Office of Academic Records and Registrar

General Information

The Petition Services Office reviews, initiates, and facilitates the process of registration-related petitions. Petition Services also facilitates the process for General Petitions. However, General Petitions are generated in the academic unit and are at the discretion of the instructor and/or academic unit.

Registration-Related Petitions include:

Late add
Deletion of a course from the USC transcript (refund of tuition for course and no mark of ‘W’)
Late change of grading option
Late withdrawal (one course or whole program with marks of W)
Late change of unit value (in variable unit course)

General Petitions initiated in the academic units include:

Counting excessive units in a course with a unit maximum toward the degree
Repeating a course for grade point credit
Counting a course as non-repetitious for subject, unit and grade point credit
Extending time for removal of an Incomplete

*Please note that General Petitions are sent to Petition Services by the academic unit once all paperwork and required endorsements are ready for presentation to the decision-making faculty committee.

The Petition Services Office is located in the lobby of John Hubbard Hall.

Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday to Friday
Phone: (213) 740-7741
Fax: (213) 821-0249

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Note: Current USC students must use their official university email address (username@usc.edu) for all official university communications.

Mailing Address:
Registrar One Stop
University of Southern California
University Park Campus
700 Childs Way, John Hubbard Hall 106
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0912

Registration-Related Petition Information for all Students

Petitions (exception requests) are requests for an exception by a student to set aside an official policy or rule that the Committee on Academic Policies and Procedures (CAPP) deemed important to maintain high standards; to ensure integrity of the USC transcript and equity for all students. Permission to deviate from published regulations is neither automatic nor pro forma, and each request receives consideration on its own merits and in light of the petitioner's complete academic record. The Office of Academic Records and Registrar and CAPP reserve the right to approve, not approve, or void requests at any time. The University also reserves the right to take as much time as necessary to research the student’s request.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure accurate enrollment by the designated registration deadlines. The petition process is student-initiated. Since the student is the owner of his/her academic record, only the student can initiate the petition process to alter or change his/her student record.

In general, if a student was unable to officially register or make changes to his/her classes by the deadline, or subsequently discovers that attempts to do so were unsuccessful, the student may initiate an Exception Request petition provided an activity restriction did not prevent registration account access. Prompt action to file a request is essential, as further delay may impact the decision of the petition by the Office of the Registrar or CAPP.

There is a two-year time limit for all registration-related petitions. A student may request a waiver of the two-year time limit from the dean of the academic unit in which the student seeks a degree for a period not to exceed five years. Attendance and grading information must be available and reasonable cause for the delay will need to be explained. This requires the student to obtain a memo of no objection signed by their academic unit’s dean, before the petition request is accepted by Petition Services.

Students should not submit original copies documentation as part of the petition request. All documents required for the petition review must be emailed as a PDF file to regpet@usc.edu. Please note that Petition Services retains copies of documents only for the duration of the petition review. Additionally, petition files are not kept beyond two years from the date in which a request was made.

Petition to Add a Course after the Deadline:

Students may not request to retroactively add a course if activity restrictions such as Collections, Loan, Admissions, Student Conduct, Vice President of Student Affairs, or Probation/Disqualification prevented enrollment. A student who had an activity restriction that impeded registration transactions must have it removed by the office that applied the restriction before initiating a petition.

How to Initiate a Late Add Petition:

submit a statement originating from the student’s USC email account to Petition Services explaining the request, the circumstances that prevented the student from adding the course by the deadline, and the pertinent course information (semester, course, section number, and course units). Please include your USC ID number in the email.
receive response to student statement from Petition Services within five to ten business days.
follow the instructions from Petition Services to submit evidence documentation. Petition Services will assess a $150 petition processing fee to the student’s USC financial account.
expect a decision from Petition Services in one to four weeks (depending on the complexity of the case).

The Instructor Verification Form (IVF) is critical in the petition review process. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure the instructor of record completes the IVF requesting information regarding attendance and participation in the course. If the instructor is unresponsive or unavailable, the department chair of the course may complete the IVF on behalf of the instructor of record; if student records for the course are available. If the department chair is unavailable, the dean of the academic unit can complete the IVF.

