Medical/Hardship Withdrawal

1. Policy Definitions

A. Student: Anyone who has ever been enrolled at Piedmont University.

  B. Immediate Family Member: A parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, child, or other member of the student’s immediate household.

  C. Medical Withdrawal: The process used after the last date to withdraw without academic penalty period to fully remove a student from the requested term where a student is faced with a serious or unexpected physical or behavioral health condition that completely precludes the student from being able to function as a student.

  D. Hardship Withdrawal: The process used after the last date to withdraw without academic penalty period to fully remove a student from the requested term where a student is faced with providing care to an immediate family member who is experiencing a serious or unexpected physical or behavioral health condition or a student who has experienced the death of an immediate family member.

2. Purpose

A medical or hardship withdrawal is granted in instances of medical or family emergencies or prolonged illness whereby it completely precludes the student from being able to function as a student and in which the regular university withdrawal process is not appropriate. The medical withdrawal is to be used after the last date to withdraw without academic penalty period ends. No refund is available for a reduction in hours due to individual course withdrawals that occur after the drop/add period.

A medical/hardship withdrawal request may be granted to students:

1. Who experience a serious or unexpected physical or behavioral health condition;
2. Who may need to provide care to an immediate family member who is experiencing a serious or unexpected physical or behavioral health condition; or
3. Who have experienced the death of an immediate family member.

3. Approval

Approval will be granted on a case-by-case basis by the Registrar, in consultation with the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Medical/Hardship Withdrawals are not retroactive. The deadline to request a medical/hardship withdrawal is the last day of class (as specified by the academic calendar) in the semester for which a medical/hardship withdrawal is being requested. Upon approval of a medical/hardship withdrawal, resident students must vacate and return all keys to University Housing and/or Residence Life and complete the checkout process within 24 hours of notification.

If it is determined by the Registrar that a student is not capable of completing the withdrawal process, the student’s parent, guardian, or legal next of kin may act on behalf of the student.

In the case of pre-existing, recurring, or chronic health conditions, documentation must show that the recurrence or worsening of the condition(s) began after initiation of the term for which the withdrawal is requested. Having a disability on file with the Office of Accessibility, Resources, and Services (OARS) does not automatically substantiate approval for a medical withdrawal.

4. Process and Procedures

The Registrar can approve a medical/hardship withdrawal from all courses in the term for which a student is currently registered. Please note that class rigor, poor performance in class, or lack of deadline awareness are not considered a hardship.

In the case of an approved medical/hardship withdrawal from all courses, the Registrar will assign grades of W for those classes. Hardship withdrawals are typically processed as total or complete withdrawals from the university. Partial withdrawals will only be permitted under exceptional circumstances and require substantial supporting documentation from a qualified medical or other appropriate professional. Required documentation must demonstrate how a student’s particular situation impacted some, but not all, courses. There is no monetary refund for a partial or total withdrawal.

A. Documentation

In order to request a medical/hardship withdrawal, students should contact the Registrar’s Office to discuss their circumstances. In order to be reviewed, the student must provide documentation related to the medical condition and/or hardship. Documentation can be provided from the student’s healthcare provider, hospital records, accident reports, obituary, court documents, or other as appropriate.

If related to a medical and/or behavioral health condition, the provider must have knowledge of the student’s current level of functioning and articulate the impact that the condition has had on the student’s ability to continue in their course(s) and be successful. In addition, the provider must be qualified to diagnose and treat the condition and be the provider that has recently provided such treatment and/or care. Students will be required to submit the Medical/Hardship Withdrawal Form along with supporting documentation related to their expressed medical/hardship.

B. Implications

It is the responsibility of the student to contact other university offices to determine how the decision to withdraw may affect them. With that in mind, all students who request a medical/hardship withdrawal are instructed to contact Financial Aid and the Student Accounts Office to be informed about changes to their accounts, if any. Withdrawing may affect a student’s financial aid. The impact on financial aid may include, but is not limited to, mandatory repayment of already disbursed funds. Students with an active financial or registration hold on their record must clear that hold before being able to withdraw from their coursework.

1. Students should be aware that a reduction in their hours might result in the loss of full-time student status and thus affect their financial aid, scholarships, and athletic eligibility, University housing accommodations, use of University resources and access to University facilities, immigration status for international students, and Veterans Educational Benefits.
2. Students should contact the appropriate office and their academic advisor with questions about the impact of their withdrawal from a course before initiating a withdrawal. Students who are returning from academic dismissal are advised to consult with their academic advisor prior to withdrawal because violation of the minimum enrollment requirements can lead to a second dismissal from the University. Veterans and dependents of veterans who receive educational benefits must notify the Veterans School Certifying Official in the Office of the Registrar of any course load reductions.
3. A student who files or attempts to file a fraudulent application for a medical withdrawal to avoid a failing grade or disciplinary action will be considered in violation of the Piedmont University Student Code of Conduct and subject to conduct charges.