Office of the Registrar

Former Quarter Drop (FQD)

Former Quarter Drop 

The University of Washington Bothell understands that you may face a variety of challenges and obstacles while attending. The Former Quarter Drop (FQD) process was designed to help you address the impact these challenges and obstacles may have had on your ability to drop your classes using the Current Quarter Drop through the last date of instruction each quarter. The following information outlines how you can use the FQD process to request to drop a class or classes completed in a quarter that has already ended.

Please review the policy and eligibility requirements to determine if this is the right process for you. Please also review the list of suggested supplemental materials below prior to submitting a petition and include any and all materials you believe would best support your personal statement for why you are requesting a Former Quarter Drop. It is highly recommended that you meet with an adviser prior to submitting a Former Quarter Drop petition so they can support you through this process.

If you are looking to drop a course or courses, or do not wish to complete course(s) for a quarter which is currently in progress, please use the Current Quarter Drop (CQD) process. Failure to formally withdraw by the posted University deadlines dates on the Academic Calendar does not warrant a Former Quarter Drop.

Former Quarter Drop Policy

This process provides students with a method to petition for a grade earned in a former quarter to be changed to a Registrar Drop (RD).  A grade of RD does not impact your cumulative GPA or academic standing. A Former Quarter Drop (FQD) may be granted if you are unable to complete or withdraw from your course(s) because of extenuating circumstances beyond your control. Not being able to drop or withdraw from courses due to registration requirements for maintaining full-time status for financial aid, scholarships, or F-1 student status may not be considered as reasons why a Former Quarter Drop should be granted.

Every student at the University of Washington gets an email to their uw.edu account on the first day of each quarter. This email contains the Registration Change Guide, which includes important information and dates for changing your class schedule. It explains how to drop classes during the current quarter and after the quarter is over. Being unaware of the current quarter drop process will not be considered as a reason why a Former Quarter Drop should be granted.

Tuition Refund

A Former Quarter Drop is not a petition for a tuition refund and only addresses your enrollment and grades as they appear on your transcript. By default, all tuition forfeiture policies  will apply to a Former Quarter Drop.  If you wish to petition Tuition Forfeiture, you must do so via the Tuition Forfeiture Petition.

Former Quarter Drop Eligibility 

  • You were unable to drop your course(s) during the quarter because of an extenuating circumstance beyond your control. 
  • The FQD Petition is submitted within one year of the quarter being petitioned.
    • Petitions will be accepted through the final day of the same quarter the following year; i.e. Autumn 2023 petitions will be accepted through the final day of Autumn 2024.
    • Petitions outside the one-year deadline will be considered only for a complete withdrawal of courses taken during the last quarter of enrollment prior to a break of at least two quarters (excluding summer) before returning to the University.
      • If you wish to submit an FQD Petition beyond the one-year deadline it must be supported by a UW Bothell school professional explaining why the petition should be considered past the one-year deadline.
      • Petitions will not be considered outside of the one-year deadline for students in continuous enrollment.
  • The FQD Petition is submitted and processed before a degree has been conferred.
  • The FQD petition is for circumstances outside of the classroom and should not be used to address grading or academic related issues. See Grading Procedures for additional information. 

Prior to Submitting the Petition

  • You are responsible for reviewing all the information on this page before completing and submitting the Former Quarter Drop Petition.
  • Separate FQD Petitions with supporting materials must be submitted for each quarter being petitioned.
  • FQDs will not be granted for coursework that has already been applied to a completed degree.
  • Submission of an FQD Petition does not guarantee it will be approved.
  • Students with F-1 Visa status should meet with an adviser in the International Student Services Office to be apprised of any Visa status changes due to FQD approval.
  • The FQD Petition is to be submitted after the quarter has ended.
  • If you need more time to complete the work for a course, use the Incomplete Grade Request form within the last three weeks of the quarter to ask your instructor for an Incomplete grade.
  • If you need to drop your courses before they are graded, use the Current Quarter Drop (CQD) process by the last day of instruction each quarter.
  • Please be aware: The Former Quarter Drop process is not intended for grade renewal on individual courses or for grade forgiveness purposes. Requests made to improve GPA and/or improve opportunity for internal UW admission applications will be denied.

