What is a medical withdrawal?
Medical Withdrawals may be granted to students who experience a serious or unexpected physical or behavioral health condition; who may need to provide care to an immediate family member who is experiencing a serious or unexpected physical or behavioral health condition; or who have experienced the death of an immediate family member. Approval will be granted on a case-by-case basis.
Like other withdrawals, medical withdrawal results in the drop of all enrolled classes for the given term.
If a medical withdrawal is approved, tuition will be refunded based on the following schedule:
Fall and Spring Full Semester Courses
Weeks into Session | Refund Ranges |
0-2 Weeks | 100% |
3-4 Weeks | 90% |
5-8 Weeks | 70% |
9-12 Weeks | 50% |
13+ Weeks | 30% |
Summer and Other Non-Standard-Length Courses
Weeks into Session | Refund Ranges |
First Week | 100% |
Second Week | 70-90% |
3-4 Weeks | 50-70% |
5+ Weeks | 30-50% |
NOTE: Students participating in UW-Madison sponsored study abroad programs will not be refunded according to the schedule in this policy and should work with their study abroad advisor if they are in need of a medical withdrawal.
How to request a medical withdrawal
Step One: Enter your request to withdraw in Student Center with reason code of ‘medical’
Note: If your request is made after the withdrawal deadline, you cannot initiate a withdrawal in Student Center and will need to make your request directly to your academic dean’s office.
Step Two: Contact your academic dean’s office
You need to work with the academic dean’s office in your school/college to complete your medical withdrawal. Documentation is required for medical withdrawals requested after the 100% refund deadline.
Documentation requirements:
- In the case of a physical or behavioral health condition: A supporting letter from a licensed healthcare provider or healthcare records that correlate with and substantiate the request for the term of medical withdrawal. A licensed health care provider may include a licensed medical (e.g., physician, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant) or mental health care provider (e.g., psychologist, counselor, social worker).
- In the case of death of an immediate family member: An obituary or other official record of death may be requested as documentation.
Step Three: Review the withdrawal website
Learn more about withdrawing including the impacts of withdrawing, returning to UW-Madison, and frequently asked questions.
Step Four: Seek out campus resources for help
If you are facing personal challenges and need help, UW-Madison has resources available.