Navigating UCLA Summer Sessions: A Guide to Drop Deadlines and Policies

UCLA Summer Sessions offer a flexible way for students to continue their education during the summer months. Understanding the policies and deadlines related to dropping courses is crucial to avoid potential academic and financial repercussions. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the UCLA Summer Session drop deadline policy, covering various aspects from financial implications to procedures for different student categories.

Understanding Key Terms

Before diving into the specifics, let's define some key terms:

Drop: To unenroll from a course, potentially receiving a refund (minus nonrefundable fees) if done before the specified deadline.
Impacted Class: A course with limited enrollment capacity, often requiring specific procedures for dropping. Impacted classes are noted in class information in MyUCLA and the Schedule of Classes.
Non-Impacted Class: A course without strict enrollment limits, generally allowing for easier dropping procedures.
Withdraw: To discontinue participation in a course after the drop deadline. A "W" will be placed on the student's record, but the course will not appear on the transcript. No refunds are available for course withdrawal.
BruinBill: The payment platform used for summer fees, accessible on MyUCLA under the “Finances and Jobs” tab.

General Drop Deadlines and Procedures

The deadline to drop a course varies depending on the course format (regular, short, or alternative) and whether it is an impacted or non-impacted class. It's important to check the Academic Term Calendar or log into your student account, select “My Enrollment History,” and click the blue dot next to the course to find the specific deadline for each course.

Regular Format Courses (6 or more weeks of instruction)

For regular format courses during the Summer Quarter 2026:

The last day to drop and request a refund is July 5, 2026, which falls on the Sunday at the end of the first week of the course.

Short Format Courses (2-5 weeks of instruction) and Alternative Format Courses (1 day course or event)

For short format and alternative format courses, the last day to drop and request a refund is the day before the first class meeting.

Finding Your Specific Drop Date

You can find the deadline to drop, transfer or withdraw from a course:

On the Academic Term Calendar
By logging into your student account, selecting “My Enrollment History,” and clicking the blue dot next to the course

Drop Procedures for Undergraduate Students

Drop deadlines for undergraduate students vary by College and school and by the type of course (impacted or nonimpacted).

Dropping Non-Impacted Classes

Students in the College of Letters and Science, School of the Arts and Architecture; School of Education and Information Studies; Henry Samueli School of Engineering; Herb Alpert School of Music; School of Nursing; Meyer and Renee Luskin School of Public Affairs; and School of Theater, Film, and Television can drop nonimpacted classes without a transcript notation using MyUCLA through Friday of the fourth week of classes.
In weeks five through seven, students in the College can drop classes without an instructor’s signature.
In weeks eight through ten, students are restricted to three approved drops in their academic career. For drops after week seven, an instructor’s signature and College approval is required.
After week four, students in the other schools mentioned above must obtain a drop petition from the academic dean’s office.

Dropping Impacted Classes

Impacted classes may be dropped using MyUCLA on or before midnight Friday of the second week of classes with no fee or transcript notation.
After midnight on Friday of week two, students who need to request a drop of an impacted class should consult the instructor and explore academic options other than dropping the class.
Impacted classes may be dropped after these deadlines only under extraordinary circumstances (such as severe illness).
To drop an impacted class, students must obtain a Late Impacted Course Drop Petition or Retroactive Drop Petition from their respective counseling unit. College of Letters and Science student requests to drop an impacted class are referred by College counseling units to a subcommittee of the Faculty Executive Committee. School of Engineering student requests to drop an impacted class are submitted to the Associate Dean.
If the request is approved, a notation of the date and week in which the drop petition was filed appears on the student transcript. A late study-list change fee is assessed.

Dropping a Summer Impacted Class

Impacted Summer Sessions classes may be dropped using MyUCLA on or before midnight Friday of the first week of classes with no transcript notation. (Nonimpacted classes may be dropped through MyUCLA before the final two weeks of instruction.)
After midnight on Friday of week one, UCLA students must follow the same impacted-drop procedures as in regular session. They must obtain a Late Impacted Course Drop Petition or Retroactive Drop Petition from their respective counseling unit.
To drop an impacted class, non-UCLA summer-only students must complete a Summer Sessions Student Update Form and submit the request to the Summer Sessions office, 1331 Murphy Hall. A detailed explanation of the reason for dropping the class must be given, and the instructor’s signature must be obtained.
A notation appears on the transcript indicating the date and week in which the class was dropped.

