Adding and Dropping Courses

You are responsible for knowing the consequences of changing your schedule. Please contact the appropriate office to obtain information before taking action.

NOTE: If this is your first term at Ohio State, you will need to make an appointment with your advisor to make changes to your schedule.

• Your fees might increase. If you are below full-time (12 credit hours or more) and add a class, your tuition and fees might increase. Please contact the Office of the University Bursar at 614-292-3337 if this is a concern.
• You may be taking on too much course work for one term. It is sometimes difficult to judge how challenging a course will be, especially when paired with other courses. If your course load is too strenuous, you may find yourself in a position where you have to drop a course. This could put you behind on your degree plan. Please visit your academic advisor to help you decide the appropriate course load for a given term.

It is best to finalize your schedule before the second Friday of the semester. Session and summer term deadlines follow different deadlines. For a full list of deadlines, visit the Registrar’s web site.

• You can add a course online before the first Friday of the semester.
• You can add a course, with instructor permission, after the first Friday and before 5:00 p.m. on the second Friday of the semester. Bring the signed Course Enrollment Permission Form to the Arts and Sciences Advising office in 100 Denney Hall.
• After the second Friday of the semester, you cannot add a course except by petition filed with your academic advisor. Please schedule an appointment with your advisor to help with the petition. You will need supporting evidence for your circumstances, such as your attendance record. Your petition may or may not be approved.

Unless this is your first term, you can add courses without restrictions online through the first Friday of each semester using Buckeye Link.

• If you need assistance adding a course, please complete a Course Enrollment Permission Form and bring it to the front desk of 100 Denney Hall.
• Adding any course after the first Friday of the semester requires permission and signatures to enroll.
• After the first Friday and through the second Friday, you must have the permission and signature of the instructor to add a course.
• After the second Friday, you must have the permission and signatures of the instructor and the Department Chair of the course you want to take. You must also file a petition with your academic advisor. Petitions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

How do I add a course through the first Friday of the semester?

• STEP 1. Review the consequences of adding courses at this point in the semester by contacting the appropriate offices.
• STEP 2. Log on to Buckeye Link by entering your Ohio State username and password.
• STEP 3. Review the SIS My Buckeye Link Reference Guide for step-by-step instructions on how to add a course.

How do I add a course during the second week of the semester?

• STEP 1. Review the consequences of adding courses at this point in the semester by contacting the appropriate offices.
• STEP 2. Print and complete a Course Enrollment Permission Form and obtain the appropriate signatures.
• STEP 3. Bring the form to the front desk in 100 Denney Hall.
• STEP 4. Using Buckeye Link, verify that the course has been added.

How do I add a course after the second Friday of the semester?

• STEP 1. Review the consequences of adding courses at this point in the semester by contacting the appropriate offices.
• STEP 2. Print and complete a Course Enrollment Permission Form and obtain the appropriate signatures.
• STEP 3. Please make an appointment with your academic advisor to help you with the petition process.
• STEP 4. You will be notified of the decision by email.

• In most cases, you don't need permission to repeat a course; simply enroll for the course as you normally would. You will receive a message indicating that you will only receive credit for the course once.
• In some cases, when you attempt to repeat a course you will receive a message stating that you have not met the enrollment requirements. If you receive this message, contact your college office.
• When you repeat a course for which the Grade Forgiveness rule is not applicable, grades for both courses remain on your record and are calculated into your cumulative GPA. Credit for the course will count only once toward your degree.

• Some courses require permission from the instructor to enroll. Other courses may have prerequisites that you do not meet but would like to have waived.
• To add these types of courses, complete a Course Enrollment Permission Form and obtain any appropriate signatures. Bring the form to the front desk in 100 Denney Hall.

• Any course that will overlap with another course in which you are already enrolled requires the signature and permission of both instructors.
• Complete a Course Enrollment Permission Form and obtain the appropriate signatures. Return the form to 100 Denney Hall.

• When you audit a course, you are requesting to attend a course for which you do not want to be graded. Audited courses do not count toward your degree. Because of this, audited courses do not count as hours toward your financial aid status. Please contact your award provider before auditing a course.
• If you have not been admitted to Ohio State, please contact Extended Education for information on auditing classes.
• To audit a course, complete a Course Enrollment Permission Form and obtain any appropriate signatures. Return the form to 100 Denney Hall.

To raise your enrollment hours beyond 18 credit hours, you will need to file a petition with your academic advisor.

To request to enroll in a full course, complete a Course Enrollment Permission Form and obtain the appropriate signatures. Bring the form to the front desk in 100 Denney Hall.

• If the section you are interested in is full, you will be given the option to waitlist for that section.
• You are added into a course from the waitlist on a "first-on, first-off" basis as space becomes available that fits your schedule.
• You should attend the first week of classes if your waitlist number is low.
• The waitlist closes after the first Friday of the semester. After the first Friday, no one will be added to a course from the waitlist.
• It is your responsibility to know whether or not you have been put into a course and to monitor your waitlist on a regular basis. You will be notified by e-mail if you are added to a course from the waitlist, so be sure to check frequently your e-mail and your schedule.

You are responsible for knowing the consequences of changing your schedule. Please contact the appropriate office to obtain information before taking action.

The deadlines listed below apply to the full (14 week) autumn and spring semesters. For a full list of deadlines for sessions and summer term, view the Registrar's list of important dates.

