Student Forms
Please note:
Most forms on this page are for general use for undergraduate students whose Primary Major is in the College of Science.
The Change of Second Major/Minor/Option Form is for use by any undergraduate student seeking a secondary major or minor in the College of Science.
The Grade Appeal/Dispute Procedure Form is for use by any undergraduate student seeking to appeal a grade for a course housed in the College of Science.
The Document an Incomplete (I) Grade Form is for use by any undergraduate student seeking to request an Incomplete (I) grade for a course housed in the College of Science.
Forms that are in PDF format will need to be DOWNLOADED to your computer and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to electronically sign forms.
E-forms, when available, are linked below.
Graduate students will find their forms on the Graduate School's Student Forms website.
College of Science Forms
Please do not email College of Science Forms. Follow the instructions for the form to submit it to the appropriate area
Students who wish to appeal their academic suspension should use this form.
As noted on page one of this form, if your appeal is based upon physical, psychiatric or disability/learning disability reasons, you will need to first contact the appropriate office (Schiffert Health Center, Cook Counseling Center, Services for Students with Disabilities, or Dean of Students) for an academic relief recommendation.
Student
You are currently on academic probation, academic warning, or returning from academic suspension.
If you are on academic warning, your most recent semester GPA was below 2.00. While your overall GPA is still in good academic standing (2.00 or higher), we’re concerned about your most recent performance and want to help you address the challenges you faced to help you succeed.
If you are on academic probation, your overall GPA has dropped below 2.00. Your academic advisor and Virginia Tech are committed to helping you reach your academic and career goals. This worksheet will assist you in developing a plan for returning to good academic standing.
Please schedule an appointment with your academic advisor in your department to review this form.
Undergraduate students that faced extenuating circumstances that compromised their ability to fulfill academic responsibilities, such as attending classes or completing coursework, for an extended period within a PREVIOUS semester, may seek academic relief. Broadly, a student may be eligible for academic relief with a recommendation from an appropriate campus student support entity, such as the Dean of Students Office, Cook Counseling Center, Schiffert Health Center, Services for Students with Disabilities, and the Office for Equity and Accessibility, to support the student’s need for relief.
Academic relief typically entails a complete withdrawal from all courses in a previously completed semester, with these courses being indicated on the transcript as "WP" (Withdrawal, exception).
The review procedure for academic relief consists of several steps. Initially, the student's academic college and, where relevant, University Scholarships and Financial Aid, and the Cranwell International Center, offer comments and review. Subsequently, the request undergoes assessment by the appropriate campus student support entity. The Academic Relief Committee evaluates the request, considering the campus entity's recommendations, and arrives at a decision.
Students who believe they may qualify for academic relief can access the online portal to initiate the process.
You may also check the status of your request by accessing the online portal.
As part of the process, students seeking academic relief need to attend a meeting with one of the following College of Science Dean's Advising Office staff.
Susan Haymore | COS Director of Undergraduate Advising
Sarah Bechtel | COS Associate Director of Undergraduate Advising & Academic Initiatives
*If you've met with an outside mental health provider that is NOT Cook Counseling Center, then you must also complete the Outside Mental Health Provider Form below and send it to your provider. Once you receive it back from your provider, then email the form to cosadvising@vt.edu.
Students must complete this application in their Hokie Spa to apply for graduation.
Authorization to Take Courses Elsewhere (US) - Non-Virginia Community College System (VCCS)
This form should be used if you are planning to take courses at a college or university in the United States of America, not part of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). Consult the University Registrar’s Transfer Guide to determine how domestic credits may transfer back to Virginia Tech.
The Transfer Guide may not accurately reflect course equivalency. The College of Science Dean's Office will email students if additional information or course syllabi are required.
If the domestic course is not listed in the transfer guide, you will need to submit a syllabus for the course with your completed form.
Complete all fields on the form and submit it to your academic advisor. Your academic advisor will submit the form to the College of Science Dean's Office for processing.
Transfer credit evaluations can take up to six weeks. Start this process early so that you will know how your credits will transfer prior to taking courses elsewhere.
