Students have the best intentions when selecting a full course load.  However, balance is important, and your mental and physical health should always come first. When you are contemplating dropping a course, you will need to take into consideration the big picture and what the short-and-long-term effects will be.  Here are some tips to help make an informed decision.

Considerations include:

• Drop Deadlines: Students are strongly advised to pay close attention to the “Last date to enrol without permission of course instructor” deadlines. These deadlines represent the last date students have unrestricted access to the registration and enrolment system.
• There are deadlines for adding and dropping courses, both academic and financial. Since, for the most part, the dates are different, students need to be sure to read the information carefully so that they understand the differences between the sessional dates and the Refund Tables.
• Dropping or changing courses may cost money. Note that students can exchange a course they are in for a different course. Using the feature to exchange a course performs the course add and course drop for you in one step. If students are not able to get into the second course successfully, for example it is full, you will remain enroled in the first course. If they are successful, the first course will be dropped. Because a successful exchange performs a course drop, exchanging a course may have a financial impact. Please refer to the refund table for the term in which the student has enroled to see what the financial impact will be.
• International students should be mindful when dropping courses, as if they become “part time” status student in any semester (apart from their final semester), they will become ineligible to work on or off campus and this will impact their eligibility for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) when they graduate. It is best to advise the student to consult York International’s Immigration Advising services at iadvisor@yorku.ca before dropping a course, including late withdrawal from a course/s, to understand all options.
• Dropping a course during the term may change a student’s funding assessment. Their OSAP assessment considers the number of courses/course load they are enroled in and the associated costs. If a student drops a course, their course costs change, which can result in decreased eligibility for funding.  For more information visit the OSAP website.
• If a student needs guidance around adding or dropping a course, visit Academic Advising