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.

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. If you wish to submit an FQD Petition beyond the one-year deadline, it must be supported by a UW school professional explaining why the petition should be considered past the one-year deadline.
    • Petitions outside the one-year deadline will be considered only for a complete withdrawal of courses
    • Petitions will not be considered outside of the one-year deadline for students in continuous enrollment.
  • Former Quarter Drop Petitions will not be processed once 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. 

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

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.
  • If submitting an FQD Petition within three weeks of the end of the quarter, you should first consider requesting an “I” (Incomplete) grade from your instructors or uwe the Current Quarter Drop process.
  • 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

  1. Student Statement: You must submit a concise statement clearly outlining the circumstances for the FQD Petition (e.g., describing the extenuating circumstance beyond your control) and explaining:
    • How these circumstances affected your ability to complete coursework for the course(s) being petitioned.
    • How these circumstances prevented you from dropping the course(s) by the drop deadline. When your are asking to drop just one course, as opposed to all courses, you must explain why you were prevented from dropping only the one course.
    • Academic issues you may have faced as the result of other primary circumstances can be identified in your personal statement, but should not be academic issues such as frustrations with course instruction or with your instructor’s grading of your coursework, as these are not circumstances that justify a Former Quarter Drop. (For addressing these types of academic issues, please review the Grade Appeal Procedure).
  2. Supporting materials: You must also submit supporting materials which help to provide evidence that backs up your personal statement. Petitions without supporting materials will not be reviewed.
    • You may find examples of why an FQD petition may be requested, as well as suggested supporting materials that may be submitted with the FQD Petition here.
    • You may also upload a statement of support from a UW school official such as an adviser or instructor.
    • Supporting materials not accepted: Photos, letters from family members/friends UNLESS they are accompanied by supporting materials suggested at the above link.

Submitting the Petition

After submitting the Petition

  • 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. 
  • You must email your personal petition statement to the Office of the Registrar (uwbreg@uw.edu). Students will then be provided additional instructions on how to submit their Former Quarter Drop 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 Registrar. 

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 that can help support students in this regard.