Late Course Withdrawals- for undergraduate students in the Faculties of Arts and Science (Incl. BSW, Religious Studies, B.Th)

A) Late course withdrawals are meant to help students who are severely ill or dealing with unforeseeable, significant extenuating circumstances that prevented them from withdrawing by the posted deadline.

• Provided these circumstances do not apply to you, do not submit a late course withdrawal request.

B) You are not eligible for a late course withdrawal if the following applies to you:

1. You are concerned about getting a poor grade in the course.
2. You were unaware you were enrolled in the course.
3. You require an absence for social activities, leisure events, or for pre-arranged holidays/vacations, including overseas travel.
4. You are not/ no longer eligible to take this course as part of your academic program.
5. You have a minor illness, or are experiencing minor personal matters (unless you were not in a position to complete your coursework for more than just a few days).

C) Please do not request a late course withdrawal if the following applies to you:

1. You have already written the final exam for the course.
2. You have received a final course grade (other than K, J, L, or NR). If you have a final course grade, your request will not be considered.

If you have determined that you are not eligible for a late course withdrawal, please contact your Academic Advising office to discuss future degree planning and your academic trajectory.

1. You will need to provide adequate supporting documentation. Note that your request may not be granted, even with supporting documentation.
2. In the case of a flare-up of a chronic condition, the note from your health practitioner will need to specify that they observed the flare-up and the date(s) during which you were not in a position to complete your coursework. Note: a diagnosed anxiety disorder is considered to be a chronic issue. However, if your note simply states anxiety, this is considered to be an incidental illness.
3. If you have requested late course withdrawals or deferred exams in the past, future requests will be reviewed more stringently and are unlikely to be approved. We will need to see evidence that you have taken measures to manage your condition and your course load to avoid relying on late course withdrawals.
4. If you are selectively asking to drop only one, or a select few, of the total number of courses in which you are enrolled in the term, your explanation and supporting documents must explain why you are able to complete some courses, but not others.
5. Submissions outside of the posted deadlines are automatically refused. For next steps, please consult the "Decision Timeline and Understanding Your Decision" section. 

To submit your request you must ensure you have the following:

1. Your concise (max 450 words) statement.
   • Your statement should explain why you missed the course withdrawal deadline, why you are requesting a late course withdrawal, and the measures you took to avoid relying on a late course withdrawal, such as support services or resources you used, reduction in course-load, etc. Please ensure to address any of the 5 considerations above if they apply to you.

2. Your supporting documentation:
   • Supporting documents must be sent as soon as you have submitted your request (e.g. medical certificate, hospital records, accident/police reports).
   • Please refrain from submitting photographic evidence of injury or illness, as this is not considered valid supporting documentation.
   • For medical documentation, we recommend that you use the medical note template provided on this site. If you choose not to use the template, you must ensure the note includes the following important elements:
     1. Indicates your full name (and McGill ID#, where applicable).
     2. Be from a healthcare practitioner licensed to work in Canada who has observed and diagnosed your condition.
     3. Indicates the health practitioner’s name, title, address, license #, and signature.
     4. Indicates the date the practitioner consulted with you and on which they observed your symptoms. Specifies your inability to attend or to complete your course(s), including: The date(s) on which you were unable to complete your coursework. The date on which you’ll be able to resume your studies (ie. the prognosis for your return to health)
     5. Is in English or French (translations must be from certified translators)

The following is a list of registered and licensed health practitioners deemed acceptable:

• A Psychologist, Psychotherapist, or Social Worker
• A Physician, Psychiatrist or Surgeon
• A Nurse or Nurse Practitioner
• A health professional from the McGill Student Wellness Hub

 Submit Your Request

You will be notified of the outcome of that review within two weeks. We are not able to guarantee a response by a certain date. Note that decisions will not be rendered during the exam period.

If your request is approved, the course in question will show a grade of “W” on your transcript. Tuition and fees charged for that course are not refunded in the context of late course withdrawals, except in exceptional circumstances, unforeseeable and beyond your control.

If your request is refused, you may make a written request to have the decision reviewed by the Decision Review Committee, consisting of . Director of Service Point, the Registrar and Executive Director of Enrolment Services and either the Associate Dean (Arts OASIS) or the Associate Dean (Science SOUSA) . The Decision Review Committee will review the original request and any additional information or supporting documentation. The committee will only review documentation and written statements; requests to present verbal statements or arguments in-person will not be granted. Decisions made by this committee are final.

How to request a Decision Review

1. Submit your written request no later than 5 business days after the refusal of your initial request.
2. Write a concise (max 500 words) statement explaining why you are requesting a decision review, and what new and relevant information you are sharing to support your request. This could include details such as:
   • The specific measures you took during the semester to avoid relying on late course withdrawals, including support services or resources you used, reduction in course-load, etc.
   • If relevant, an explanation of why your documentation was not complete or specific for your initial request.
   • If your request was refused because it was submitted outside of the posted deadlines, please also provide an explanation and/or documentation outlining the reason(s) why you were unable to submit your request on time.
3. Email your statement – including PDF-formatted supporting documents - to servicepoint [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Decision%20Review%3A%20Late%20Course%20Change) from your McGill email account, ensuring that the subject line reads “Decision Review: Late Course Withdrawal.