Drop Procedures for Graduate Students

Graduate students can drop classes using MyUCLA with no fee through week ten of the term. For retroactive drops after the last day of instruction, students must petition to drop a class and are charged a retroactive drop fee.

Financial Implications of Dropping Courses

Dropping a course can have financial implications, including refunds and potential overaward charges.

Refunds

The refund deadline and the drop deadline are not the same for most Summer Courses. Refer to the refund policy before dropping.
Refunds will be processed automatically. Please allow 3-6 business days for credit card refunds and 10 business days for refunds by check. There are no cash refunds.
Tuition fees cannot be credited to another quarter.
Refunds may take 1-3 weeks to process back to the same method that you paid with i.e. checking or savings account. Refunds CANNOT be sent to a credit card that is different from the card used for original payment.

Nonrefundable Fees

A $30 administrative fee will be withheld from each dropped course for which a refund is due ($50 for concurrent enrollments). This does not apply to courses that are cancelled by UCLA Extension or transfer requests that are received on or before the final transfer date.
Additional fees may be withheld as indicated in course listings.
The registration fee for non-UCLA students and the processing fee for UCLA students are non-refundable regardless of the time of withdrawal.

Overaward Charges

Overaward charges may occur if the Financial Aid office requests money back that you did not use for your dropped Summer Course(s).

Read also: Navigating Tech Breadth at UCLA

Financial Aid Considerations

UCLA students who have been awarded financial aid for summer enrollment will be subject to financial aid billing if switching sessions and/or taking fewer units than indicated on their summer financial aid application.
Dropping or withdrawing from a course may affect your aid eligibility. See Financial Aid Enrollment Conditions for more information.

Payment Information

Summer fees are charged on a payment platform called BruinBill which is accessible on MyUCLA under the “Finances and Jobs” tab. Your summer balance will automatically be updated after each enrollment change (adds or drops).
You are NOT relieved of financial responsibility if you fail to attend classes, reverse your credit card charges, stop payment on your registration check, or if the bank does not honor your check or credit card payment.
All credit card payments are subject to a 2.75% non-refundable service charge per transaction.
Travelex payments allow you to lock into an exchange rate with your bank. Please note that foreign currency payments can take up to 2 weeks to process. If your currency is not listed, you may request that your bank make the transfer in US dollars.
Visiting students should allow up to 24 hours for payment of the registration fee to be reflected on your BruinBill. Once your enrollment is complete, proceed to payment.
Once your payment is made in full for Summer 2025 on BruinBill, the financial hold will automatically be removed.

Transferring Courses

Instead of dropping a course, students may consider transferring to another course.

How to Transfer Courses:

Log into your Student Account
In the menu, select 'My Enrollment History'
Find your course and select 'Request Transfer'
Follow the prompts to complete your request

Please note that some transfers cannot be processed through the student portal.
There is no administrative fee charged for transferring courses.
If you are transferring to a course with a higher tuition fee, you will need to pay the difference. If you are transferring to a course with a lower tuition fee, you will receive a refund.
Tuition fees cannot be credited to another quarter.

Withdrawing from a Course

If you decide to discontinue participating in your course after the final drop date, you have the option to withdraw up until the final withdrawal date. Be sure to check deadlines on the Academic Term Calendar. For courses that require a final test, you are no longer eligible to withdraw once you have access to take the final test. A grade of 'W' will be placed on your record, but the course will not appear on your transcript. No refunds are available for course withdrawal.

Special Circumstances and Exceptions

In certain situations, students may be eligible for exceptions to the standard drop policies.

Emergency Circumstances

If the final refund date has passed, claims for exception to the course refund policy will be considered only under the most unusual circumstances and only if the request is received within 90 days from the course end date.

Petitions for Refund Exceptions

Students with unavoidable, extenuating circumstances may petition for a refund exception for a formally dropped course or program by providing a written statement with supporting documentation.

Read also: Understanding UCLA Counselors

Important Considerations for International Students (F-1 Visa)

International students attending UCLA Summer Sessions on a F-1 visa must complete mandatory orientation and check-in requirements prior to attendance and maintain full-time enrollment. Dropping or withdrawing from a course may jeopardize your immigration status.

Additional Information

Fees must be paid prior to attending any course and program. In the event of late enrollment, fees are due immediately.
Students may drop their enrolled courses and programs prior to completing the final requirements for the course/program (e.g., the final exam or paper).
In the event of enrollment cancellation, the University is not responsible for any consequential loss or expenses incurred as a result.
Attendance at UCLA Summer Sessions is limited to duly enrolled students.

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