The Academic Petition Form is for students seeking exceptions to academic policy. Examples include adding/dropping a class after the add/drop period, graduation requirement exception, etc.

Signatures Required

Other Possible Signatures Required

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Students

Alumni

Faculty and Staff

Law Students

Pharmacy Students

An application for graduation must be completed by students who expect to graduate in the current or upcoming term. 

Undergraduate Students - Deadlines for Completion and Submission

Graduate Students

• A credit course may be changed to an audit basis any time prior to the deadline to withdraw from a course without academic penalty.
• An audit course may be changed to a credit basis any time prior to the last day to add a course in a semester/term.

Audit Petition Form

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The Change of Academic Program Request form is for students changing or adding/dropping a major, minor, or concentration.

Timing of Requirements

As stated in the current catalog (under Graduation Requirements), students are required to meet all requirements “in effect at the time of entrance into the major.” For example, if a student enters Samford in 2022-23 but changes majors in 2023-24, then 2023-24 is the catalog year in effect for the new program. This applies to majors, minors, and concentrations, unless special circumstances require the student to remain under a specific catalog year. To petition to change the catalog year, a student must complete the Catalog Requirements Change Request.

The Change of Academic Program Request form is also used to submit a new expected graduation date, or for students who are changing from the day program to the online Continuing Studies program or vice versa. Form requires the signature of the new advisor only in the case of a new or added major.

Fee Assessment and Changes

Due to new fee assessment rules, change of major forms turned in after the initial add/drop period (first week of classes) will be made effective for the next academic term. (For example, if the form is submitted in October or November, the change will be made effective beginning Spring.) New advisors will be able to lift registration holds (contingent upon advising appointments) and students will still be able to register for major-specific courses for those future terms during the early registration period. The adjustment in procedure was made to avoid students being assessed fees applicable to specific majors after the term has started.

New Students

If the student is new to Samford and has not yet registered for classes, changes of major should be made through the Office of Admissions. Use of the form is not required at that stage. Contact the Office of Admission for more information.

Once the student has registered for classes, the Change of Academic Program Request form is required and should be submitted directly to the Office of the Registrar.

Change of Academic Program Request

Students

Currently enrolled students who have legally changed their name may request their records be updated by submitting a Change of Name form and a copy of their new Social Security Card to the Office of the Registrar.

Law Students

Law students may change their name by contacting the Law Records Office at 205-726-2044.

Alumni

Alumni should request a name change using the Update Your Information form.

Faculty/Staff

Contact Human Resources (Samford Hall, Rm 302), 205-726-2809

Name / Date of Birth / Social Security Change Form

The course repeat petition form is for students who wish to repeat a course in which a “C-” or lower grade was earned. The form cannot be used to repeat courses in which the student earned a C or higher grade, nor can it be used for more than 16 credit hours. Pay close attention to calendar deadlines as printed in the catalog.

Course Repeat Petition

The Course Withdrawal form is for students withdrawing from one or more (but not all) courses in the current semester/term. (Students who wish to withdraw from ALL courses should use the University Withdrawal Request form.)

Student-Athlete Requirements

If the student is an athlete, a representative from the Athletics Department must also sign the form. Student-athletes who drop below full-time risk losing eligibility to compete, practice, or participate in any athletic-related activities.

Drop/Add Process

For any student, dropping below full-time status could impact financial aid, scholarships, and/or insurance coverage. Students can add/drop courses via the portal through the last day to add or drop—without financial penalty—for that semester. After that deadline, they will be required to complete the online Course Withdrawal Form. Pay close attention to deadlines as noted in the academic calendar.

GPA Effect

Withdrawing from a course prior to the deadline for withdrawing without Academic Penalty does not affect a student's GPA. A “W” will appear on the transcript for the class from which he/she withdrew. Withdrawing from a course after the deadline for withdrawing without Academic Penalty does affect a student’s GPA. A “WF” will appear on the transcript for the class from which he/she withdrew. Please consult the Academic Calendar for the withdrawal deadline for the current semester/term.

Course Withdrawal Form

This form is for Faculty only.

An Incomplete (INC) may be awarded when a student has attended and is passing a course but, because of extenuating circumstances, is unable to complete the requirements prior to the end of the semester. To be eligible for an incomplete, the student must have completed the majority of the coursework (e.g., 50 percent or more) with passing grades. The student must request an Incomplete from the instructor prior to the final exam and provide a reason for the need.

The student is responsible for arranging with the instructor the necessary assignments to complete the course requirements without further class attendance. Also, a student cannot be added to a Canvas course for which they are not registered.