A student who petitions due to medical or health reasons must submit a medical summary sheet (MSS) completed by his/her doctor or medical professional as part of Step 3 above. Petitions that involve medical circumstances are forwarded to a USC physician for review.

If the petition is not approved by the Office of the Registrar in the first round of review, the petition will automatically go to a second round of review by CAPP.

Additional Instructions to Add Directed Research and Internship Courses:

A student requesting to late add a directed research course will need to provide a directed research contract signed by the student, research supervisor and department chair in Step 1 before the request is accepted by Petition Services.

A student requesting to late add an internship course will need to provide a signed memo of approval from the department in which the course resides and a job/award letter in Step 1 before a request is accepted by Petition Services. For international students, additional documents of approval will be required, please consult with the Office of International Services for additional information.

Petition to Delete a Course from the Transcript:

To be eligible for a course deletion, the student must demonstrate no attendance (or participation) beyond the refund deadline for the course, or the student must have attempted to drop the course before the refund deadline. If a student claims that extenuating circumstances prevented him/her from withdrawing from a course(s) by the refund deadline, the student will have to substantiate all claims with documentation. Delete petitions are only allowed to correct the student’s transcript in the event of a registration error.

How to Initiate a Delete Petition:

submit a statement originating from the student’s USC email account to Petition Services explaining the request, the circumstances that prevented the adding of the course(s) by the deadline, and the pertinent course information (semester, course, section number, and course units). Please include your USC ID number in the email.
receive response to student statement from Petition Services within five to ten business days.
follow the instructions from Petition Services to submit evidence documentation. Petition Services will assess a $150 petition processing fee to your USC financial account.
expect a decision from Petition Services in one to four weeks (depending on the complexity of the case).

The petition request to delete a course from the USC transcript is only reviewed by the Office of the Registrar.

Petition to Change Grade Option after the Deadline:

To be eligible for a late change of grading option petition, a student must have a documented attempt to change the grading option prior to the registration deadline. Students who mistakenly register for a course required for graduation with the Pass/No Pass grade option may be allowed to petition for late grade option change. Grade option change petitions are only allowed to correct the student’s transcript in the event of a registration error.

Students who register for a course on a letter grade basis may request to change the grade option to Pass/No Pass 20 percent into the session in which the course is offered. As of fall 2015, students who register for a course on a Pass/No Pass basis may request to change the grade option to letter grade 45 percent into the session in which the course is offered. To find the specific deadline to change the grade option of a course, click the Calendar icon next to the course on the Schedule of Classes.

How to Initiate a Grading Option Change Petition:

submit a statement originating from the student’s USC email account to Petition Services explaining the request, the circumstances that prevented the setting of the correct grade option for the course by the deadline, and the pertinent course information (semester, course, section number, and course units). Please include your USC ID number in the email.
receive response to student statement from Petition Services within five to ten business days.
follow the instructions from Petition Services to submit evidence documentation. Petition Services will assess a $150 petition processing fee to your USC financial account.
expect a decision from Petition Services in one to four weeks (depending on the complexity of the case).

In the event that a student registers with the incorrect grade option for a course required for graduation, the student must need to provide a memo from the advisor or academic unit that identifies the course as a graduation requirement.

If the late grade option change petition is not approved by the Office of the Registrar in the first round of review, the petition will automatically go to a second round of review by CAPP.

Petition to Withdraw a Course after the Deadline:

To be eligible for a late withdrawal petition, a student must have a documented attempt to withdrawal from the course or extenuating circumstances that prevented the student from withdrawing prior to the registration deadline. If a student claims extenuating circumstances prevented him/her from withdrawing their courses, the student will have to substantiate his/her claims with documentation. A student may not request to withdraw with a mark of W after the completion of a course. The University deems a course complete when the student has completed the final exam/assignment of a course. Late withdrawal petitions are only allowed to correct the student’s transcript in the event of a registration error.

