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Students

Reinstatement policy

College of Engineering students who have been dropped from the University of Washington may petition for reinstatement.

Students who have been academically dropped who wish to petition for reinstatement must first meet with an academic adviser. Please reach out to them as soon as possible in order to give yourself enough time to complete all necessary steps before the deadline for the quarter you are petitioning to be reinstated for. Please note: this process is only for students declared in the College of Engineering who want to petition to be reinstated to the College of Engineering. If your major is in a different school or college, you will need to contact your school or college about your next steps.

If you are an ENGRUD, Dean's Scholar, or STARs student, please connect with your advising team. In major? Please connect with an academic adviser to discuss the reinstatement petition process. If you are also not meeting the continuation policy of your program there may be program or department-specific steps that need to be taken in addition to petitioning for reinstatement. 

A complete reinstatement petition includes the following. Incomplete petitions will not be considered.

  1. Complete reinstatement petition form that includes:
  2. Student statement
  3. Student academic plan
  4. Transcripts from institutions attended since last quarter at the UW, if applicable

The Reinstatement Committee will be looking for evidence that you have identified the causes that led to your academic difficulties. A petition that demonstrates a mature assessment of problems and concrete changes in behavior has a better chance of being approved. Prepare a printed statement in 750 words or less. Your statement should include answers to each of the following questions:

  1. What has caused you to be dropped from the UW? Identify the barriers to your academic success. Be specific.
  2. What are the behaviors and circumstances that you have already changed or that you plan to change so that your academic success improves? Be specific. For example, "trying harder" is not a behavior change.
  3. How will you hold yourself accountable to these changes?
  4. What are at least three things you can do that will specifically improve your course work and/or study habits?
  5. If you have applied for a Former Quarter Drop (FQD) please state that in the petition along with the quarters or classes for which you are applying.

Your statement and any documentation you provide will be available only to the Reinstatement Committee and will be kept confidential but will remain on file.

This plan must be a quarterly course plan that is built with the input of an academic adviser. If you are an ENGRUD, Dean's Scholar, or STARs student, the plan must include all quarters up to your placement request. If you are in a major, your plan must include all quarters to graduation. If reinstatement is approved, you must consult with an adviser before you deviate from the approved plan. Students who deviate from the submitted plan will not be considered for reinstatement if they are dropped in a subsequent quarter.

Please note that deadlines for submitting a Returning Student Application are different than those for petitioning for reinstatement. You can turn your reinstatement petition in any time up until the deadlines noted below but early submission is highly encouraged:

  • For Autumn: reinstatement petitions must be submitted by 10am September 1
  • For Winter, Spring, or Summer: reinstatement petitions must be submitted no later than 10am on the first day of the quarter.

Reinstatement is NOT automatic. The Reinstatement Committee will base their decision on the planning, evidence, and self-examination presented by the student in their petition. Students will be notified of Committee decisions within one week of the Committee meeting. Results will be sent to your official UW email account.

Reinstatement may be only one step you need to complete to be able to re-enroll and register for classes. The following are some of the related issues that may pertain to your specific situation. Please discuss these with your adviser(s).