Policies & procedures: Withdrawal, cancellation, readmission

If you are enrolled in classes and/or have paid fees and you do not plan on attending that term, you may cancel registration prior to the first day of instruction. You may do so by dropping all of your classes, included waitlisted ones, via the CalCentral Dashboard under Student Resources.  You should also inform your Engineering Student Services (ESS) Adviser of your plan to cancel your registration.

Impact on your records: There will be no notation of the cancellation on your transcript.

New undergraduates: If this is your first semester at UC Berkeley, before canceling your registration, contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions about the possibility of deferring your admission. If you cancel your registration, you will be required to submit a new admission application to attend a future semester.

If you are in good academic standing, you may take a one or two semester leave to participate in an internship with a professional company that does work relevant to your major. If you wish to participate in an internship, you must meet with your Engineering Student Services (ESS) Adviser and bring the offer letter from the company. Time off to pursue an internship is limited to two semesters, either consecutive or non-consecutive, during your undergraduate career.

If you are approved to take a leave to complete an internship, you must cancel your registration for the semester you will be away on the internship and apply for readmission for the semester you want to return. Readmission applications must be submitted to your ESS Adviser no later than the deadline dates (June 1 for fall semester and November 1 for spring semester), although is it recommended that you submit your application well ahead of those dates to be able to register for your next semester classes in a timely way.

The College of Engineering regularly approves leaves of absences for internships and study abroad. Students who need to take a leave of absence for personal reasons, family emergencies or illness should meet with their Engineering Student Services (ESS) Adviser.  If you must complete mandatory military duty or other obligatory service, the college strongly suggests that you complete this service either prior to enrolling at UC Berkeley or after completion of your degree. The faculty of the college feel that extended absences that interrupt your academic studies are detrimental to mastering the material. Additionally, requirements of the college are subject to change and lengthy absences may mean you have to take additional courses to meet new requirements.

If you are absent from the university for a semester or longer (whether voluntarily or not), you must apply for readmission in order to resume study in a future semester. Readmission applications must include: Undergraduate Application for Readmission (available on the Office of the Registrar readmission page) and Program Planning Form. You can pay the $70 readmission fee either by including a check made payable to UC Regents or by choosing the online payment option at the top of the Undergraduate Application for Readmission. Completed applications should be turned in to your Engineering Student Services (ESS) Adviser no later than the the deadline (June 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester), although it is recommended that you submit your application well ahead of those dates to be able to register for your next semester classes in a timely way. If you are participating in a  study abroad program (UCEAP or approved Independent Study Abroad), you do not need to apply for readmission.

Readmission is never guaranteed; however, students in good standing are generally approved. Students who were not in good standing when they left the university will be subject to review and should contact their ESS Adviser to determine if supplemental materials are required. If you were approved for a medical withdrawal, you must first follow the readmission process as outlined by University Health Services and then submit your readmission application to your ESS Adviser.

While not enrolled at UC Berkeley, any course you take at another college must be approved by your ESS Adviser before you take the course.

If circumstances arise that require you to withdraw from the semester, you should be aware of the following policies and procedures:

• Submit a withdrawal request which can be accessed on your CalCentral Dashboard under Student Resources.
• Contact your Engineering Student Services (ESS) Adviser as soon as possible to complete the withdrawal process.
• You may be granted a withdrawal at any time during the semester up through the last day of instruction (i.e., last day of RRR week).
• If you withdraw between the first day of classes and Friday of the eighth week of classes, you may be eligible for readmission the following term.
• If you withdraw after the eighth week of classes, you will be subject to the “semester-out” rule, which means you are not eligible to enroll at UC Berkeley the following semester.

Fee refunds

A prorated refund of registration fees will be processed according to the calendar published on the Office of the Registrar’s website. Fee refunds are based on the date you submitted your withdrawal request on CalCentral, not when you stop attending classes. Special rules regarding refunds apply to students on financial aid, please consult with the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.

Withdrawing for medical reasons

If you wish to withdraw for medical reasons, you must consult with University Health Services/Tang Center to discuss the possibility of medical withdrawal.

Withdrawing on subject to dismissal status

If you withdraw while you are on subject to dismissal status, it is important to consult with your ESS Adviser to discuss conditions for readmission.