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/eForms Center. 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 approved enrollment pause 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 break from your academics 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 breaks or ‘enrollment pauses’ for internships and study abroad. Students who need to cancel (before classes start) or withdraw (after the semester has started) 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.

The readmission eForm can be found in the eForm Center in CalCentral.  You can submit your readmission request by going to Calcentral>My Dashboard tab>Student Resources box>eForms Center>Submit an eForm.

If you have been away from the University for more than 2 years and do not have access to the eForm in CalCentral, please contact your Engineering Student Services (ESS) Adviser  for further assistance. 

If you recently withdrew/cancelled your semester, you will need to wait 14 days after the date you withdrew/cancel to access the readmission eForm.

The readmission timeline is as follows:

Completed applications must be submitted no later than the final deadline, 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. While the readmission eForm opens early, you should not expect a response to your request until processing begins (March 1st for Fall semester and October 1st for Spring semester). No readmission applications submitted after the final deadline will be accepted.

Applications with outstanding holds will be denied by the college, and students will need to resubmit once the holds are clear. This includes financial, medical, library, conduct, and academic holds. To find out whether you have any holds, check your CalCentral record or contact Cal Student Central. 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 eForm after your medical hold is removed.

Once you are informed that your readmission has been approved by COE, make sure to follow any instructions from the Office of the Registrar and (for F1/J1 visa holders ) Berkeley International Office to finalize your readmission. Once your readmission eForm is approved by the Office of the Registrar, the $70 non-refundable readmission fee will be posted directly to your CalCentral account. You will not be able to enroll in classes until the readmission fee is paid. The fee is waived for EOP students. 

Readmission is never guaranteed; however, students in good standing are generally approved. All students are required to submit a program plan for completing their degree as part of the eForm. Students who were not in good standing when they left the university will be subject to additional review, and other supplemental materials will be required with your readmission eForm. Your ESS Adviser will contact you if any follow up is necessary. 

If you are participating in a study abroad program (UCEAP or approved Independent Study Abroad), you do not need to apply for readmission.

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 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.
• This policy is on hiatus for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years:  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 Academic Notice/Subject to Disqualification status

If you withdraw while you are on Academic Notice/Subject to Disqualification status, it is important to consult with your ESS Adviser to discuss conditions for readmission.

The College of Engineering does not approve retroactive withdrawal requests except through requests from Path to Care.  Students who are seeking retroactive withdrawal based on experiencing sexual violence, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence, or stalking are advised to contact the Path to Care office and to speak with a confidential advocate about their case. If it is determined that you have a retroactive withdrawal case, a confidential advocate will handle your request and you will not have to submit written statements or documentation of any kind.

Please note that the following policy is on hiatus for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years.

If you withdraw after the eighth week of classes in any given semester, you will be subject to the “semester-out” rule, which means you are not eligible to enroll at UC Berkeley the following semester.