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Process and requirements

Medical/Compassionate Withdrawals

Medical and compassionate withdrawal requests (MCW) are reserved for extenuating and emergency circumstances that prevent a student from successfully completing their classes. All requests require specific and relevant professional documentation for consideration, and approval is not guaranteed. The decision is based on the specific circumstances and the professional documentation provided. Approval is made on a case-by-case basis and is made at the discretion of the college. The decision of the college is final.

Students may request a complete or partial withdrawal for a semester, however partial withdrawals must include additional information in the personal statement, to justify the reasoning for the partial withdrawal request. Any approved MCW will result in a grade of W.

Tuition refunds are not guaranteed, even with approval, and are not an option if the request is submitted more than two years after semester the request is for.

Definitions

Medical withdrawal

Medical withdrawals may be requested when extenuating circumstances, such as a serious illness or injury, prevent the student from continuing classes. This policy covers both physical-health and mental-health difficulties.

Compassionate withdrawal

Compassionate withdrawals may be requested in extenuating circumstances in which a significant personal situation prevents a student from successfully completing their classes.

Required documents

Request for Documented Medical/Compassionate Withdrawal Form

Download and enter your information on the Request for Documented Medical/Compassionate Withdrawal Form. Once completed, save the form and email the document to cisamcw@asu.edu.

If requesting a medical/compassionate withdrawal for more than one semester, each semester of coursework must be on a separate form.

It is the student's responsibility to ensure appropriate forms and documents are included and complete. Forms may be returned if the information submitted is inaccurate or the form is incomplete.

View Medical/Compassionate Withdrawal Form

Additional supporting documents

The top of the form(s) must be completed and signed by the student. If the student is physically unable to do so, a parent, spouse or other representative may complete the process for them.

Medical withdrawal supporting documents

Personal statement on letterhead that includes:

Date of onset and/or treatment
Medical condition
Detailed timeline
The impact on your academics

Additional supplemental documents such as:

Letter from a physician or counselor (needs to be on official letterhead)
Hospital discharge form
Facility release
Birth certificate of a child

Compassionate withdrawal supporting documents

Personal statement that includes specific information on:

The timeframe of the situation
How/why you were involved in this situation
The impact on your academics

Additional supplemental documents such as:

Obituaries
Copies of death certificates
Eviction notices
Divorce decrees
Police reports
News articles
Official legal paperwork

Review process

Once all necessary documentation is received, a student will receive an email confirmation from CISAMCW@asu.edu
All requests will then be reviewed by the CISA MCW Committee upon receipt of all necessary documentation. If additional documentation is needed, students will be contacted before a decision is made.
The CISA MCW Committee meets regularly to review completed requests on a first-come, first-serve basis. The review process typically takes a few weeks to be completed. Requests submitted near the end or beginning of a semester may have a longer review time due to the increased volume of submissions.
Upon review, students will be notified of the committee’s decision via email.
You will be contacted if further information is needed.

Special considerations

Students receiving financial assistance

Students receiving financial assistance are strongly encouraged to consult with a Student Financial Assistance Counselor to identify and understand the financial assistance / monetary implications of processing this withdrawal transaction at https://students.asu.edu/contact/financialaid.

Students receiving military benefits

Students receiving veterans’ benefits must contact the Pat Tillman Veterans Center (PTVC) regarding any impact of a medical/compassionate withdrawal to benefits or eligibility at PTVC@asu.edu

International students

If you are an international student with an F-1/J-1 visa, you must consult with the International Students and Scholars Center to discuss the serious immigration consequences that may result from your withdrawal from ASU. As an international with an F-1/J-1 visa, you must provide medical documentation from a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, licensed clinical psychologist, psychiatrist or licensed psychologist. If you are an international student seeking a medical withdrawal for the current semester, you will also need to complete this form for the ISSC.

Graduate students

If you are a graduate student, there may be additional implications based on your student status and program. We recommend contacting your school/program advisor to discuss the impact of an MCW on your academic progress and record.