Students must complete the outstanding coursework in the agreed upon time with the instructor. The agreed upon time must be before or within the following term. Failure to do so will result in an automatic F.

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Please note that completion of this form does not register you for any classes. You must register for class(es) after the increase of hours is approved.

Increase of Hours Request Form

Graduate students may take classes pass/fail only with approval of their advisors.

No course elected for grading on the pass/fail basis shall satisfy any part of a core, general education, major, or minor requirement for graduation. Successfully completed pass/fail courses will count toward the minimum total credits. The student can change from a grading basis to the pass/fail basis or from the pass/fail basis to the grading basis any time prior to the deadline for withdrawing from a class without academic penalty.

Certain internship and externship courses may be taken for pass/fail credit only. Certain courses in the School of the Arts may be taken more than once for pass/fail credit only. Credits earned in these courses may count toward the major or minor requirement and will not be included in the 12-credit limit (Consult with your dean or advisor before registering for pass/fail credit).

See  the Academic Calendar for those deadlines as they apply to the current term/semester.

Pass-Fail or Standard Grade Election Form

The preferred name change form is for students who go by a different first name than the one officially on their record. Students can initiate a preferred name change by using this form. This change will not affect actual e-mail addresses, but will alter the way the student’s name is represented in the email address lookup feature and the From line, allowing for greater recognizability and less confusion.

Students who complete this form in person must bring a photo ID. Students who choose to mail or fax the form must provide a photocopy of a picture ID (license, passport, etc.) along with the request. Changes will be made to preferred first names only, not surnames.

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For students registering for a class for which there is a restriction (time conflict, seat limit, co-requisite, etc.).

Students Who Need to Repeat a Course

For students who need the RPTS permit code (to repeat a course), see also the course repeat form. In most cases you can use the same form to acquire permission for the permit override plus permission to repeat the course from your advisor and the dean of academic services. Be sure to register for the course yourself as soon as the permit has been entered, then submit the signed form to the Office of the Registrar. Please note that the course repeat form is only to be used when repeating a course in which the student earned a grade of C- or lower and if/when the student is attempting to have the first grade earned omitted from GPA calculation on the student's record. It cannot be used to repeat courses in which the student earned a C or higher grade, nor can it be used for more than 16 credit hours.

Other Permit Overrides

For all other permit overrides, or to repeat a course that doesn't meet the criteria noted above, use only the Registration Permit Override Request form below.

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Student Complaint Form

Substitution-Equivalence Request Form

Diplomas

Current Students

Final grades are due after commencement. Once end-of-term processing is complete, the Office of the Registrar will compile and submit diploma information to our diploma provider. Students who have met all requirements and whose degrees have been conferred will receive an email sent to their Samford email account within 2-3 weeks of this submission. The email will give you instructions for obtaining one complimentary paper copy of your diploma; digital diplomas are available for an additional fee.

Learn About Digital Diplomas

Duplicates and Replacements

Duplicate replacement diplomas are available to Samford alumni. Orders for duplicate diplomas (whether paper or digital) take about 2 weeks to process once requests are validated by the Registrar's Office (typically 2-3 business days after you submit). If you wish to have the request handled with faster processing options, you may elect to pay a premium service fee to expedite the processing of your order once validated by the Registrar's Office.

Paper duplicates cost $50.00 plus shipping, and certified digital copies for graduates prior to April 2022 cost $65.00. The faster processing/shipping charge is an additional $50.00 added to the base cost of the paper or digital credential order.

Signatures on the replacement or duplicate diploma will be those of the persons currently holding the respective positions.

Your request will be sent to the Office of the Registrar for approval. You will be contacted if further information is needed to complete your request. Requests that do not match institutional records are subject to approval by the Office of the Registrar and may need additional documentation.

Order a Certified Digital or Paper Diploma

Transcripts

Requests for transcripts, grades, GPA, or other information, such as courses completed, cannot be issued to an outside party unless the student authorizes the registrar to release this information to the specified party, as allowed under The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Transcripts are generally available or mailed within two business days from receipt of the request. During peak times (i.e., registration, beginning of a semester, graduation) response time may not be as expedient. During such times, please allow for additional processing time.

Transcript requests will not be honored if the student is indebted to the university. Any student aware of a transcript hold should contact Samford One Stop at (205) 726-2905 to clear the hold prior to requesting a transcript.

Requesting a Transcript

All transcripts must be ordered online and will be fulfilled through the National Student Clearing House. Samford University has partnered with National Student Clearing House to allow students and alumni to order a secure electronic PDF transcript or hard copy transcript to be sent to themselves or others and the ability to track the order.

