STUDENT REGISTRATION, DROP, AND WITHDRAWAL: 3:00:00:01

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Responsible Officer: Director of Admissions & Records and Registrar 

Responsible Executive: Executive Vice President for Student Success 

I. Purpose

This policy defines the student registration, drop and add periods, late registration, withdrawals, and procedures to be followed. Development, management, and support of registration and the associated processes, procedures, and exceptions are the responsibility of the College Registrar. 

II. DEFINITIONS 

  • Add - The process of enrolling in a course or adding a course to a student’s class schedule during the designated registration or add period. 

    Administrative Withdrawal – The removal of a student from a course after the last date to withdraw as an exception due to unforeseen circumstances.  This withdrawal is completed by the Registrar after the approval of appropriate executive parties. 

    Drop - A registration drop is the removal of a student from a course during the official drop period without a grade being issued or recorded on the student’s academic transcript. The student may be held financially responsible for charges associated with the dropped course(s). 

    Late Registration - means signing up for classes after the regular registration period  has ended, but before the college’s final deadline to add classes. 

    Students who register late may have fewer class options available and could miss  important course information or the first days of class. Some colleges may also charge 

    a late registration fee. 

    Registration - The official process of enrolling in a specific course(s) for a semester or term. Registration occurs within established registration dates. 

    Registration Dates - The officially designated periods established by the college during  which students may register, add, drop, or modify course schedules for a given   academic term. Registration dates may vary based on student classification,   

    program status, academic standing, or priority eligibility, and are published by the institution each semester or term. 

    Withdrawal - A class withdrawal occurs when a student removes themselves from a registered class during the scheduled withdrawal dates for a given semester. Withdrawal dates are published on the Academic Calendar. The withdrawal appears on the student’s transcript and the student may be held financially responsible for charges associated with the withdrawn course(s). 

    III. REGISTRATION DATES 

Registration dates will be established by the College Registrar following Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) policy and the TBR Common Calendar. Refer to TBR policy 2.04.00.00 Academic and Registration Calendar (Previously Guideline A-019). 

Currently enrolled students’ registration begins: 

  • Every 1st Monday in April and November 

Transient students as defined in Admissions Policy 3:01::00:00, registration begins May and December 1st 

IV. PRIORITY REGISTRATION 

Motlow does not participate in priority registration.  

V. STUDENT DROP/ADD 

  1. Students may drop and/or add courses online in their account or during the established periods 
  2. Students may enter a closed class only with the approval of the academic dean of the division or his/her designated representative. 
  3. Other registration restrictions may also be overridden with the approval of the academic dean of the appropriate division or their designated representative. 
  4. Withdrawing from a class may occur until the last day to receive a grade of W. 
  5. The standard Drop/Add period for each part of a term or full term is as follows and is indicated in the academic calendar: 

TERM OR PART OF TERM  

NUMBER OF DAYS INTO THE TERM FOR DROP/ADD  

3, 5, 6, or 7-Week Term  

First two (2) days of term  

9, 10, and 12-Week Term  

First three (3) days of term  

Full (15/16)-Week Term  

First five (5) days of term  

F. Exceptions may be approved by consensus of the Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and the College Registrar. 

G. Registration errors on the part of the student or the College may be corrected by the Office of Admission & Records and Registrar. This includes, but is not limited to, class deletion for non-payment (purge) error, accidental drops, and removal of students registered in courses for which they are not eligible. 

H. A student cannot drop a class once a faculty member has assigned a grade in the course. Students should be referred to the grade appeal policy for changes in a grade after grades have been assigned.  

VI. Late REGISTRATION

  1. Students wishing to add a course or change sections after the drop/add period will require approval from the academic dean of the division responsible for each course to be added. The academic division office will be responsible for communicating the late add with the receiving faculty member. 
  2. Approval of the appropriate academic dean is not required if the course has not met. 
  3. Professional advising staff as identified by the Director of Advising & Student Engagement may approve students to register in courses that have met only once. There must be seats available in the course for a professional advisor to grant permission. 

VII. ASSIGNMENT OF W GRADES

  1. After the census date for any term or individual part of term within the term, a student will be assigned a grade of W upon withdrawing from a course. Prior to the census date of any term or individual part of the term, a student may drop a course with no grade. 
  2. After the last day to withdraw from a course with a grade of W established by the College Registrar, and before final grades are posted for the term, a student must seek the approval of the Executive Vice President of Student Success for a late withdrawal from a course or all courses. The Executive Vice President of Business & Finance and the Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs will be consulted when refunds or grade and academic policies are impacted.  

VIII. WITHDRAWAL FROM ALL COURSES

  1. Students withdrawing from all courses may impact their financial aid negatively. Students should be referred to financial aid prior to withdrawing. 

IX. ADMINISTRATIVE DROP

  1. Students who are suspended for poor academic performance may be removed from any courses for future terms in which they are registered by the Office of Admissions and Records. 
  2. A student may be dismissed from a course or from the College for disciplinary reasons. The action must be approved by the Executive Vice President of Student Success and the College Registrar in consultation with the President. 

X. ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAWAL

  1. Administrative withdrawals are available after the withdrawal period of the term but before the final date of that term. Administrative withdrawals affect the student’s entire schedule and not just individual courses.  

Sources

History

Leadership Council Approved: November 10, 2008 

Revised: editorial update December 21, 2016; January 12, 2024; May 25, 2026 

Institutional Oversight Committee Approved: June 24, 2026 

President’s Cabinet Approved: July 14, 2026 

Effective Date/Approved: November 10, 2008; July 14, 2026