Academic Petitions and Forms 

The following are forms to be used by undergraduate students currently completing a Brooks School of Public Policy undergraduate program. Students minoring at the Brooks School should visit the Brooks School minors page. Brooks School professional students can find relevant forms in the portal for their Brooks School program. PhD students can find relevant forms on the graduate school website. 

For each form, you will receive an email after the process has been completed.

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Course Enrollment Forms

Add/Drop Manual Electronic Enrollment Request

Whenever possible, enrollment should be completed through your student center.

Use this form to request to adjust your course enrollment under the following circumstances:

• You wish to swap a discussion or lab section within the same course, but after the add deadline.
• The course requires instructor or department approval to drop.
• To request to enroll in a course in which you do not meet the requisites (e.g. the course is reserved for seniors only, and you are a junior).
• *The course requires instructor or department permission to enroll.

*Many independent study courses, including those in the Brooks School, require a separate application process. See the special studies enrollment form below for guidance on how to enroll in an independent study at Brooks.

Over 18 Credit Hour Petition 

An Over 18 Credit Petition is used to request an exception to standard credit policy.  Undergraduate students in the Brooks School are permitted to enroll in a maximum of 18 credit hours per term.

Students with more than two semesters at Cornell and at least a 3.5 GPA are eligible to petition to go up to 22 academic credits.  Students who have been at Cornell for less than two semesters, or who have a GPA lower than 3.5, are only eligible to petition if the additional credits are for PE or academic support classes (e.g. MATH 1006 Academic Support for MATH 1106).

Eligibility to petition does not guarantee approval to go over 18 credits.  Students must also have support from an advisor in the Office of Admissions, Student Services and Career Management. Students must meet with an advisor in the Brooks Admissions, Student Services and Career Management before a decision will be granted.  Approvals to go over 18 credits are granted under limited circumstances. Over 18 petitions will not be considered during pre-enroll. Students may submit the petition any time after grades are received for the previous semester, they do not need to wait until the add period.

A meeting with an academic advisor may be requested for your petition to be reviewed if additional context is needed. This form will route electronically to the advisor and then will route to the Registrar for a decision. Approval from BOTH the advisor and the registrar are required.

Special Studies Enrollment Form

Use this form to request enrollment in a Directed Reading (4000), Empirical Research (4010), or Supervised Fieldwork (4020) course in the Brooks School of Public Policy. Once the application is submitted and fully approved, you will receive a Permission Number by email. You must self-enroll in the course through Student Center (search by the Class Number) – you are not enrolled in the class until it is on your Student Center schedule.

Teaching Apprentice (4030) Enrollment Form

Use this form when you want to TA a Brooks School Course. Once the application is submitted and fully approved, you will receive a Permission Number by email. You must self-enroll in the course through Student Center (search by the Class Number) – you are not enrolled in the class until it is on your Student Center schedule. Students cannot receive teaching apprenticeship credit more than once for supporting the same course.

Time Conflict Petition

Use this form to request to be enrolled in classes that partially overlap in meeting times.  If the classes are offered on the same day and time you will not be permitted to take both.

To be eligible to petition you must meet the following minimum requirements:

• must be in Good Standing with the school 
• must have a minimum 3.3000 cumulative GPA
• time conflict cannot be greater than 25% of either class

Time conflict petitions should only be pursued in circumstances where alternate pathways to meet degree requirements on time are not available. Students should schedule a meeting with an academic advisor before pursuing a time conflict petition. 

Petition to Withdraw from a Course

Use this form to request to withdraw from a course with a grade of “W.” This form should only be submitted between the drop deadline and the deadline to withdraw from a course. See the academic dates and deadlines page for more information about the deadline for withdrawing from a course.

A meeting with an academic advisor in the Brooks Office of Admissions, Student Services and Career Management, is required to discuss this petition. The meeting must take place before the deadline to withdraw from the class.

Graduation Forms

Request to Graduate Early

You must have at least junior standing, to be eligible to request to graduate early. A graduation plan, outlining all remaining requirements, must be submitted with the request.  

Honors Forms

For more information about the honors program visit the Brooks honors program webpage.

Honors Program Application

Use this form during Junior year to apply to the Brooks Honors Program. 

