Skip to Doctoral Program Withdrawal Policy

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Withdrawal from the GTU Doctoral Program

There are two ways in which a student can be withdrawn  from the doctoral program: 1) a student-initiated withdrawal and 2) an administrative withdrawal. Withdrawal severs the relationship between the student and the GTU. It is intended to be an irreversible decision.

If a student withdraws,

• the student loses the formal relationship with the faculty advisor; faculty committees are dissolved;
• the faculty advisor, committee members and Department Chair are notified;
• the student's files are kept for seven (7) years, after which they are destroyed. This includes placement files.

Student-Initiated Withdrawal: Students unable to continue their academic work in the doctoral program for an extended period of time may need to consider a student- initiated withdrawal. Students should notify the Dean of Students via email of their need to withdraw from the program, including specific reasons for the withdrawal and indicating their projected withdrawal date.

Administrative Withdrawal: Students who fail to register or receive an approved leave of absence by the late registration deadline will be administratively withdrawn and their programs will be terminated. Students who fail to pay required tuition and/or fees by the end of late registration risk being terminated from the doctoral program.

Termination from the Program: Students may be terminated for failing to maintain good standing in their doctoral program. A student’s good standing is based on the quality of his/her performance and the completion of requirements in the program by agreed upon deadlines.

Requests for Reinstatement: If a student is withdrawn or terminated, she/he may petition for reinstatement within two years of the withdrawal/termination date. Such petitions are extraordinary; there is no presumption of a right to reenter. Students who withdraw from the program with outstanding debt with the GTU Business Office or Library risk good standing in the program and can be denied reinstatement on these grounds.

• The student may request to be reassigned to the former advisor or to have a former committee reconstituted. Faculty members are under no obligation to return to these assignments.
• Language exams or comprehensives passed more than seven years prior to reinstatement will have to be revalidated; the faculty determine the revalidation process.
• A committee of faculty from the relevant Department will be asked to make a formal decision on whether or not to reinstate.
• The GTU assumes that the reinstated student will be bound by the catalog and policies current at the time of reinstatement. If the student wishes to follow policies current during the time of original enrollment, it must be indicated in the petition. The committee from the Department assigned to make a decision on reinstatement will also consider the protocol request.
• Students who initiate the withdrawal and are reinstated are liable for a records maintenance fee. (See "Graduate Theological Union: Tuition and Fees" for a list of fees).

Two years after having withdrawn, students requesting readmission must reapply through the doctoral admissions process. They will normally be required to redo or recertify all work more than seven years old.

 

Withdrawal from the GTU MA Program

To withdraw from the program, the student sends a letter to the Dean of the School of Affiliation. The Dean of the School of Affiliation will send a copy of the letter to the GTU Dean’s Office for review, filing, and posting in the computer record. The student will be formally withdrawn from the program as of the date of the letter. The MA Program Coordinator is responsible to close the student’s file and computer record.

Withdrawal may affect a student’s eligibility for disbursed and/or anticipated federal financial aid. See the Return of Federal Policy for the implications of withdrawal on financial aid. Students with an outstanding balance with the GTU Business Office will not be approved for withdrawal in good standing. Withdrawal severs the relationship between the student, the School of Affiliation and the GTU. Committees are dissolved. It is intended to be a permanent decision. Withdrawn student files are kept for seven years and then destroyed.

If a student has withdrawn, they may petition the Dean of the School of Affiliation for reinstatement within two years. Such petitions are extraordinary; there is no presumption of a right to reenter, and the following should be kept in mind:

• The Thesis Committee will have been formally dissolved; faculty are under no obligation to return to the Committee.
• Language exams passed more than seven years prior to reinstatement may have to be revalidated; the process of revalidation is determined by the faculty.
• The School of Affiliation will be asked to make a formal decision on whether or not to reinstate, in consultation with the GTU Dean.
• In questions of protocol, it will be assumed that the reinstated student will be bound by the catalog and policies current at the time of reinstatement.
• Students will be liable for a $150.00 reinstatement fee. Two years after having withdrawn, students requesting re-admission have to reapply through the MA admissions process. They would normally be required to redo or re-certify all work more than seven years old.