To find the specific deadline to withdraw from a course, click the Calendar icon next to the course on the Schedule of Classes.

How to Initiate a Late Add Petition:

submit a statement originating from the student’s USC email account to Petition Services explaining the request, the circumstances that prevented the setting of the correct grade option for the course by the deadline, and the pertinent course information (semester, course, section number, and course units). Please include your USC ID number in the email.
receive response to student statement from Petition Services within five to ten business days.
follow the instructions from Petition Services to submit evidence documentation. Petition Services will assess a $150 petition processing fee to your USC financial account.
expect a decision from Petition Services in one to four weeks (depending on the complexity of the case).

If the petition is not approved by the Office of the Registrar in the first round of review, the petition will automatically go to a second round of review by CAPP.

Petition to Change Unit Value in a Variable Unit Course:

To be eligible for a late change of unit value petition, a student must have a signed memo of support from the department in which the course was offered. This memo must explain why a student needs to change the unit value of his/her course. Late unit value change petitions are only allowed to correct the student’s transcript in the event of a registration error.

How to Initiate a Late Change of Unit Value Petition:

submit a statement originating from the student’s USC email account to Petition Services explaining the request, the circumstances that prevented the setting of the correct unit value for the course by the deadline, and the pertinent course information (semester, course, section number, and course units). Please include your USC ID number in the email. Please include memo of explanation from department as a PDF attachment in your email.
receive response to student statement from Petition Services within five to ten business days.
follow the instructions from Petition Services to submit evidence documentation. Petition Services will assess a $150 petition processing fee to your USC financial account.
expect a decision from Petition Services in one to four weeks (depending on the complexity of the case).

If the petition is not approved by the Office of the Registrar in the first round of review, the petition will automatically go to a second round of review by CAPP.

General Petition & Incomplete Extension Petition:

General Petitions start in the student's academic unit and are at the discretion of the instructor of record and department. Students must secure endorsements of support and a recommendation by the instructor, department chair, and dean. For further information, the student should consult the academic unit or academic advisor.

Counting Excessive Units in a Course with a Unit Maximum toward the Degree

The student will need to explain why he/she should be allowed to count the excess of course units for degree purposes. If the student claims mis-advisement, written documentation must be provided.

How to Initiate:

meet with the designated petition contact person of the department in which the course if offered to discuss the feasibility of the petition and review the student’s academic record. The student may also work with his/her academic advisor to initiate the petition process.
provide a typed student statement and supporting documentation to the designated petition contact person or academic advisor as to why an exception should be made.
obtain signatures of the instructor, department chair and dean in support on the petition form (provided by advisor). Ask the petition contact person to prepare a memo of support requesting approval of the petition. Ask the petition contact person to email the student statement, the petition form, and memo of support to regpet@usc.edu for review.
receive response from Petition Services within five to ten business days after receiving the documentation from the academic unit.
wait for the petition to be presented at the next scheduled CAPP meeting. CAPP meets once or twice per month during the fall and spring semesters. During summer, meetings are subject to the availability of CAPP members.

Permission to Repeat a Course for Grade Point Credit

To initiate this type of petition, a student must explain why he/she should be allowed to earn credit for a course in the second attempt. Students who wish to repeat a course in which a C+, C, or C- was earned and have the subsequent grade calculated in the GPA must submit the petition for permission prior to re-registering for the course.

How to Initiate:

meet with the designated petition contact person of the department in which the course if offered to discuss the feasibility of the petition and review the student’s academic record. The student may also work with his/her academic advisor to initiate the petition process.
provide a typed student statement and supporting documentation to the designated petition contact person or academic advisor as to why an exception should be made.
obtain signatures of the instructor, department chair and dean in support on the petition form (provided by advisor). Ask the petition contact person to prepare a memo of support requesting approval of the petition. Ask the petition contact person to email the student statement, the petition form, and memo of support to regpet@usc.edu for review.
receive response from Petition Services within five to ten business days after receiving the documentation from the academic unit.
wait for the petition to be presented at the next scheduled CAPP meeting. CAPP meets once or twice per month during the fall and spring semesters. During summer, meetings are subject to the availability of CAPP members.

