Graduate College Policies

Graduate College Policies Heading link

Academic Standing/Continuation and Probation Rules

Graduate students are considered to be in good standing in the Graduate College if they:

Have removed all limited status admission conditions;
Have a minimum Graduate Degree GPA of 3.00/4.00 (see below); and
Are making satisfactory progress toward degree requirements, including a project or thesis if required.

Graduate programs may require a higher level of performance and may apply criteria in addition to those stated above. If a student fails to meet the performance or other criteria stated by the program as determined by the Graduate College the program may notify the Graduate College to initiate dismissal.

Limited Status

Limited admission status students must meet the conditions imposed by this status and progress to full degree status within two semesters or any shorter amount of time set forth in the letter of acceptance. Failure to do so will result in automatic dismissal from the University.

Graduate Degree GPA

The Graduate Degree GPA is the average of grades earned by graduate students in their current degree program, whether or not the courses are part of degree requirements. Only graduate-level courses in which an A, B, C, D, or F is earned are included in the Graduate Degree GPA computation. A graduate-level course is any 400- or 500-level course, plus any 300-level course taken under the quarter system. General transfer credit taken at other institutions is not computed in the Graduate Degree GPA. However, grades earned through the CIC Traveling Scholars Program are included. Grades earned as a non-degree student, or while a student in other UIC colleges or a different graduate program, will be computed if the courses are applied to the current graduate program through an approved transfer of credit petition.

Probation

Academic probation is the Graduate College’s mechanism for warning students that their Degree GPA has fallen below the minimum standard of 3.00 (A=4.00). Students have two terms of enrollment (including summer, if registered) after the term in which their Degree GPA falls below 3.00 to remove themselves from probation. Departments may enforce stricter limits on probation, provided the student is informed in writing prior to being placed on probation.

Students who leave the University while on probation, whether through formal withdrawal or through failing to meet the registration requirement, will still be on probation if they are later readmitted to the same program. Students that are admitted to a new program, begin as a new student (i.e., the Degree GPA starts over). Students currently on probation or who left the University on probation will not be admitted to the same program as non-degree students. Readmission as a degree-seeking student is not guaranteed.

Students who fail to raise their average to 3.00 or to otherwise fulfill the terms of their probation within the deadline will be dismissed from the University. The Graduate College issues probation and dismissal notices to students and their program directors. However, failure to receive notice does not change the student’s probation or dismissal status, since students are expected to monitor their own progress in light of Graduate College policies.

Students must be on good academic standing in order to graduate, even if all other requirements have been met. Students on probation (Degree Grade Point Average less than 3.0) will not be allowed to graduate unless good academic standing is achieved by raising the Degree GPA to 3.0 or greater.

Adding & Dropping Courses

Adjustments to student schedule of registered classes must be made by the approved deadlines for these transactions. The best source for this information is the Office of Admissions and Records (OAR).

Students need to register no later than the official tenth day of a semester (the official fifth day of Summer Session II (eight week session). Graduate students who find that an adjustment is required (late registration, add, drop, change of section, or change the registered hours for a variable-credit course) after these dates must carefully follow the procedures listed here.

No course transaction after the deadlines is guaranteed approval, so every effort must be made to register properly and verify your registration in Student Self-Service. If illness, family emergency or work related issues develop, consult with your the Director of Graduate Studies in your program.

Holders of fellowships, assistantships, and tuition-and-fee waivers must maintain the required number of credit hours or risk loss of their tuition and service fee waiver for the term. Students who lose their waivers will be billed the full cost of tuition and fees. Students on visas must maintain the registration requirements of their visa. (For clarification, contact the Office of International Services).

Auditors: Course Visitors

Graduate students, as well as persons not registered at the University of Illinois at Chicago, may audit courses with the permission of the instructor and Dean of the college offering the course (not the Graduate College).

The Visitor’s Permit should be obtained at the Office of Admissions and Records. Other than the Visitor’s Permit, no other registration action is required.

Certain restrictions apply. For instructions and deadlines, refer to Auditing a Class.

OAR Auditing A Class

Changing from NonDegree to Degree

Please use the link below for information on Changing from NonDegree to Degree.

Degree Admissions

Changing Programs/Adding a Second Program

Please use the link below for information on Changing Programs/Adding a Second Program. Scroll down the page to find the section “Changing Programs/Adding a Second Program”.

Changing Programs/Adding a Second Program

Continuing Student Status

Graduate students are considered to be in good standing in the Graduate College if they:

Have removed all limited status admission conditions;
Have a minimum Graduate Degree GPA of 3.00/4.00 (see below); and
Are making satisfactory progress toward degree requirements, including a project or thesis if required.