NOTE: If this is your first term at Ohio State, you will need to make an appointment with your advisor to make changes to your schedule.

• Should I drop a course?
• What are the consequences of dropping a course now?
• When can I drop a course?
• How do I drop a course?

Dropping a course is a serious decision and can have many consequences. Please contact your academic advisor to determine if you should drop a course.

Your financial aid, scholarships, work-study, and other awards may be adjusted.

Dropping a course can affect your eligibility for certain types of financial aid including loans, work-study, scholarships, benefits received under the G.I. Bill, and employee tuition benefits. You may be required to pay back money you have already received. This is particularly true if you are dropping below full-time enrollment (12 credit hours or more). To determine whether dropping a course will affect your financial status, please contact the appropriate office before you take any action:

• Financial Aid 614-292-0300
• Employee – Student Tuition Benefits 614-292-1050
• G.I. Bill Benefits 614-292-3453

Your academic record may be affected.

Depending on the specific week of the term, you could receive a mark of a “W” on your academic transcript. If you have a significant number of W’s on your record, it may suggest a pattern of careless enrollment, which could be considered in applications for graduate or professional programs.

Progress toward your degree may be delayed.

Certain courses may require prerequisites in order to enroll. Some courses are only offered once a year or at irregular times. These factors can delay your progress significantly as the opportunity to retake a course might not be available for awhile. Please contact your academic advisor to determine course availability and to adjust your degree plan.

Health and automobile insurance coverage may change.

Health and automobile insurance companies sometimes base eligibility for coverage and discounts on enrollment. Falling below full-time status (12 credit hours or more) could cause you to lose your benefits. Please contact your insurance provider to determine how you will be affected.

Residency qualifications for residence halls or visas may be affected.

Your dorm contract may require you to be enrolled for a specific number of hours. Similarly, for international students, your eligibility to continue studying in the United States may be affected. Please contact the appropriate office before you take action:

• Residence Hall Contracts 614-292-8266
• Office of International Affairs 614-292-6101

Employee tuition benefits may be retracted.

Depending on the time in the term, you may be required to pay back tuition benefits that you received. Please contact Human Resources for more information before proceeding.

• Employee – Student Tuition Benefits 614-292-1050

Athletic eligibility could change.

Dropping a course could change your academic status and render you ineligible to participate in athletic programs. It is imperative that you see an Arts and Sciences advisor before you take any action.

• Athletic eligibility 614-292-6961
• Student Athlete Support Services Office (SASSO) 614-292-9205

You can drop a course on or before the tenth Friday of the semester. For current term deadlines, visit the Registrar’s web site and click on “Important Dates” under “Quick Links.”

• On or before the fourth Friday, no record of your enrollment will be recorded on your transcript.
• After the fourth Friday, you will receive a “W” on your transcript.
• After the tenth Friday, you cannot drop any course except by a successful petition filed with your academic advisor.

If, because of extenuating circumstances, you need to drop a course after the tenth Friday, make an appointment with your academic advisor to help you with the petition.

• You will need supporting evidence for your circumstances.
• You cannot drop after the tenth week solely because you are doing poorly in a class.
• Your petition may not be granted.
• Plan to continue attending the course until a decision on your petition has been made.

NOTE: If this is your first term at Ohio State, you will need to see your academic advisor to make changes to your schedule.

How do I drop before the fourth Friday?

You can drop classes online yourself during the first four weeks of each semester, but it is strongly recommended that you seek advising before dropping a class.

You can drop classes using the Buckeye Link web site:

• STEP 1. Review the consequences of dropping at this point in the term by contacting the appropriate offices.
• STEP 2. Log on to Buckeye Link by entering your Ohio State username and password.
• STEP 3. Click “Drop a Class,” choose the term and year for which you are currently enrolled, then click the “Continue” button.
• STEP 4. Select the course(s) you wish to drop.
• STEP 5. Review the SIS My Buckeye Link Reference Guide for step-by-step instructions on how to add a course.

Once you update your schedule, you cannot undo the course drop. Please be careful when selecting a course to drop.

If you need assistance dropping a course, please print and complete a Course Enrollment Permission Form and bring it to the front desk in 100 Denney Hall.

How do I drop after the fourth Friday (and before the tenth Friday)?

You can drop courses before the tenth Friday, but there may be academic and financial consequences. It is strongly recommended that you seek advising before dropping a course.

• STEP 1. Review the consequences of dropping at this point in the term by contacting the appropriate offices.
• STEP 2. Print and complete a Course Enrollment Permission Form (mark option L).
• STEP 3. Bring the form to the front desk in 100 Denney Hall.
• STEP 4. Verify that the course has been dropped by going to Buckeye Link.

Once you have dropped a course, you cannot undo the action. Please be careful when selecting a course to drop and be aware of the consequences of dropping.

Can I drop a course after the tenth Friday?

You cannot drop or modify your schedule after the tenth Friday except by a successful petition filed with your academic advisor.
If, because of extenuating circumstances, you need to drop a course after the tenth Friday, make an appointment with your Arts and Sciences advisor to help you with the petition.

• You will need supporting evidence for your circumstances.
• You cannot drop after the tenth week solely because you are doing poorly in a course.
• Your petition may or may not be granted.
• Plan to continue attending the course until a decision on your petition has been made.