How to remove yourself from a Canvas course
You can leave a Canvas course yourself by going to the course settings and clicking the unenroll button. The exact steps depend on whether you are a student or an instructor — students can unenroll at any time, but instructors cannot remove themselves without help from a Canvas administrator. If you are a student, the process takes less than a minute and happens entirely within your course page.
Leaving a course removes it from your course list and stops notifications from that class. Your grades and submissions remain in the system if the instructor keeps them there, but you will no longer see assignments or announcements. If you change your mind later, you can ask your instructor to re-enroll you, though some courses do not allow re-entry after a certain date.
Key Takeaways
- Students can unenroll from a Canvas course by opening the course, clicking the settings icon, and selecting the unenroll option.
- Leaving a course removes it from your dashboard and stops you from receiving notifications, but your grades stay in the system.
- Instructors cannot unenroll themselves and must contact their Canvas administrator or institution to be removed from a course.
- Some courses lock after a certain date and do not allow students to re-enroll once they have left.
Steps to unenroll as a student
Open the course you want to leave and look for the settings icon — it usually appears as a gear symbol in the top right corner of the course page. Click it and scroll down until you see the option to unenroll. Click that button, and Canvas will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, you are removed from the course when ready.
The course will disappear from your course list on your dashboard within a few seconds. You will stop receiving emails about assignments, announcements, and due dates. If the course had a course code or section number, write it down before you leave in case you need to re-enroll later — your instructor will need it to add you back.
What happens to your grades and work after you leave
Your grades, submissions, and any work you completed before leaving stay in Canvas. The instructor can still see everything you turned in, and they can still grade assignments you submitted. You straightforward lose the ability to view the course, submit new work, or see feedback the instructor posts after you leave.
If the instructor later re-enrolls you, you will be able to see your old grades and submissions again. However, if the course has ended or the instructor has deleted the course, you may not be able to access your work even if you are re-enrolled. Check with your instructor before leaving if you need to keep a copy of your submissions for your records.
If you are an instructor trying to leave a course
Instructors cannot unenroll themselves from Canvas courses the way students can. Instead, you must contact your institution's Canvas administrator or the person who manages Canvas at your school. They have the permission to remove you from the course roster.
Before you contact them, have the course name and course code ready. Let them know whether you want to be removed entirely or whether you want to stay in the course in a read-only role so you can view it later. Some institutions keep instructors in their courses for record-keeping purposes even after the term ends.
Re-enrolling in a course after you leave
If you left a course by mistake or change your mind, contact your instructor and ask to be re-added. They can re-enroll you through the course settings. The process is quick on their end — they straightforward add your name back to the roster, and you will see the course on your dashboard again within a few minutes.
Some courses do not allow re-enrollment after a certain date, usually near the end of the term or after the course has closed. If your instructor cannot re-enroll you, ask whether they can give you a read-only view of the course so you can still see your grades and submissions. This is not the same as being enrolled, but it lets you access your work.
Leaving a course versus hiding it from your dashboard
Canvas also lets you hide a course from your dashboard without actually leaving it. If you hide a course, it disappears from your course list, but you are still enrolled and can still receive notifications. You can unhide it at any time by going to your dashboard settings.
Hiding is useful if you want to clean up your dashboard but might need to access the course later. Leaving is permanent until your instructor re-enrolls you. Choose hiding if you are just taking a break from viewing the course, and choose leaving if you are certain you no longer need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the instructor know I left the course?
Yes. When you unenroll, your name is removed from the course roster, and the instructor can see that you are no longer enrolled. Some instructors check their roster regularly and may reach out to ask why you left. If you left by mistake, contact them right away to be re-enrolled.
Can I leave a course and come back later?
You can ask your instructor to re-enroll you at any time, but some courses do not allow it after a certain date. The course may also be deleted or archived after the term ends, which makes re-enrollment impossible. Check with your instructor about their policy before you leave.
What if I need my grades after I leave?
Your grades stay in Canvas even after you leave. You can ask your instructor to send you a copy of your final grade or transcript. If you need to see your grades in Canvas later, ask your instructor to re-enroll you or give you read-only access to the course.
Does leaving a course affect my GPA?
Leaving a Canvas course does not automatically affect your GPA because Canvas is a learning platform, not a registration system. Your official transcript and GPA are managed by your school's registrar. If you need to officially drop the course for credit purposes, you must do that through your school's registration system separately.
Can I leave a course without the instructor finding out?
No. When you unenroll, your name is removed from the roster, and the instructor can see the change. If you want to stay enrolled but not see the course, hide it from your dashboard instead. Hiding does not notify the instructor.