A student petitioning due to medical or health reasons will need a medical summary sheet (MSS) to be completed by his/her doctor or medical professional. The MSS should be requested by the designated contact person or academic advisor from Petition Services on behalf of the student during Step 1. The MSS will be a part of the petition documentation provided by the student to the contact person in Step 2. Petitions that involve medical circumstances are forwarded to a USC physician for review.

Counting a Course as Non-repetitious for Subject, Unit and Grade Point Credit

The repeated course and grade will appear on the student’s transcript but will not be included in the student’s GPA unless a petition has been granted. Unit and subject credit may be requested only if the student contends that the course in question was not repetitious, but rather a different course taught under the same course number. Syllabi from all courses must be attached. If the student is claiming misadvisement, written documentation must be provided.

How to Initiate:

meet with the designated petition contact person of the department in which the course resides to discuss the feasibility of the petition and review the student’s academic record. The student may also work with his/her academic advisor to initiate the petition process.
provide a typed student statement and supporting documentation (course syllabi) to the designated petition contact person or academic advisor as to why an exception should be made.
obtain signatures of the instructor, department chair and dean in support on the petition form (provided by advisor). Ask the petition contact person to prepare a memo of support requesting approval of the petition. Ask the petition contact person to email the student statement, petition form, course syllabi, and memo of support to regpet@usc.edu for review.
receive response from Petition Services within five to ten business days after receiving the documentation from the academic unit.
wait for the petition to be presented at the next scheduled CAPP meeting. CAPP meets once or twice per month during the fall and spring semesters. During summer, meetings are subject to the availability of CAPP members.

Extending Time for Removal of an Incomplete

Requests to extend time for the removal of an Incomplete (IN) are initiated in the student's academic unit and are at the discretion of the instructor of record and department. Students must secure endorsements of support and a recommendation by the instructor, department chair, and dean of the student’s school. For further information, please consult the academic unit or academic advisor.

The Committee on Academic Policies and Procedures (CAPP) has determined that completion of an IN should be the student’s first priority and therefore rarely grants an extension of time if a student enrolled in subsequent semesters. If the student enrolled in a subsequent semester, the student’s statement must address why is it was possible to complete subsequent work but not possible to complete work for the IN course(s).

How to Initiate:

meet with the designated petition contact person of the department in which the course resides to discuss the feasibility of the petition and review the student’s academic record. The student may also work with his/her academic advisor to initiate the petition process.
provide a typed student statement and supporting documentation (course syllabi) to the designated petition contact person or academic advisor as to why an exception should be made.
obtain signatures of the instructor, department chair and dean in support on the petition form (provided by advisor). Ask the petition contact person to prepare a memo of support requesting approval of the petition. Ask the petition contact person to email the student statement, petition form, and memo of support to regpet@usc.edu for review.
receive response from Petition Services within five to ten business days after receiving the documentation from the academic unit.
wait for the petition to be presented at the next scheduled CAPP meeting. CAPP meets once or twice per month during the fall and spring semesters. During summer, meetings are subject to the availability of CAPP members.

Information for Parents

Petition Services releases academic record information in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). A parent cannot initiate the petition process on behalf of the student. If a parent would like to call and receive information regarding a petition on behalf of a student, the parent must first be listed as a guest in a student’s OASIS account. For more information, please visit www.usc.edu/ferpa.

Information for Faculty and Staff

Faculty and staff cannot initiate the petition process on behalf of students. It is highly recommended that a faculty, staff or department include a memo of explanation and/or support for all petitions. Memos of support and explanation can be emailed to regpet@usc.edu.

The Instructor Verification Form (IVF) is critical for registration-related petitions. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure the instructor of record completes the IVF requesting information regarding attendance and participation in the course. If the instructor is unresponsive or unavailable, the department chair of the course may complete the IVF on behalf of the instructor of record, if student records for the course are available. If the department chair is unavailable, the dean of the academic unit may complete the IVF.