Requirements for Submitting the Petition

Petition Questions

To understand why you may not have been able to use the option to drop classes during the quarter you were taking them, we invite you to answer the following questions. (Please keep responses to 500 words or less.)

  1. Briefly explain what happened during the quarter that stopped you from using your Current Quarter Drop.
  2. Please explain how the previously stated circumstance prevented you from dropping your courses during the quarter. Please note that needing to maintain your enrollment for financial aid, or scholarship, visa or athletic eligibility is not a reason for which we can approve a Former Quarter Drop petition.
  3. If you are not requesting an FQD for all your classes, please explain why your circumstance impacted the class(es) you are requesting and not the others. (If you are requesting to drop all your classes, please type “N/A.”)
  4. Please choose from this list of supporting materials what you can provide to support your petition. If you do not have an item on the list, please indicate this by choosing “No supporting materials available.”

Supporting Materials

You must also submit supporting materials that help to provide evidence that backs up your personal statement.

  1. Review examples of why a FQD petition may be requested, as well as suggested supporting materials that may be submitted with the FQD Petition.
  2. Supporting materials must be professional and from a third party. Items that are not acceptable: images of injuries, people, medications, text exchanges, transcripts.
  3. Healthcare providers may complete the Healthcare Provider Verification form when a student has requested it to support their FQD Petition. If you choose to have a healthcare provider complete the UW Healthcare Provider form you have three options for submitting it:
    • Your healthcare provider gives it to you and you upload it with your petition.
    • Your provider can email it directly to uwbreg@uw.edu. Please submit a document with your petition statement indicating what healthcare provider office will be sending this to uwbreg@uw.edu so we can be sure to match it to your petition.
    • If you receive the completed form after submitting your FQD petition, email it to uwbreg@uw.edu and we will match it up with your petition.
  4. If you do not have supporting materials as indicated, you must provide a statement from a UW school official such as an adviser or instructor as supporting material.

Submitting the Petition

Dishonesty in any part of this request/application may result in a change in outcome or automatic denial.

Timeline

FQD Petitions will be reviewed by the Office of the Registrar within 2-3 weeks of the petition’s initial submission date.

After submitting the Petition

  • You will be taken to a web page that states “Your petition has been submitted. You should receive an e-mail in the next few minutes which confirms that we have received your application.” You will receive a confirmation email at your uw.edu email. If you do not receive this email, your form did not submit.
  • A decision will be sent to your uw.edu email address within two to three weeks after the petition is submitted.
  • Approved petitions will result in your transcript reflecting a grade of RD (Registrar Drop) for the petitioned course(s).
  • Grades cannot be restored once an FQD Petition has been granted.
  • No details of the petition or supporting materials will be shared with anyone outside the FQD Review Board.
  • The Petitions Committee’s decision is final – appeals will not be accepted.

Beyond the one-year deadline

  • If you wish to submit an FQD Petition beyond the one-year deadline you must petition to drop ALL courses in that quarter and have a break of at least two quarters (excluding summer) before returning to the University.
  • If you wish to submit an FQD Petition beyond the one-year deadline, it must be supported by a UW Bothell school professional explaining why the petition should be considered past the one-year deadline. 
  • You must email the UW Bothell Office of the University Registrar at uwbreg@uw.edu and include your qualifying situation prior to submitting your FQD petition. You will then be provided additional instructions on how to submit your Former Quarter Drop petition outside the one-year filing timeline. The Former Quarter Drop petition form should not be used to submit a petition for a quarter that is not listed on the dropdown menu, unless advised to do so by the UW Bothell Office of the University Registrar.
  • Petitions will not be considered outside of the one-year deadline for students in continuous enrollment.

Campus Support Resources

Nothing is more important than a student’s health and well-being. Students who may be struggling with medical, emotional, or behavioral issues that are impacting their academic success are strongly encouraged to reach out to one of the following resources for support and to help create a plan to address any struggles being experienced. Below are some key resources at the University of Washington Bothell that can help support students in this regard.