Week-by-week class adds and drops

You may add and drop classes on your own through Friday of the first week of the term if there’s a seat open and you meet the prerequisites. (Week 1 is the last week you can add a class on your own, but you are able to drop on your own through week 4 of a semester-long class.)

• If your schedule adjustments require special permission, visit our Class permission contacts page.
• If you need help with your schedule adjustments, email your advisor (listed on My Buckeye Link) or visit Exploration advising's Zoom Express hours, which we offer during the week before and week 1 of each Autumn and Spring semester.

• Waitlists are active through the first Friday of the semester.
• For most waitlisted classes, students may message the instructor for approval for the limit of the class. If you receive permission via email, you may forward that approval to your advisor to be added to the class. 
• Some high-demand courses have their own processes for managing demand for their courses in the first two weeks of the term. These include math, chemistry, physics and biology lab classes, English 1110, statistics, computer science and Spanish classes. See Class permission contacts for details and instructions.

• Waiting lists are no longer active after Friday of week 1 of the semester.
• In week 2, classes can only be added for you by academic advisors with permission from the class instructor or department. Instructor's permission can be sent to your EXP advisor via email by the instructor or forwarded by you.
• Some high-demand courses--including Math, Chemistry, Physics and Biology lab classes, English 1110, Statistics, Computer Science and Spanish classes--have their own processes. See Class permission contacts for details and instructions.
• For most other classes, you will need the instructor's permission, even if a seat is open. Find the instructor for the class on the Schedule of Classes and Search Ohio State for their email.

• While there is a petition process for seeking to add classes after week 2, typically it is too late to add add a semester-long class by this point. If looking to make a drop and concerned about being below full-time (e.g., fewer than 12 credit hours), students can either research the consequences of dropping below full-time or look at adding a Session 2 class.

• Session 2 classes are very limited. If seeking to add a Session 2 class be prepared for the possibility you will be choosing among elective courses, not courses that will fulfill Gen Ed or major/minor requirements.
  

For semester-long classes Friday of week 4 is the final day a student can drop a class without a "withdrawal" or "W".

• A "W" does not affect GPA but does count against completion rate for financial aid eligibility purposes. 
  
• You are welcome to make an appointment with an Exploration advisor to discuss dropping. But if you feel certain that you want to drop a class, an appointment is not required.
  • If this is your first Ohio State semester, complete our research drop or withdrawal form and University Exploration advising will drop your course for you.
  • If this is not your first Ohio State semester, drop semester-long courses on your own through Friday of week 4. Note: If dropping your class(es) will result in fewer than 12 credit hours, we encourage you to first research dropping below full time.

To drop a class during the "W" period (weeks 5-10 of the semester)

• You can to make an appointment with an Exploration advisor to discuss dropping. But if you feel certain that you want to drop a class, an appointment is not required complete University Exploration's Research drop or withdrawal form and University Exploration advising will drop your course for you.
  
  • After week 4, all Exploration students--even for continuing students--will need to complete our Research drop or withdrawal form. 

The typical drop deadlines for semester-long autumn and spring classes do not apply to session classes that run in the first or second half of an autumn or spring semester (session 1 and session 2), or for summer classes at Ohio State.

For these deadlines, refer to the Registrar's academic calendar.