Limited Status

Graduate Degree GPA

Probation

Course Loads and Full, Three-Quarter, and Half-Time

Full-time status for graduate students is defined as registration in 9 hours in Fall and Spring Semesters (3 hours in Summer, although registration for Summer is optional in most situations). Students are required to register for more than 9 hours (3 in Summer) for a number of reasons, such as, but not limited to:

A requirement of your degree program.

If on a student visa (F-1 or J-1), effective Fall 2009, full-time for graduate students is defined as registration in 9 hours in Fall and Spring Semesters and 5 hours in Summer, although registration for Summer is optional in most situations.

International Services registration policy effective Fall 2009 – 9 hours for students without assistantships or with assistantship appointments less 50%; 8 hours if assistantship appointment is 50%; Summer registration optional in most situations.

Note that full-time is still defined as 9 hours, even if registration for more than 9 hour is required, or less than 9 hours is allowed.

Students who can devote full attention to their studies usually enroll for 12 to 16 credit hours each term. In exceptional cases, the advisor and director of graduate studies may permit a student to enroll for up to 20 hours. Registration for more than 20 hours is not recommended but is allowed on a term-by-term basis with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate College.

Many programs allow registration as part-time students. Consult with your program if you have questions.

Full, Three-Quarter, and Half-Time

These designations are often used for requirements for United Stated federal student loans, work-study, veteran’s scholarships, and official University reporting statistics. Read the information presented above carefully, since there are various reasons that more than the minimum full-time registration level may be required.

Fall Semester
Spring Semester
[Registration Hours for all
Parts-of-Term Combined]

Full-Time
9 hours
9 hours
5 hours

Three-Quarter-Time
8 hours
8 hours
4 hours

Half-Time
5 hours
5 hours
3 hours

This became effective Fall 2006 Semester for all graduate students who are part of the Graduate College. For students in the MPH and DrPh programs within the School of Public Health, this became effective Fall 2007.

U-Pass

Graduate students registered for 9 hours (5 hours in Summer) are assessed for and are eligible to receive the CTA U-Pass. Note: Holding an assistantship with registration for 8 hours (3 hours in summer) is not considered full-time and will not qualify to obtain a U-Pass.

Student Loans

For graduate students, 9 hours (5 hours in Summer) registration is considered full time for student loans. Half-Time is 5 hours (3 hours in Summer). Consult with the Office of Financial Aid is you have any questions.

Note: Students who have been approved, via a petition approved by the degree program and the Graduate College, for 0 hours registration (in an MS project, MS thesis, doctoral project (professional doctorate) or thesis course) are considered full-time only for the purpose of loan deferment requirements.

Tuition Ranges

Tuition range scales are not based on full time or part time, but the total number of hours for which the student is registered for. See the Office of Records and Registration website for complete information.

Fellowship Holders

Must register for at least 12 hours of credit per semester of award (6 in summer). Holders of 12 month fellowships must register in Summer.

Tuition-and-Service-Fee-Waiver Holders

Must register for at least 12 hours of credit per semester of award (6 in summer).

Assistantship Holders

Must register for at least 8 hours of credit each semester, excluding summer. While summer enrollment is optional, assistants who wish to use their summer tuition and service fee waivers must register for at least 3 hours during that term. Some graduate programs may require registration for more than 8 hours per term and/or summer registration. There are no tuition and service-fee waiver benefits for students employed with less than 25% or more than 67% appointment. Assistants who qualify for a Spring tuition and service fee waiver automatically receive a summer waiver if registered in at least 3 hours in summer and do not have an assistantship appointment in the summer. If an assistant has a summer appointment a waiver is granted for registration in at least 3 hours with apointments of 25% – 67%. See Assistantships for more information.

Note that 8 hours of registration (fall and spring) with an assistantship will satisfy the requirements of the assistantship and waiver, but will not qualify as being full-time. 9 or more hours of registration is considered full time, with or without an assistantship.

International Students

For purposes of enrollment certification for immigration purposes, the Graduate College considers international students to be pursuing a minimum full-time program of study if they: (1) enroll for 9 or more hours of credit or (2) hold an assistantship appointment (teaching (TA), research (RA), or graduate (GA) for one-half time (50%) and enroll for at least 8 hours of credit edit. These requirements are for Fall and Spring semesters.