To get started, please choose one of the options below that best applies to you.

If You Have Portal Access...

Log in to the university portal with your Samford user ID and password, then:

1. Click on the Banner tab
2. Click on Student & Financial Aid
3. Click on Office of the Registrar
4. Click on Request Official Transcript

If You Do Not Have Portal Access...

Use the Student Clearing House

This form is for students who plan to attend classes at another institution during any semester or term. It is not to be used for study-abroad students who plan to take a course at a foreign college/university. There is a separate transient enrollment request for study abroad students.

Please note that forms are processed as they are received. Processing may take 8-10 business days. Peak times for transient requests are March through July. During this time processing may take longer.

Transient Enrollment Form and Request for a Letter of Good Standing

This form is for students who plan to attend classes at a university in a foreign country through an institution other than Samford. It is not to be used for those who plan to attend domestic universities.

Process

1. Complete top of form and fill in information concerning the class(es) you plan to take. (Print more than one copy if you need additional course information blanks; do not use the back of the form.) Be sure to include the complete name and address of the school you plan to attend. Core courses may not be taken.
2. Obtain signature approval from your academic advisor first. If you are a senior you must also obtain your dean's signature approval. Upon completion of 96 credits students may not transfer more than 8 semester credits or two courses to Samford. To receive a degree, students must earn at least 50% of their total credits from Samford.
3. Obtain signature of the director of International Programs.
4. Obtain signature of the department head representing the class you plan to take. (Attach a readable and highlighted copy of the complete course description from the catalog of the college where you plan to attend classes before you obtain the department head’s signature.) Davis Library has copies of college catalogs and many are also available online directly from the college/university itself.
5. Return completed transient enrollment form to the Office of the Registrar with your signature. It is your responsibility to obtain all necessary signatures.
6. Both your Samford (Institution) and overall GPAs must be at least 2.00 at the end of the current semester in order to have a letter of good standing sent to another college or university. To have a letter of good standing sent before the end of the current semester a student must have a minimum of a 2.50 GPA.
7. Study abroad students are responsible for requesting an international transcript evaluation from AACRAO or WES.
8. Requesting an international transcript of the final grade(s) from the other school be sent to Samford is optional, although encouraged. All courses from transient schools are required to have a letter grade of C- or better in order to be posted as earned credit on your transcript. International transcripts should be sent to the Office of the Registrar, Samford Hall 214.
9. Return the completed form to the Office of the Registrar, or fax to 205-726-2908, if you are facing an impending deadline.

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NOTE:  The deadline for submission of this form for the Spring 2024 semester has passed.

The University Withdrawal Request form is for students withdrawing from the current semester/term or from a future semester/term for which they are already preregistered. Although registration and drop/add is available via the Samford Portal, students will not be able to withdraw completely from all courses via the web. Students who wish to withdraw completely from the semester must complete the form using the link below.

The deadline to withdraw without academic penalty varies depending on the term or part of term in which the student is enrolled. To see the deadlines for current semester/term, please  Consult the Academic Calendar.

After the specified deadline, students may still withdraw from the university, but with an assigned grade of “WF” (Withdraw Failing). 

University Withdrawal Form

Students wishing to participate in a commencement ceremony prior to completing their degree requirements should complete the Walk-Early Form. Undergraduate students must be within 8 credit hours of finishing their graduation requirements and have a C- or better in UCS 102 (Seminar). Pharmacy (4th year) students must be within 10 credits of graduating. Law students should be within 5 credits. Students in other graduate programs must be within 3 credits of graduating. Graduate programs may have additional college-specific requirements for walking early.

Students must be in good standing in order to be considered for the privilege of walking out of term. Final approval is granted by the Registrar. 

Please note that the deadline for having your name included in the commencement program is the same as the deadline for withdrawing from a course without academic penalty, as stated on the official academic calendar.

Complete the Form

This withdrawal request form is for law students withdrawing from the current semester/term or from a future semester/term for which they are preregistered.

Law students must go through the Cumberland School of Law to withdraw.

Although registration and drop/add is available via the Samford Portal, students will not be able to withdraw completely from all courses via the web. Students who wish to withdraw completely from the semester must complete the appropriate form above and mail, fax, or deliver it in person to the Cumberland School of Law.

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For new staff/advisors/faculty or for employees transferring into a new position that requires a revision to their current Banner security access.

When completing the request, a Canvas role must be selected. Below is a chart that outlines the Canvas roles available and a few basic permissions associated with the roles.

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This form is for faculty only.

Change of Incomplete or Final Grade Form