Students keep full-time status after withdrawals under new policy
By Anna Maxwell, October 20 2025—
The University of Calgary has changed its long-standing policy regarding course withdrawals. Students who withdraw from a course after the add/drop deadline will no longer be stripped of their full-time status. Under the new rule, effective September 1st, the withdrawn course[s] continue to contribute to the student’s unit load for that term, per the registrar’s office.
According to Student Union (SU) vice-president academic Gabriela Dziegielewska, the former policy had been a type of “double jeopardy” for students.
“For example, a student starting with three courses, who dropped one mid-semester would be on the hook to pay tuition for the class,” she explained. “At the same time, your student status would drop down to part-time.”
“So you’re getting punished two separate times,” said Dziegielewska, first by the tuition bill and then by having to reapply for financial aid or visas.
She noted it was especially difficult for students on full-time loans, for Indigenous students receiving First Nations sponsorship, and for international students who must stay full-time under their study permits.
Dziegielewska emphasized that the new rules were a significant change but urged better communication of the update to students.
Noting that the full-time penalty had been “deeply ingrained” in students’ minds on campus, she said the main concern was making sure students learn the new rules.
“My biggest thing was I wanted to make sure it’s communicated properly,” she said, citing the SU’s efforts to inform students of the change through its Academic Rights campaign.
Dziegielewska said that from the feedback she has received that many students are satisfied with this change.
“[Students] are very happy this is happening, and bummed out that this wasn’t a policy that’s been around for longer,” said Dziegielewska.
Others were surprised.
“The second type of feedback I’ve received is surprise that this is the policy, because I found a lot of students don’t know that this is a change that’s happened,” said Dziegielewska.
That lack of awareness worries Dziegielewska. She noted that SU data showed about 80 per cent of withdrawals occur in the last month of classes (55 per cent in the final week), saying that most students withdraw only as a last resort to protect their GPA.
Students in the comments of Dziegielewska’s Reddit post expressed relief at the announcement, one saying that the old rule had forced many to weigh grades against visas or funding. The registrar’s office says the change will “mean less uncertainty about impacts to things student loans, study permits and sponsorships.”
For more details and specifics regarding course withdrawals and the updated policy, visit the Office of the Registrar’s website.