Auburn Cares

Student Affairs

Medical Withdrawal FAQ

What do I do if my family member is ill?

If you are requesting a resignation or withdrawal due to the illness of a family member, you will select the family medical withdrawal option on the medical withdrawal application form. Family medical withdrawals must be for the entire semester. Students may apply for a family medical withdrawal from a previous semester up to a year from the semester in question. Please contact Auburn Cares if you have questions about this process.

What if I have a health issue that I believe is impacting my semester but I have not seen a licensed health care provider?

You will need to have a recommendation from a licensed health care provider to support a medical withdrawal. You can start by contacting the Auburn University Medical Clinic or Student Counseling & Psychological Services to meet with a licensed health care provider there.

What is a licensed healthcare provider?

A licensed health care provider is a medical practitioner licensed to treat you for the condition for which you are requesting a medical resignation/withdrawal. Most commonly, it will be your primary care physician, psychologist, or psychiatrist. However, other licensed health care providers, such as nurse practitioners, licensed professional counselors (LPC), licensed clinical social workers, etc. can provide documentation if appropriate for the condition being treated. All of the practitioners in the Auburn University Medical Clinic and Student Counseling & Psychological Services are licensed healthcare providers.

How long does the process take?

Processing a medical resignation or withdrawal is dependent upon sufficient medical documentation to support the request. Because we cannot determine how long a health care provider will take to provide sufficient documentation, we cannot determine how long it will take the request to be processed.

How will a medical withdrawal look on my transcript?

Your transcript will not show that you withdrew for medical reasons. Depending on the determined effective date of the medical withdrawal, your transcript may not show the course(s) at all or may show a W (withdrawal) for the course(s).

Who do I contact if I have a medical clearance hold on my registration?

Contact the Medical Withdrawal Coordinator at medwithdraw@auburn.edu or call (334)-844-1305.

I would like to withdraw from my classes but final exams are next week. What should I do?

Consult with your health care provider and follow their recommendation for taking final exams. If you choose not to take exams, you should contact your instructors and determine if incomplete grades are a better option than withdrawing from classes. If you choose to take exams, but still plan to pursue a medical withdrawal, let your instructors know about your plans.

How will dropping my classes for medical reasons impact my financial aid, scholarship, or Veterans benefits?

Anytime you reduce your credit hours, your financial aid may be impacted. Contact Student Financial Services at (334) 844-4634 or finaid7@auburn.edu, the Scholarship Office at (334)-844-7570, or the Veteran’s Resource Center at (334)-844-8167 to determine the financial consequences of dropping some or all courses.

Last modified: September 15, 2023