Six Course Drop Ruling

Texas public community colleges, technical institutes/colleges, health science institutions offering undergraduate course work, and universities must comply with the legislation of TEC 51.907 (SB 1231).

Section 51.907 of the Texas Education Code, enacted by the State of Texas, Spring 2007, applies to students who enroll in a Texas public institution of higher education as a first-time freshman in Fall 2007 or later.

Students are limited to taking a total of six course drops during their undergraduate career, including a course(s) dropped at another institution as defined in Section 51.907 of the Texas Education Code, which limits the number of courses that may be dropped under certain circumstances. A dropped course is defined as a course in which an undergraduate student at an institution of higher education has enrolled for credit but did not complete under the following conditions:

  • The student was able to drop without receiving a grade or incurring an academic penalty,
  • The student’s transcript indicates or will indicate that the student was enrolled in the course past the deadline to add and drop prior to the census date, and
  • The student is not dropping the course in order to withdraw from the institution.

Students must visit the Office of Admissions and Records to apply for a Six Drop Waiver. Exceptions to the course drop limit include a total withdrawal from the institution and an approved waiver drop.

Students should carefully consider the number of courses to take and the time commitment required to be successful. Students with a cumulative total of six drops will be awarded the grade earned at the end of the semester.

The College may not permit a student to drop more than six courses, including those taken at another Texas public institution of higher education. All courses dropped after the Official Day of Record are included in the six-course limit unless:

 (1) the student withdraws from all courses, or

 (2) the drop is authorized by an appropriate College official as an approved Drop Exception. The official day of record for an undergraduate regular term course is the 12th class day (census date). Check the calendar for all census dates, including other than regular terms.

Transfer students who are affected by this legislation shall be required to submit all transfer institution transcripts for processing during the admissions process. The number of drops counting toward the six- drop limit will be indicated on the official transcript. The total drops from all transfer institutions and TSC cannot exceed six total drops.

Students that have accumulated six drops may not be permitted to accumulate another drop. The student will receive the grade earned in the course.

Drop Exceptions can be approved by the Associate Vice President of Student Services if the student documents one of the following:

  1. The student, a member of the student’s family, or a person of equally important relationship to the student experiences a serious illness or other debilitating condition;
  2. The student becomes responsible for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person;
  3. There is a death in the student’s family or of a non-family member of equally important relationship;
  4. The student or a member of the student’s family, or a person of equally important relationship to the student, is called to active-duty service as a member of the Texas National Guard or the Armed Forces of the United States;
  5. There is a documented change of the student’s work schedule that is beyond the student’s control; or
  6. The course is dropped while the student is still in high school.

Students may request a Drop Exception on the TSC website. Requests can be submitted no later than 30 days after the end of the term. Enrollment and drop activities of students affected by this legislation will be monitored. Those who drop six or more courses without an approved Drop Exception will incur registration and drop restrictions during all subsequent terms and may incur other enrollment limitations or requirements. TSC students liable under this legislation who plan to attend another Texas public college or university should determine that institution’s policies and penalties for dropping courses and for approving Drop Exceptions.

Drops from the following types of courses are excluded from the course drop limit:

  • Courses taken by students while enrolled in high school – whether for dual credit or early admission. Once graduated from high school the drops will begin to count.
  • Courses dropped at private or out-of-state institutions.
  • Remedial or developmental courses, workforce education courses, or other courses that would not generate undergraduate credit that could be applied to a degree.

Drops which meet the definition of a complete withdrawal.