Withdrawing from Liberty University Online

Academic Activity

After a course begins, if a student participates in the course through any kind of Academic Activity, the student will not be able to drop the course.  Academic Activity includes any of the following:

• Submitting the Course Requirements Checklist
• Posting to the course Discussion Board, including posting to the Course Community Center
• Submitting an assignment, whether graded or ungraded
• Emailing or contacting the professor regarding the course

Total Withdrawal vs. Partial Withdrawal

• Any time a student ceases active enrollment in a sub-term, it is considered to be a Total Withdrawal.
• If a student has active enrollment remaining, it is considered to be a Partial Withdrawal.

Letter of Intent (For Total Withdrawals)

• If a student completes a total withdrawal and is registered for future courses in a later sub-term/semester, the student must submit a Letter of Intent in order to remain in the future courses.
• If the Letter of Intent is not submitted at the same time as the withdrawal, then the future courses will be dropped.
• The Letter of Intent must be sent by completing the Intent to Withdraw Form.  This form can be obtained by contacting an Academic Advisor.

Total Withdrawal

• Any time a student ceases active enrollment in a sub-term, it is considered to be a Total Withdrawal.
• Students completing a total withdrawal will be charged a $50 fee for ceasing enrollment and will lose their financial aid eligibility.

Consequences of Withdrawing

• A withdrawal does not affect the GPA, but will have a permanent "W" on the transcript.
• Loss of tuition and possible tuition rate change - please email the Student Accounts Office at luostudentaccounts@liberty.edu for the calculation.
• Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress: In order to use Financial Aid, you must maintain a 67% completion rate.  This means you must complete 67% of the credit hours you attempt. Please note: completion rates are not rounded up to meet progress. If a student has a completion rate of 66.666%, they are not meeting the minimum 67% federal requirement.
• When a student withdraws from a course, he or she has attempted to earn 3 credit hours, but has earned 0.  Therefore, withdrawals negatively affect a student's completion rate and Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress.
• Withdrawal fee - A total withdrawal carries a $50 processing fee.

R2T4 (Return of Title IV Financial Aid)

• If a student completes a total withdrawal, the Financial Aid Office will complete a calculation to determine if some or all of the student's financial aid must be returned (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Student Loans, etc.).
• If a student completes a total withdrawal prior to the loan disbursement, or if the student withdraws below half-time (6 credit hours is half-time for undergraduate and graduate, 3 credit hours is half-time for post-graduate and doctoral programs), then the loan disbursement will be canceled.

Contact US

If you have immediate questions, please email LUWITHDRAWAL@liberty.edu or call our office at (855) 466-9218.