Students on an F-1 visa may be eligible to register for zero hours if all requirements are complete except for project or thesis, and a petition is submitted to the Graduate College and approved. The petition must be endorsed by the advisor and DGS or head of program and the Office of International Services. Students having an active fellowship, assistantship, or tuition and service-fee waiver are not eleigible for zero-hours. (Note: International students on a student visa may not register for anything but 0 hours in subsequent terms after a term of 0 hour registration. This means that if approved and registered for 0 hours for a certain term, an assistantship for a future term cannot be accepted since that would require a minimum of 8 hours of registration. Consult with the Office of International Services if there are questions.)

Master’s Degrees

Minimum Semester Hours Required

At least 32 beyond the baccalaureate; some degree programs require more.

Coursework

At least 24 hours, or one-half of the minimum number of semester hours of graduate work required for the degree, whichever is greater, must be earned as a degree candidate at UIC. At least 9 hours must be at the 500 level, excluding research seminars (595), project (597), thesis (598), and independent study courses.

Credit:
Only 400- and 500-level courses can be applied to a graduate degree. Credit toward a graduate degree is only given for courses in which a student received a grade of A, B, C, P, or S. Graduate programs may establish higher standards.

Registration:
Master’s students who have completed all course credit requirements but have not yet completed a graduation requirement (e.g., thesis, or project, or comprehensive examination) are not required to register unless they hold a fellowship, assistantship or tuition and service-fee waiver. Students who are on a time-limited visa or are in programs that require continuous registration must petition the program and the Graduate College to register for zero hours in an appropriate course (thesis or project).

Foreign Language

Not required by the Graduate College; may be required by the program.

Comprehensive Examination

Not required by the Graduate College; may be required by the program. The candidate must be in good academic standing in the Graduate College and the department and have completed all other degree requirements.

Thesis or Project

Not required by the Graduate College; may be required by the program. Thesis student must earn at least 5 hours in thesis research (the 598 course offered by their program). A maximum of 40 percent of the total hours of credit required for the degree may be earned in thesis research, unless restricted by the program.

Defense:
Once the student has completed all graduation requirements and is in good academic standing, s/he must defend the thesis before a committee. The thesis committee is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College on the recommendation of the student’s department or program. This Committee consists of at least three persons, one of whom should be a tenured full member of the UIC graduate faculty. One member of the committee may be from outside the department, academic unit, or outside the university, in which case the member must demonstrate equivalent academic standards and his/her curriculum vitae must accompany the Committee Recommendation Form. A Committee Recommendation Form must be submitted to the Graduate College at least three weeks prior to the thesis defense. A majority of the committee must approve the thesis. A candidate cannot be passed if more than one vote of “fail” is reported. The Department Head or the Director of Graduate Studies will be required to sign the Certificate of Approval Form before a student is considered to have met all the requirements of the thesis. All Committee members should be present at the defense.

Specific instructions on the format of the thesis are contained in the booklet, Thesis Manual, available in the Graduate College Office, 606 University Hall.

Time Limits

In graduate programs requiring 32 to 40 semester hours of graduate work, candidates must complete all of the requirements within five consecutive calendar years after their initial registration in the Graduate College. For programs requiring 41 to 64 semester hours of graduate work the time limit is six consecutive calendar years. Students pursuing more than one degree at the same time will be given an additional two years. Students who do not graduate by these deadlines will be dismissed from the Graduate College for failure to progress. Time spent on a leave of absence approved by the program and the Graduate College is not counted toward the degree time limit (see Leave of Absence (PDF) below).

Commencement

Attendance at commencement is voluntary. The yearly commencement exercises in May recognize all students awarded degrees in the previous three terms.

Leave of Absence Form

Doctoral Degrees

Minimum Semester Hours Required

At least 96 from the baccalaureate or at least 64 from the master’s degree; some degree programs require more.

Credit for Prior Master’s Degree

Doctoral candidates who have previously earned a master’s degree or its equivalent from UIC or another accredited institution may be granted 32 semester hours of credit toward the doctoral degree if approved by the program and the Graduate College at the time of admission. Degree equivalency from foreign institutions is determined by the Office of Admissions. The 32 hours are subtracted from the total hours required from the baccalaureate. The 32 hours are not included in the maximum allowed transfer credit limit. A student petition is not required. Approval is handled internally between the degree program and the Graduate College..

Coursework

At least 48 semester hours beyond the master’s level or its equivalent must be taken at UIC. The formal course requirements for a master’s degree must be met within the 96 hours.

Credit:
Only 400- and 500-level courses can be applied to the degree. Credit toward a graduate degree is only given for courses in which a student received a grade of A, B, C, CR, or S. Graduate programs may establish higher standards.

