The Late Petition to Change Class Schedule is used if you would like to request a course add, drop, or grading option change after the enrollment deadlines below. 

  • Deadline to drop EDD courses: Friday of the second week of classes
  • Deadline to add/drop/swap: Wednesday of the fourth week of classes
  • Deadline to change grading option: Friday of the tenth week of classes

Petitions for late enrollment action are due on the last day of formal classes at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time (the Friday before RRR week). Petitions received after the last day of formal classes will be considered retroactive.  

Please read through the information below about the petition process before meeting with your advisor to discuss your options and to acquire the Late Petition to Change Class Schedule Form and the Instructor Statement Form if needed. 

We have developed a set of guided questions to help you answer the questions "Am I eligible for a late course drop?" and "Should I P/NP my course?". Use your UC Berkeley account to access these forms.

TIMELINE

The Rausser College of Natural Resources is one of many Colleges here at UC Berkeley – each having their own academic policies. We work individually with students, based on extenuating circumstances of a case, to help them achieve their overall academic goals. Rausser College does not have automatic/free late drops, adds, or changes in grading option.  

There are many factors that can make a student decide to change their schedule after a deadline, including personal emergencies, medical events, or other extenuating circumstances. According to College policy: drops, adds, and changes in variable units are not permitted after Wednesday of the fourth week of classes except in the case of extenuating circumstances that arise during the semester. Students may change their grade option by the end of the tenth week of the semester. All students are responsible for checking their class schedules before the fourth and tenth week deadlines.

Extenuating circumstances are defined as, but not limited to: Events or circumstances beyond your control that had a significant impact on you. These events have 1) prevented you from acting by the relevant deadline, or 2) arose unexpectedly after the deadline.

Among other things, extenuating circumstances do not include: 1) not needing or wanting a class, 2) not doing well in a class, 3) not knowing you were still enrolled in a class, 4) not knowing the deadline or procedure for changing your schedule, 5) forgetting to make the intended change, 6) not knowing how well you were doing in the class by the deadline, 7) having too heavy of a course load, 8) wishing to improve your GPA, or 9) changing your major mid-semester. Please note that unexplained or excessive delay between discovering the necessity of filing this petition and submitting it may be grounds for denial.

Changes to your class schedule may impact your financial aid and/or visa status. If you receive financial aid, please check with Cal Student Central and the financial aid office prior to initiating your late petition. If you are an international student, please talk with your Berkeley International Office advisor prior to initiating your petition.

Your advisor is here to support you in your time here at Berkeley. If you feel you have extenuating circumstances, please consult with your academic advisor.

 

LIMITATIONS

  • Students on academic probation must enroll in a course for a letter grade if that course is offered for a letter grade.
  • Courses numbered 97, 98, 99 or 197,198,199; students may not enroll for more than four units per term.
  • Only 1/3 of your total Berkeley units may be taken P/NP basis.  This includes units in the Education Abroad Program and UC Intercampus Visitor or Exchange programs.
  • Students may not repeat a course on a P/NP basis in which you previously received a letter grade.
  • Courses that are offered exclusively for a letter grade or P/NP may not be changed.

 

STUDENT CONDUCT VIOLATIONS

You will not be allowed to late drop or change the grading option for a course in which you have been found guilty of a student conduct violation. If the Dean grants a late drop or grade change and you are later found responsible of a violation, the course and grading will be reinstated to your record.

 

PETITION INSTRUCTIONS

TO REQUEST CONSIDERATION BY THE RAUSSER COLLEGE PETITIONS COMMITTEE FOR AN EXCEPTION, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE STEPS CAREFULLY:

1. Submit a Late Petition to Change Class Schedule.  To obtain the Late Petition to Change Class Schedule Form, please meet with your advisor.  For Adding Courses or Changing Units in a Variable Unit Course, the Instructor must sign the sections related to these changes on the form.
2. Submit a personal statement explaining your extenuating circumstances and how they affected your academic work. Please sign & date the statement, and limit it to one page.
3. Please provide any supporting documents, such as:

  • Medical and/or Mental Health Care Documentation - Proof of care from medical or mental healthcare professional, emergency visits, or verification of illness substantiating the personal statement and verifying significant impact of medical condition on academics. 
    • Documentation must have identifying information (e.g. full name, date of birth) and the date for which the documentation was issued. 
    • When possible, students should submit a Univeristy Health Services (UHS) "Verification of Illness" form.
    • If using a letter from a third party medical and/or mental health provider, the letter should address the level of impact on academic performance (i.e. mild, moderate, significant, severe) and any recommendations for which the provider advocates.
  • Communications - Email or other letters substantiating the personal statement.
  • Email of Support - Email of support from UC Berkeley student support offices, substantiating the personal statement.  Such offices include, but are not limited to: Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Disabled Students Program (DSP), Center for Support & Intervention, Path-To-Care Office.  Staff should email from their berkeley.edu account directly to the college advisor.
  • Instructor Statement form- The Instructor Statement form is an advising tool for the Rausser College of Natural Resources Office of Instruction and Student Affairs.  It is meant to provide additional context to a student’s petition to make schedule changes after university deadlines.  Students may request the form from their advisor at the time they request the Late Petition to Change Class Schedule.  
  • Other materials substantiating the personal statement: Copies of receipts, plane tickets, obituaries, etc.

4. If required, submit an Instructor Statement -Instructor Statements may be required by the Rausser College Petitions Committee for late drops.  In such cases, your college advisor will inform you if the form is required.

 

Completed petitions are submitted to your major advisor in the Rausser College of Natural Resources, Office of Instruction and Student Affairs via email. Find your advisor's contact information here on this page.

Simultaneous Degree Students

If you are a simultaneous degree student, you will be required to go through the late change petition process for both colleges. You will start first with the late change petition process for Rausser College and if approved, follow the late change petition process for your other college next. Please see each respective college's late schedule change information on their website for additional information.

Other Useful Notes:

  • As of Fall 2016, due to Academic Senate Regulations, we are no longer processing retroactive grade changes.
  • Petitions submitted without sufficient documentation will be denied.
  • If you are a student-athlete, you must obtain signatures from the Faculty Athletic Representative.
  • All non-immigrant F-1 or J-1 visa holders must see an International Adviser (International House) and get their signature before dropping courses resulting in a unit total of fewer than 12 units.
  • Make copies of all documents for your own records. The College is not able to make copies for you.
  • Fees for late adding ($5) and late dropping courses ($10) are automatically charged and reflected on your billing statements.