Administrative Withdrawal

Palo Alto University (PAU) reserves the right to administratively withdraw a student. An administrative withdrawal at PAU is defined as a total cessation from attendance and enrollment for the reasons shown below:

Failure to pay tuition and fees;
Failure to register for classes, except for in the Summer quarter for programs that do not require summer enrollment;
Failure to notify the university of a leave of absence; or
An administrative decision(s) whereby the University reserves the right to take administrative action in response to instances of disruptive or other behavior that interferes with University community well-being in the judgment of the University.

Administrative withdrawal within the add/drop period:
All courses will be dropped and will not be reflected on the student’s transcript.

Administrative withdrawal after the add/drop period:
Administrative withdrawals after the add/drop will require a “W” grade for all courses on record in the quarter and will be for courses in that quarter will be reflected as such on the students’ transcript.

Students should check with the Business Office regarding applicable fees. However, reinstatement is not guaranteed. Students are not registered until after all required tuition and fees are paid in full.

Total Withdrawal from Program

A student who is considering withdrawal from a degree program is encouraged to meet with their Faculty Academic Advisor, the Associate Chair or the Department Chair to discuss the implications of withdrawing. A Program Withdrawal form, available from the Registrar’s Office, must be completed by the student upon his/her decision to leave the program. If the student withdraws after the Add/Drop period during a quarter, a “W” will appear on the student’s academic transcript. Please see the Registrar’s Office for more information.

Reinstatement or Re-admission

Students who withdraw or have been administratively withdrawn can re-apply for admission to a doctoral program. Students who do obtain acceptance to re-enter, pay the tuition and fees of the academic year they re-enter the program, not the year they originally entered PAU. The Department Chair and Associate Chair of the program make the final decision as to whether the reinstated student is placed on the original degree plan or the degree plan for the year the student is reinstated in the master’s program. The readmission policy is in the admission section of the Catalog .