Registration:
Doctoral candidates must be registered for credit the term when they take the preliminary exam. Doctoral students are not eligible for Zero-Hour registration in the term taking the preliminary exam. Students must also register each semester (excluding summer) after passing the preliminary examination and until successfully defending the dissertation. Students must register for the summer term if taking the preliminary exam or defending the dissertation during that term. Students who hold a fellowship, assistantship, or tuition and fee waiver must register each semester for the number of hours required by their award, even if they have completed all degree requirements except the dissertation. (See Course Loads, Financial Awards section).

Students who do not hold a fellowship, assistantship, or tuition and fee waiver, and who have completed all degree requirements except the dissertation, and who do not wish to register for additional coursework, must register for Zero Hours.

Foreign Language

Not required by the Graduate College; may be required by the program.

Examinations

Departmental Qualifying Examination:
Not required by the Graduate College; may be required by the program.

Preliminary Examination (Admission to Candidacy):
Purpose: The purpose of the Preliminary Examination is to determine the candidate’s readiness to undertake dissertation research, and passing it constitutes formal Admission to Candidacy. The examination serves as the last major step toward the Ph.D. degree except for the completion and defense of the dissertation. The examination provides the student with timely feedback of the faculty’s views of his/her potential for completing the Ph.D. Program. The preliminary examination is distinct from the oral defense of the dissertation project.

Although the Preliminary Examination is administered by the academic program, it is considered a Graduate College exam.

Timing:
The preliminary examination is generally administered during or near the end of the time the student has completed most, though not necessarily all, of the coursework, but has not made a major investment of time and effort towards the dissertation research project. A minimum of one year has to elapse before the defense of the dissertation after passing the preliminary examination. Students who are making excellent progress may petition the Graduate College to hold their dissertation defense less than one year from the preliminary examination. Only students in good academic standing are permitted to take the examination.

Committee Composition:
The committee for the preliminary examination is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College upon the recommendation of the department or program. The committee consists of at least five (5) members, of whom at least three (3) are UIC Graduate Faculty with full membership, and two (2) of whom must be tenured. The chair of the Committee must be a full member of the UIC Graduate Faculty.

Registration

Students must be registered the term in which the Preliminary Examination is taken, even if the exam will occur in the Summer term. Once the Preliminary Examination is passed, students must maintain registration through the term of successful defense, excluding Summer terms, unless the defense will occur during a Summer term. If the preliminary exam occurs after a term has ended the registration from the previous semester will cover the student to the first day of the following semester. Students who do not maintain continuous registration after passing the preliminary examination, as described above, may be required to re-take the preliminary examination.

Grading:
Each member of the examining committee assigns a grade of “pass” or “fail”. A candidate cannot be passed with more than one “fail” vote. The committee may require that specific conditions be met before the “pass” recommendation becomes effective. On the recommendation of the committee, the head or chair may permit a second examination. A third examination is not permitted.

Procedure:
The Dean of the Graduate College appoints the committee upon receipt of the Committee Recommendation Form three (3) weeks prior to the preliminary examination. The results of the examination must be submitted to the Graduate College within two (2) business days of the completion of the exam. The Examination Report must be signed by all members of the Committee. A candidate cannot be passed if more than one vote of “fail” is reported.

Once the student has passed the examination, the Dean of the Graduate College will notify the student that s/he has been admitted to candidacy.

Students who do not complete the degree requirements within five (5) years of passing the preliminary examination must retake the examination; programs may specify a shorter time period. Combined programs leading to two degrees may require additional study beyond the period normally involved for completing requirements for the PhD degree; and may require an extension of the 5 year rule.

Dissertation

Required for the PhD and DA. The EdD requires a doctoral project that is defended in front of a faculty committee.

Format:
The format of the dissertation is specified in the booklet, Thesis Manual, available online. Students should have a draft of their dissertation checked in their department prior to the term they plan to graduate. Programs are responsible for checking the format, and adhering to the guidelines. Students must submit one electronic copy of their defended and departmentally-approved dissertation to the Graduate College by the deadline for that term. An abstract (350 words maximum) must be uploaded into the Electronic Thesis / Dissertation submission system.

Prior Publication of Research Findings:
Candidates engaged in thesis research may find it desirable or expedient to publish, prior to the conferring of the degree, certain findings that later will be incorporated in the dissertation. In such cases, appropriate acknowledgment of the earlier publication should be included in the dissertation. The Graduate College encourages such publication, but the dissertation may not be published in its entirety before all degree requirements, including the defense of the dissertation, have been completed.

