, for the purpose of recalculating the grade point ratio only.

This privilege is extended only once for a student in his or her college career at Fairleigh Dickinson University and must be exercised not later than the close of the student’s fourth semester. If granted, it is limited to a student who is matriculated with at least 16, but not more than 64 credits. It may not be used to circumvent prior faculty action.

This process may be implemented under the following circumstances:

1. required by a faculty evaluation, or appeals committee or by the faculty of the students’ major.
2. recognition by the student, with the endorsement of one or more faculty members, including his or her adviser, department chairperson or College dean, that the student has made a wrong choice and cannot hope to succeed in his or her present academic program. This procedure is selective and not automatic.

Withdrawal from Classes/University

Withdrawing from the University

A student must notify the campus Office of Enrollment Services, in writing, on an Official Notice of Withdrawal Form [SoftDocs form] of his or her intention to withdraw from study. Prior to withdrawal, students are encouraged to first speak with their Academic Advisor.

The financial penalties for withdrawing on the first day of the semester, and after, can be viewed in the Refund Policy and and can also be found on the middle side of the registration and change of schedule forms.

Students who withdraw in good standing and wish to return at a later date must reapply through the Admissions Office.

Withdrawing from Classes/Revising Schedule

Students have the option to revise their course schedule, add or drop from classes using Self Service from the moment registration opens until the day before the start of the term. The start date of a term is always the first day of undergraduate classes. For specific dates, please refer to our Academic Calendar. Once classes start, students must add/drop or withdraw from classes using a Change of Schedule Form and emailing it to esvancouver@fdu.edu. Students are required to consult with their Academic Advisor prior to dropping or adding a course.

Students may drop from a course up until the add/drop deadline without academic penalty. No record of registration will appear on the official transcript.

After the add/drop deadline and until the withdrawal deadline of each term, students can withdraw from classes and a “W” grade will appear on the official transcript.  

After the withdrawal deadline, a withdrawal is not possible. The student will receive a final grade for the course.

Students will be entitled to tuition refunds or cancellations of charges for tuition in accordance with the Refund Policy (link to Page 7). Please note, that the tuition deposit is non-refundable unless a student’s study permit is refused.  Refunds are based upon payment of 100% of the tuition. While the University permits students to pay through deferred payment programs, refunds are not calculated on partial payments.

The New Student, Orientation, and Technology fees are non-refundable after the first day of the Program.

Non-Attendance Withdrawal Procedures

Students are required to attend classes, arrive on time, and participate in all courses for which they are enrolled. Class attendance and participation are essential to academic progress. At the beginning of each semester, instructors will inform students the specific attendance requirements for each course according to the policies of their academic departments and colleges. All instructors are required to verify attendance in the first 2 weeks of the term. Students who never attended classes during these 2 weeks will be administratively withdrawn from the reported courses. There will be no tuition charges or penalties, and the courses will not be recorded in student transcripts.

Administrative withdrawals due to non-attendance can impact international students’ full-time status, which is reported to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada each winter and fall term. According to IRCC, international students must maintain full-time status in Canada during each mandatory academic term  (fall and winter) to be eligible for Post Graduation Work Permit. Full-time means registered for 12 credits at the undergraduate level and 9 credits at the graduate level. Failure to maintain full-time status jeopardizes a student’s eligibility for PGWP. The only exception to this regulation is for a student in the final semester before graduation needing fewer credits to graduate.