Required Signatures:
Student and Academic Advisor
Authorization to Take Courses Elsewhere (US) - Virginia Community College System (VCCS)
If you are taking classes at a Virginia Community College System (VCCS), you do not need to complete an Authorization to Take Courses Elsewhere (US) Form. VCCS courses have been pre-approved and are listed in the VCCS Course Equivalents transfer guide: https://transferguide.registrar.vt.edu.
| Policies Governing Transfer Credits to Virginia Tech |
| If prior approval is not obtained for your course(s), you may not receive transfer credit. |
| Courses must be taken at a regionally accredited college or university. |
| Courses taken as Credit-by-Exam or Advanced Standing at another institution do not transfer. |
| A student will NOT receive transfer credit for any course with a grade lower than "C". Grades with a "C-" or below will NOT TRANSFER. |
| Credits will NOT transfer for students who are classified as non-degree-seeking students. |
| Grades do not transfer, only credits transfer. Thus, transfer credits will not impact GPA. |
| A course completed at Virginia Tech takes priority over an equivalent transfer course, regardless of when the transfer course is taken or the grade is earned. |
| Of the last 45 credit hours before graduation, only 18 credits hours will transfer. |
| For students pursuing a second degree, the additional 30 credits required for the second degree must be completed at Virginia Tech. No transfer credit can be used for the additional 30 credits required for the second degree. |
| There are no limits to the number of credits transferred from a 4-year institution. However, to graduate with a Virginia Tech degree, a minimum of 25% of total credits for majors and minors must be taken at Virginia Tech. |
| No more than 50% of credits required for a degree may be transferred from a community college (maximum of 60 credits for College of Science majors). |
| Correspondence courses will not transfer. |
| Courses must be college-parallel, not terminal courses in a vocational program |
| **Course taken elsewhere while a student is on suspension will not transfer |
If you are planning to study abroad with an institution outside of the United States of America, you must first meet with the Global Education Office and complete the Authorization to Take Courses Abroad Form in your My Study Abroad account.
After you meet with the Global Education Office, you must also meet with your academic advisor. Before your academic advisor can submit your request to the Dean’s Office you must provide syllabi for all courses (you can also submit a document that contains links to syllabi). Please note, that courses taken during the summer must have the professor's name and email address on the syllabus. Please allow two to three months for processing.
When making an appointment, you will need to indicate in the comments study abroad and what term you are requesting to participate in.
Required Signatures:
Student, Global Education Office, Academic Advisor, and COS Dean's Office
If you are seeking to change your PRIMARY MAJOR, that process is completed in HokieSpa > Change of Major Application (Undergraduate) by the University designated change of major deadlines. View step-by-step instructions.
The following can be done with this form:
Add or Drop a Secondary Major
Add or Drop an option to a primary major or secondary major
Add or Drop a Minor
Change your College of Science second major to your primary major
| Department Website to Add or Drop a Second Major | Major(s) |
| Biological Sciences | Biological Sciences Microbiology |
| Chemistry | Chemistry Medicinal Chemistry Polymer Chemistry |
| Economics | Economics |
| Geosciences | Geosciences |
| Mathematics | Mathematics |
| Physics |
Physics |
| Psychology | Psychology |
| Statistics | Statistics |
| Academy of Data Science |
Computational Modeling & Data Analytics |
| Academy of Integrated Science | Nanomedicine Nanoscience Systems Biology |
| School of Neuroscience | Clinical Neuroscience Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience Computational & Systems Neuroscience Experimental Neuroscience |
| Department Website to Add or Drop a Minor | Minor(s) |
| Biological Sciences | Biological Sciences |
| Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Economics | Economics Economics of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion |
| Geosciences | Geosciences |
| Mathematics | Mathematics |
| Physics |
Astronomy Biological Physics Physics |
| Psychology | Psychology |
| Statistics | Actuarial Science Statistics |
| Academy of Data Science | Data and Decisions |
| Academy of Integrated Science | Behavioral Decision Science Nanoscience Quantum Information Science & Engineering Science, Technology & Law Systems Biology |
Course Substitution (General Education)
Students can request a course be reviewed to determine if it fulfills a specific General Education requirement.
General Education substitutions are approved by the General Education Office for the following:
- Non-equivalent transfer courses (e.g. VT 1xxx or HIST 2xxx)
- Equivalent transfer courses
- VT courses not approved as Pathways Concept
- VT courses approved for a different Pathways Concept than desired
- Courses taken OR to-be-taken abroad (so pre OR post approval)
Use this Microsoft Form if you would like to withdraw from a course after the last day to web drop deadline. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor prior to using a course withdrawal.
If you have used all three (3) course withdrawals, the Associate Dean cannot approve your request. The withdrawal policy is set by the University.