Defense:
The defense of the dissertation is administered after the student has completed all graduation requirements. Only students in good academic standing are permitted to defend their dissertation.

All candidates for the PhD and DA degrees must have an advisor who is a member of the UIC graduate faculty. The advisor is considered the primary reader of the dissertation. The defense must be open to the academic community of the university and be publicly announced one week prior to its occurrence.

The dissertation committee is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College on the recommendation of the student’s department or program. The defense committee consists of at least five persons, of whom one must be from outside their program. The chair of the committee must be a full member of the UIC graduate faculty. At least two members of the committee must be tenured faculty at UIC; at least one must be from outside the degree-granting program, which may include graduate faculty from other UIC departments or colleges. The outside member can also be from outside the university, in which case the member must demonstrate equivalent academic standards; the members’ curriculum vitae must accompany the Committee Recommendation Form. A Committee Recommendation Form must be submitted to the Graduate College three weeks prior to the dissertation defense. The Department Head or Director of Graduate Studies signature is required on the Committee Recommendation Form. After the defense, the Examination Report Form must be completed and signed by the committee, The committee vote is “pass” or “fail.” A candidate cannot be passed if more than one vote of “fail” is reported. The, Examination Report Form must sent to the Graduate College before a student is considered to have met the requirements of the dissertation.

All candidates for the EdD degree must have an advisor who is a member of the UIC graduate faculty. The advisor is considered the primary reader of the final doctoral project. The defense must be open to the academic community of the university and be publicly announced one week prior to its occurrence.

The doctoral project committee is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College on the recommendation of the student’s department or program. The defense committee consists of at least three persons. An memeber from outside their program is not required but is recommended. The chair of the committee must be a full member of the UIC graduate faculty. A Committee Recommendation Form must be submitted to the Graduate College three weeks prior to the doctoral project defense. The Department Head or Director of Graduate Studies signature is required on the Committee Recommendation Form. After the defense, the Examination Report Form must be completed and signed by the committee, The committee vote is “pass” or “fail.” A candidate cannot be passed if more than one vote of “fail” is reported. The, Examination Report Form must sent to the Graduate College before a student is considered to have met the requirements of the dissertation.

Registration

Students must be continuously registered from the term in which the Preliminary Examination is taken through the term of a successful defense (not graduation), excluding Summer terms, unless the defense will occur during a Summer term. If the dissertation defense occurs after a term has ended, through the withdrawal date of the following term (eight-week term in Summer), the student does not have to register if the student was registered the term that just ended. Students who do not maintain continuous registration after passing the preliminary examination, as described above, may be required to re-take the preliminary examination.

Deadlines:
One final, approved and defended electronic copy of the dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate College no later than the Graduate College deadline for that term. PhD candidates who successfully defend their dissertation and submit the final dissertation copy to the Graduate College after the deadline will graduate in the next term.

Publishing Fee:
Following the final examination and acceptance of the thesis, candidates must pay a publishing fee. Consult the Thesis Manual for more information.

Time Limits

Students admitted to the Graduate College with a master’s degree or who continue in the Graduate College after completing the master’s degree at UIC must complete the degree requirements within seven consecutive calendar years after initial registration as a doctoral student. Students admitted to the Graduate College without a master’s degree who proceed directly to the doctorate must complete degree requirements within nine consecutive calendar years of initial registration as a doctoral student. Students who do not graduate by these deadlines will be dismissed from the Graduate College for failure to progress. Time spent on a leave of absence approved by the program and the Graduate College is not counted toward the degree time limit (see Leave of Absence (PDF)).

Commencement

Attendance at commencement is voluntary. Because doctoral candidates are individually recognized and hooded by their research advisor at the ceremony, they must inform the Graduate College whether or not they will attend. The yearly commencement exercises in May recognize all students awarded degrees in the previous three terms. More information.

Grades

The following grades are used at UIC:

A—4 grade points per credit hour.
B—3 grade points per credit hour.
C—2 grade points per credit hour.
D—1 grade points per credit hour (not accepted as degree credit).
E—Previous to Fall 2004, the current grade of F was designated by a grade of E.
F—0 grade point per credit hour (failure; not accepted as degree credit).

DFR—grade temporarily deferred. Deferred grades may be used for thesis courses, continuing seminar, sequential courses, and certain courses that require extensive independent work beyond the term. At the end of the continuing course sequence the deferred grade for all terms must be converted either to a specific letter grade (A-F), to an I (Incomplete), or to an S or U. No credit is earned until the DFR grade is converted to a permanent grade. (Note: Previous to Fall 2004 the grade of DFR was designated as DF.)

