The Withdrawal from Program form is used when a graduate student decides to permanently discontinue their enrollment in a graduate degree program at Ohio State. This formal action closes the student’s academic record for that program and is required for administrative and transcript purposes.
Important Notes:
- This form is used for permanent withdrawal from a graduate program. If your request is for a temporary break, use the Leave of Absence form instead.
- Submitting this form does not remove financial obligations, such as tuition or fees already incurred.
- If you are enrolled in multiple graduate programs, you must specify which one you are withdrawing from.
- Withdrawal does not require Graduate School approval but must be acknowledged by your program.
Submission Instructions:
Step 1: Log in to GradForms.
Step 2: Navigate to Forms > Enrollment.
Step 3: Click “Create New” next to Withdrawal from Program.
Step 4: Student Information:
- This section is for informational purposes only. Consult Buckeyelink for the most up to date information about your academic record. If the “Missing Grades” field shows “Yes”, review your advising report on Buckeyelink.
Step 5: Graduation Level and Plan:
- Use the drop-down menu to select your program level, then select your program plan and degree.
Step 6: Advisor Notification:
- Select your advisor’s name from the dropdown. Begin by typing in the last name of you advisor.
- While Graduate School approval is not required, your advisor and your program must acknowledge the withdrawal.
Step 7: Reason for Withdrawal:
- Select the reason from the dropdown menu (Academic, Career Change, Financial, Personal, Medical, Other).
Step 8: After confirming your intent:
- Click Save to return later, or
- Click Submit to finalize your request.
Approval Workflow:
- Initial Review: The form is routed to your Advisor and Graduate Program for acknowledgment.
- Once submitted and acknowledged, your record for the specified program will be marked as Withdrawn.
- Graduate School Review: The Graduate School will finalize the administrative status update.
After Submission:
- You will receive confirmation when the withdrawal is processed.
- The program will no longer appear in your active student record.
- The candidacy status for post-candidacy students will be cancelled.
- If you wish to return in the future, you will need to be readmitted by the program.
Tips and Considerations:
- If you are receiving funding, consult your department or financial aid office before submitting.
- For international students, coordinate with Office of International Affairs (OIA) before submitting the form.
- If you’re withdrawing during an active semester, also drop all courses through BuckeyeLink to avoid failing grades or additional fees.
GRADFORMS Support
GRADFORMS Help Page
Alternatively, you can reach out to:
The Ohio State University Graduate School
250 University Hall, 230 N Oval Mall, Columbus OH 43210
Phone: 614-292-6031 | Fax: 614-292-3656
Graduation Services Email: Grad-SchoolGraduationServices@osu.edu
Registration Services Email: Grad-SchoolRegistrationServices@osu.edu