Thesis Expectation Form

Use this form during your first semester in the honors program to outline academic expectations for PUBPOL 4990 Honors Program.

eCommons Submission Release

This form grants the Honors Program permission to publish your thesis. Complete this form once your honors thesis has been defended and approved by your committee, and send a copy to Brooksugprogram@cornell.edu.

Honors Student Checklist  

Use this form to track and report completion of program requirements.

Honors Program Thesis Results Form

Use this form to report results of the honors determination for the thesis.  

Leave of Absence/Withdrawal Forms 

Students considering a leave of absence are encouraged to read through the leave and withdrawal policies on the Brooks School Catalog Policies and Procedures page and the University Catalog Leaves and Withdrawal page. Students are also encouraged to connect with an academic advisor in the Brooks Office of Admissions, Student Services and Career Management.

Please note that the school may set specific conditions for a return from any type of Leave of Absence. For example, if all your remaining requirements are only available in the spring term you will not be eligible to return until the spring term.

Request for Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from the University

Use this form to request permission to take a Personal Leave of Absence (PLOA) from Cornell or to withdraw from the University. Student Health Insurance is terminated when a student is in LOA status.

Health Leave of Absence

Students facing medical and mental health circumstances may wish to consider a Health Leave of Absence (HLOA).  A student considering a HLOA should work with the University Health Leaves Coordinator in addition to the Brooks Office of Admissions, Student Services and Career Management. 

Request to Return from Leave of Absence

Use this form to request to return to Cornell after a Personal Leave of Absence (PLOA). This form should be submitted in the term immediately before the term in which you wish to return to Cornell. Before submitting this form, students should meet with an academic advisor to discuss course enrollment for the upcoming term. The Brooks School uses the University’s deadlines to return from a Required Leave of Absence (RLOA) or HLOA as the deadline to return form a PLOA.

To appeal to return from a Required Leave of Absence (RLOA) please refer to the leave letter for more information on the appeal process or contact BrooksRegistrar@cornell.edu.

To request to return from a HLOA please refer to the University Health Leave of Absence website.

Major Requirement Forms

Curriculum Waiver/Substitutions

Use this form to petition for a course to be waived or substituted with a different course taken at Cornell or through a Cornell sponsored study abroad program. Allow three weeks to process.

Engaged Milestone Attestation

The engaged learning milestone is an option for students on the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 Public Policy, and 2024-2025 Health Care Policy curriculum years only. Use this form to have engaged learning opportunities reviewed for the engaged milestone requirement. The form should be submitted after receiving an offer. Students are encouraged to submit the form before starting the opportunity. Allow up to four weeks to process.

Transfer Credit Forms

Before submitting a request to transfer credits, students are encouraged to review the University Transfer Credit Policy page, the Brooks School’s Catalog Transfer Credit Policies page, and any policies on the program’s Catalog page.

In Absentia Petition

Use this form to request permission to take course work at an accredited College or University outside Cornell, and transfer the credits to Cornell to use towards your degree. The In Absentia petition should only be used for courses completed after matriculating at Cornell.  For study abroad coursework during the spring and fall semesters, see the curriculum substitution petition. A syllabus will be required for any courses that are not already approved via the University’s Transfer Credit Equivalency Database. Allow three weeks to process. 

Transfer Credit – High School Form

Use this form for courses taken during your high school career that you are asking permission to receive credit towards your Cornell Degree. This form and the Transfer Credit – College Form must both be completed, signed by appropriate representatives, and returned to be considered. 

Transfer Credit – College Form

Use this form for courses taken during your high school career that you are asking permission to receive credit towards your Cornell Degree. This form and the Transfer Credit – High School Form must both be completed, signed by appropriate representatives, and returned to be considered.

Other Academic Forms

Change of Major

Use this form to change your major to another Brooks School major. To switch to another Cornell College, see the Internal Transfer page.

Dean’s Certification Release

Use this form to allow the Brooks Registrar permission to verify good standing status for Law School Admissions. 

General Petition

Use this form to petition a policy such as a missed deadline, extending graduation date, etc.  Do not use the General Petition for time conflicts.  The procedure requires students to meet with an advisor in the Brooks Office of Admissions, Student Services and Career Management.

Study Abroad Course Approval Form

Study abroad involves applying to your specific program and obtaining formal school approval for your planned course of study. All school approvals are conditional, dependent on successful completion of the courses and global learning application outcome. Learn more about study abroad details and timelines.