I—Incomplete. An incomplete grade may be given only if, for reasons beyond the student’s control, required work has not been completed by the end of the term. An I must be removed by the end of one calendar year after the term in which the I was received. When the student submits the course work, the instructor will grade it and change the I to the appropriate grade. Note: Course instructors may require an earlier deadline. An I that is not replaced by a letter grade by the deadline will remain on the student’s record as an I, with no credit earned. A course in which an I was received and not removed by the deadline may be repeated for credit only once. (Note: Previous to Fall 2004 the grade of I was designated as IN.)

NR—Not Reported. A grade of NR is assigned if an instructor does not submit an actual grade at the end of the term. The grade may be changed to the actual grade at a later date when the instructor completes a Supplemental Grade Report form. (Note: Previous to Fall 2004 the grade of NR was designated as M-Missing.)

CR— Credit; NC— No Credit. Used only in courses taken under the credit/no credit grading option. No grade points are earned and the grade is not computed in the grade point average. If the required work for the course has not been completed by the end of the term, at the instructor’s discretion an IN may be given. Graduate students may take courses on a credit/no credit basis provided that: (1) The courses are not within their immediate area of specialization, (2) such courses account for no more than one sixth of the total number of course hours taken at the University of Illinois at Chicago and counted toward a degree, and (3) they declare their intention to take a course on this basis at the time of registration and have the approval of their advisor and director of graduate studies. Some programs do not allow any Credit/No Credit courses to be used toward degree requirements. Credit/No Credit grades cannot be changed to grades A-F at a later date. (Note: Previous to Fall 2004 the grade of CR was designated as P-Pass, the grade of NC was designated as F-Fail, and the current grade of F was desgnated as E.)

S—Satisfactory; U—Unsatisfactory. Used as grades in thesis research courses, in zero-credit courses, and in specifically approved courses. No grade points are earned and the grade is not computed in the cumulative grade point average or the graduate degree grade point average.

In the case of thesis research courses, instructors should assign an S or U grade to the course each term. They may assign a DFR grade each term until after the thesis defense is successfully completed, the thesis committee accepts the format and content of the thesis, and the Graduate College approves the format of the thesis, but this is not recommended. In the latter case, the Graduate College will notify the registrar to change the DFR grades to S. An Unsatisfactory grade can be assigned at any time when the student is not making satisfactory progress in thesis research. If this should occur, the status of the student will be reviewed by the advisor, the director of graduate studies, and the Graduate College, and the student may be dismissed from the Graduate College.

W—Withdrawn. Officially withdrawn from the course without academic penalty; no credit is earned for the course. Assigned if course is dropped after the tenth day of the semester (fifth day in summer) and before the last day of instruction for the term. This grade will remain on the transcript but does not affect the grade point average or Graduate Degree Grade Point Average.

AU—Audit. A student may audit a course with visitor status by completing a Visitor’s Permit within the official first ten (five, in Summer) days of the term. The student does not otherwise register for a course in which they are a visitor. Instructor and college approval are needed and the form must be returned to the Registration Office in the Office of Admissions and Records by the deadline. There are certain restrictions on the type of course that is allowed to have visitors. If a currently registered student completes the Visitor’s Permit and wishes for the course with the AU designation to appear on the transcript, the student must inform the Registration Office when submitted the completed form.

Early Clearance (Graduation) Letter Request

Students requesting an early clearance (Graduation) letter must complete this form and submit it to the Graduate College, together with a letter from the student’s Director of Graduate Studies, stating that all requirements for the degree have been completed. The letter from the DGS must include the student’s name, degree and must be signed and dated. The Graduate College requires a minimum of ten working days to produce the letter, once all information is received and verified. All Graduate College requirements must also be completed including final approval of thesis, if applicable.

Download Early Clearance Letter

ITS Overview

The University of Illinois at Chicago has an International Safety and Travel (ITS) Policy for faculty, staff, and students traveling internationally on UIC-authorized business. Its purpose is to ensure faculty, staff, and students have the necessary and essential information to make informed and safe decisions regarding international travel and that they obtain comprehensive insurance (medical, evacuation, emergency family visit and repatriation) for the period of their international travel.

Key Points

All UIC students who travel outside the U.S. and its territories on UIC-related or authorized travel must enroll in the ITS travel roster and obtain the University of Illinois System’s comprehensive insurance plan (Gallagher) or equivalent insurance approved by the UIC Study Abroad Office.