Once the form has been submitted, the student will receive a copy of the submission. If a student does not immediately receive the copy of the submission, the student should email cosadvising@vt.edu.
Once the form is processed, students can view this in their Hokie Spa > Classic Student Schedule > select the appropriate semester. The Grade Option will show course withdrawal. Allow 3-5 business days for processing.
The course may continue to show up in Canvas after the course withdrawal has been processed and will remain on the student's schedule in HokieSpa. A grade of “W” for the course will show up on the transcript after the end of the semester.
Required Signature:
Student
Use this form to document an assignment of an "I" (Incomplete) grade. A grade of "I" (Incomplete) may be given when, for a reason satisfactory to the instructor, the requirements of the course have not been completed.
Items that students should consider before requesting an Incomplete grade:
• One or two Incomplete grades in a semester is reasonable; students considering three or more Incomplete grades in a semester should consider resigning for the semester or using a W grade.
• How many credit hours are you registered to complete next semester?
• Will you be able to manage the workload of completing this course and other courses for which you are registered?
• Do you have a solid timeline and plan for completing the missing assignments, quizzes, exams, etc. before the end of the next semester?
• Have you reviewed the timeline and plan with your instructor?
Items that the instructor should consider before agreeing to an Incomplete grade request:
• Has the student been attending class on a regular basis?
• Has the student completed 75% or more of the required coursework?
• Does the student have a viable plan and timeline for completing the remaining work?
• Will you have sufficient time before the established deadline to assist the student, as needed, to complete the coursework?
Required Signatures:
Student, Instructor, and Department Head
This form is for students whose primary major is in the College of Science seeking to pursue Field Study, Independent Study, or Undergraduate Research.
Field Study (2964/4964): Work/research experiences to supplement traditional classroom activities. The student is evaluated on the knowledge and skills acquired as a result of the experience. Emphasis is placed on the academic and practical value of the work. P/F ONLY (Note: you are only allowed to count 12 P/F credits toward your graduation requirements).
Independent Study (2974/4974): Extensive reading and tutorial sessions with a faculty supervisor on a topic or other scholastic focus. Usually involves a written paper/review/synthesis relevant to the topic (P/F or A/F).
Undergraduate Research (2994/4994): Individual/group research projects carried out by students under faculty supervision. The student and faculty supervisor decide on the project, how the student is to participate in the research, and the graded product. Usually involves active participation in a research domain including data collection, data analysis, literature review, conference presentations, and/or manuscript writing (P/F or A/F).
**Students requesting Undergraduate Research MUST HAVE a minimum overall GPA of 2.50.
Complete this form which will then be forwarded to your faculty supervisor for approval. The form is then forwarded and approved by your academic advisor and then the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs for the College of Science.
Required Signatures:
Student, Faculty Supervisor, Academic Advisor, Associate Dean
If a student feels that a grade has been calculated incorrectly or has been assigned in a prejudiced or capricious manner, the student should discuss the matter with the instructor.
A grade appeal must be made by the student, and as soon as possible but not later than the end of the student's subsequent term of enrollment after the grade in question has been assigned.
Steps to Take to Appeal a Grade
- First, the student attempts to resolve the matter with the instructor. If a student feels that a grade has been calculated incorrectly or has been assigned in a prejudiced or capricious manner, the student should discuss the matter with the instructor.
- Second, the student should appeal to the department/division head. If the discussion between the instructor and student does not resolve the issue, the student should appeal to the department/division head/director of the course.
- In the unusual circumstance, that a resolution does not occur at the department/divisional level, the student may appeal to the college academic dean (not the dean of the college) of the course who will attempt to reconcile the matter by whatever mechanism seems most appropriate for that college, and for that case.
Undergraduate and associate-level students may request up to two leave of absence periods for a length not exceeding 1 year during each period. A leave of absence request will grant a student one year of time away from Virginia Tech while maintaining their catalog year outlining their program curriculum. Following an enrollment gap of two primary (Fall/Spring) terms, a student's catalog year will be updated based on their term of re-enrollment. A student on a leave of absence will not have access to any student facilities or resources not available to the general public. At any point, when a student is ready to return to Virginia Tech during or after their leave of absence, they will complete the Return to Virginia Tech Request form.
*International students on a VISA cannot use the Leave of Absence form and instead must contact Cranwell International Center to discuss their options in stepping away from their academic studies.
*Students participating in a Virginia Tech recognized/sponsored study abroad SHOULD NOT complete a leave of absence request as enrollment at the other institution is recognized.
If a student embarks on a study abroad experience NOT REGISTERED through the Global Education office, they will need to complete a leave of absence request.
The Pass/Fail (P/F) grading system is available to encourage students to enrich their academic programs and explore more challenging courses outside their majors, without the pressures and demands of the regular grading system.
This option may only be used for free elective classes.
- You cannot change a course to the Pass/Fail grading system if the course is required for your major, minor, or the General Education Curriculum
- You must have passed at least 30 credit hours and have a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA
- No more than two (2) courses may be taken Pass/Fail per term, not including required courses offered on a Pass/Fail basis only
- Students are permitted to only take 12 credits Pass/Fail throughout their time at Virginia Tech
Use this Pass/Fail Request Form to change your grade mode by the Last day to change grade option from A-F to P/F. You may email the Pass/Fail Form directly to the Registrar’s Office at registrar@vt.edu.
Required Signature:
Student
This form is used for College of Science students requesting to change a final exam for one of the following reasons:
- You have three (3) or more final exams within 24 hours
- You have two (2) exams at the same time
Exam change requests due to travel, business, or family plan will not be approved.
Students must discuss their exam conflicts with the instructor of the exam they wish to change to propose a new time for the exam.
Required Signature:
Student and Instructor
Upload the document to the COS Dean’s Office Document Portal.
Request permission to late add, late drop, or change the grade mode on a course after the published deadlines.
Extenuating circumstances are required for a request to be considered.
Required Signatures:
Student, Instructor, Academic Advisor, and Associate Dean
If the student acquires the instructors approval and signature on the form, the student will submit the form to their academic advisor for review and approval. If the academic advisor approves the late add, late drop, or late change of grade mode, then the academic advisor will upload the document to the COS Advising Document Portal (Michel Signature Needed folder) for final review by the College of Science Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs.
Obsolete Credit may be requested if any Virginia Tech student seeks to return to complete their degree after an absence from Virginia Tech for five (5) consecutive years. Obsolete credit will refresh the overall and in-major GPA.
- Students will need to complete a minimum of 25% of the required hours in-residence at Virginia Tech (30 credit hours for a 120 credit hour degree program) as new coursework.
- Students will also need to complete the COS Request for Obsolete Credit Form reviewing policies governing obsolete credit at Virginia Tech
- Courses with a grade of C or higher (including (P) Pass) will be allowed for credit for a degree
- Courses with a grade of C- or lower, will not be allowed for credit for a degree.
Required Signatures:
Student
Use this form if you would like to take over 19 credits in the fall or spring semesters, over 6 credits in the winter session, or over 18 credits in summer session.
This form must be completed during the Add/Drop period, not during course request. List all of the classes you are taking including the courses that will cause the course overload.
Processing of this form DOES NOT register the student for any courses unless you are adding an independent study or undergraduate research. Students will not be notified if the request for overhours is approved and will need to try registering for the course on their own. If approved, the student will register for the course through Hokie Spa or request a force add through the academic department of the course.
Required Signatures:
Student and Academic Advisor
We are happy to see you are interested in returning to Virginia Tech! Any undergraduate or associate level student unable to register due to registration inactivity will need to complete a short (up to 3 questions) request form. Registration inactivity is when a student does not enroll in two consecutive primary terms (Fall/Spring) and also does not have future registration beyond that point. This process assists Virginia Tech in providing a successful return to campus plan for you, by notifying your academic advisor of your return and providing you with information on useful resources.
Click here to get to the Return to VT form.
Virginia Tech students are expected to make consistent progress toward the completion of their degree. However, the University understands that there are circumstances where a student may find it necessary to withdraw/resign from the University during a given semester.
Withdrawing means dropping ALL courses for the semester before the first day of classes.
Resigning means dropping ALL courses for the semester after the first day of classes.
Visit the Bursar's Resignations & Reduced Course Load Policy website > Policy Details by Year and Term for more information about how a resignation will affect tuition reimbursement.
| Department | Majors | Minors |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Sciences | Majors | Minors |
| Chemistry | Majors | Minors |
| Economics | Majors | Minors |
| Geosciences | Majors | Minors |
| Mathematics | Majors | Minors |
| Physics | Majors | Minors |
| Psychology | Majors | Minors |
| Statistics | Majors | Minors |
| Academy of Data Science | Majors | Minors |
| Academy of Integrated Science | Majors | Minors |
| School of Neuroscience | Majors |