The ITS policy has no bearing on faculty, staff, or students’ personal travel that is unrelated to their work or academic duties at UIC.

Procedures

To enroll in the ITS roster, faculty, staff, and students should visit the main OGE webpage and click the International Travel Safety Enrollment link.

Using their Net ID, all members of the UIC community will be able to enroll in the roster. At the end of the enrollment process, there is a link to Gallagher insurance. At the Gallagher landing page, faculty and staff should click the “Faculty/Staff Travel Insurance Enroll” link.

For additional information or questions, contact the Office of Global Engagement for more information.

Leave of Absence

Graduate students may take one semester and an adjoining summer session off (i.e. Spring and Summer, or, Summer and Fall) without formal leave approval from the Graduate College, and still hold “continuing student status” from the university.

Exceptions are:

international students whose visas require continuous registration (F-1 and J-1)
doctoral students who are taking or who have passed their preliminary exams
students awarded a fellowship for the term of proposed leave
students with an assistantship appointment or tuition and service-fee waiver for the term of proposed leave (unless the assistantship or waiver is withdrawn)

There may exist other program or department rules that would not allow students to take any time off without approval from the director of graduate studies.

Degree students who desire to take another continuous semester off (in addition to the semester and summer session described above), for a total maximum of three consecutive terms, including summer, must file a Graduate Petition for Leave of Absence. The completed petition should arrive in the Graduate College by the tenth-day of the semester for which formal leave is requested (i.e., the third consecutive term to be taken off).

Exceptions are:

International students on an F-1 or J-1 visa must register each fall and spring semester due to visa requirements. Such students must file a Graduate Petition for Leave of Absence for any fall or spring semester they wish to take off, first obtaining written authorization on the petition from the Office of International Services. If remaining in the U.S. such leaves are rarely granted by that office, except for serious illness.

Leaves will not be granted to doctoral candidates who have passed the preliminary exam, except for documented medical or other extraordinary reasons as described below. If this situation occurs, a Graduate Petition for Leave of Absence must be submitted to the Graduate College.

Special procedures and policy exist for the following categories of leave:

birth, adoption, or care of a child
care of a spouse, child or parent in case of a serious health condition
serious health condition of the student
orders received by the student from the U.S. government to enter active service with the armed forces in a national or state emergency

See the subsections below for information.

Nondegree students are not eligible for a leave of absence for any reason, although they may take off a semester and adjoining summer session and still hold continuing student status. Nondegree students who take off more than one semester and an adjoining summer session must reapply for admission (no application fee required) if future registration is desired.

Upon receipt of a leave of absence petition from the graduate program, the Graduate College will automatically approve the first leave, up to one year maximum (see exceptions in the next paragraph). At least one term as a graduate degree student must be completed before being eligible for a leave. After returningto the program from an approved leave, a second consecutive leave is not automatic and will only be granted by the Graduate College for medical or other extraordinary reasons. Leaves for more than one year at a time are usually not allowed.

Time spent on leave approved by the Graduate College does not count towards the time to complete the degree.

Students who have already registered for the term for which leave is requested must drop all their courses (hours) before the start of the term to avoid any charges and or grades. If the student withdraws once the term begins a non-refundable fee is assessed. The Leave of Absence petition itself does not withdraw a registered student. Students are responsible for filing the appropriate forms and for the resultant charges.

Students who are on an approved leave of absence will not be covered by the health and personal accident insurance plan until they return to active registration (see CampusCare below for contact information).

Students with student loans or deferred loans must obtain approval from the Office of Student Financial Aid and obtain information on any consequences of being on leave.

Students holding a fellowship must also obtain approval from the Graduate College. Generally, university fellows are not eligible for a leave. Additionally, students may not hold an assistantship appointment while on leave.

Students who return from their leave at the expected time should simply register for the term as usual; no special forms are required. Students who wish to return from their leave early should contact the Graduate College, ext. 3-2550 before the start of the term the student will return. A registration time ticket and other information must be created before the student is allowed to register.

Students who wish to extend their leave after the first one ends must file another petition for leave of absence, obtaining all the required signatures.

Leaves of absence are not required for participants in the CIC Traveling Scholar Program.

Petition forms may be obtained from the Graduate College, 606 University Hall, or from the graduate program.

Leave of Absence for Medical or Family Reasons

A LOA for all degree seeking students enrolled in the Graduate College will automatically be approved for the following purposes:

The birth of a child, adoption of a child or in cases where the care of a child is required. The LOA may be granted for a minimum of one semester/term but cannot exceed one year.
For care of a spouse, child or parent in case of a serious health condition.
For a serious health condition that makes the applicant (student) unable to pursue their graduate work.

Proper documentation must be provided with the leave of absence form at the time of submission to the Graduate College.

Students in F-1 or J-1 Visa status are required to be registered in the fall and spring term. However, if a situation emerges such as maternity, illness or family emergency and a LOA is requested, the Office of International Services must approve the request first to assure visa compliance.

The time approved on a LOA will not count in the student’s time to degree. Therefore, the student must submit the LOA petition to the Graduate College for processing. While a department signature is not required if the reason for the Leave of Absence meets one or more of the criteria stated above, the Graduate College encourages students to seek written acknowledgement from the department early in the process on the LOA petition.

Students requesting a leave for less than a semester are advised to meet with their director of graduate studies to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement. Students with specific questions regarding possible options may contact the Graduate College for more information.

Military Leave

A degree-seeking student who must leave the University in order to enter into active service with the armed forces in a national or state emergency (including being called up for the Active Reserve Forces and the National Guard) will be given an indefinite leave. A copy of the orders to report/proof of active service must be attached.

A graduate student who must leave the University in order to enter into active service with the armed forces in a national or state emergency (including being called up for the Active Reserve Forces and the National Guard) during the first twelve weeks of the semester (first six weeks in summer session) will be withdrawn from courses with a full refund of tuition and fees. If called to active duty after that time, and before the end of the term, the student may withdraw from all courses with a full refund of tuition and fees, or, the student may ask the instructor(s) for permission to receive an Incomplete (I) or Deferred (DFR) grade(s). An instructor may assign an I or DFR if deemed academically appropriate and feasible. Alternatively, an instructor may assign a letter grade, if requested by the student, if the instructor deems it to be academically justified.
Deadlines for incomplete grades under these circumstances may be waived upon the discretion of the instructor and the Graduate College. A student who chooses to withdraw from all courses will not receive a “W.”

The refund of tuition and fees for graduate students who receive financial aid from federal and state programs and private foundations will be governed according to the rules and regulations of those organizations. For students who hold fellowships, the Graduate College will make every effort to restore those awards upon return to UIC. Assistantships (teaching, research or graduate) are awarded by colleges, graduate programs, research centers and administrative offices, and graduate students who have assistantships should check with those units about the availability of the assistantships upon return from active military service.

Graduate students living in University residences will receive a pro rata refund for room and board based on the date of withdrawal.

It is the student’s responsibility to present proof of active service status for these actions to occur.

UIC CampusCare

Repetition of Courses

Students can repeat a course for credit if:

The course is designated in the Schedule of Classes with the phrase “May be repeated for credit.”
The course is one in which a grade of D, E, F, or U was received. In such cases the course can be repeated only once and counted only once toward the degree requirements; the original grade continues to be included in the computation of the Graduate Degree GPA. The approval of both the instructor who will give the course and the director of graduate studies is required.
The course is one in which a student has received a permanent Incomplete (I) (see Grades).

Transcripts

Students who have paid all university fees can obtain their transcripts by ordering online, or submitting a written request to the Office of Admissions and Records, and paying the transcript fee. Transcripts and other academic information are provided by the Office of Admissions and Records (OAR) only at the request of the student. Current fees for transcripts are available on the Office of Admissions and Records site listed above.

OAR Transcripts

Transfer of Credit

Please use link below for transfer of credit information.

Transfer Credit

Withdrawing From All Courses

Withdrawal from all courses in a term is governed by specific regulations that students should observe to protect their academic standing. Failure to withdraw officially from the University before the last day of instruction may result in a grade of F (failure) appearing on the record for each course in which the student is registered.

Students dropping all courses, or the only course for which they are enrolled, while registration is still open for that term, i.e. by the official 10th day of Fall and Spring Semesters or the 5th day of Summer Session, should follow Course Drop Procedure link below. This is done via Student Self-Service. Students should drop every class but one online, and then follow the directions to send a message to the Registration Office to have the final class dropped.
After registration for a particular term has closed, but before the final examination period has begun, a student who wishes to withdraw from all registration for that term should complete the online Term Withdrawal Form. Note that graduate degree-seeking students attempting a Term Withdrawal
Students who are registered in courses that run in only part of the term (Part of Term A or B, or Summer term S1 and S2) have different withdrawal deadlines. Consult with your academic program and information the OAR Term Withdrawal Procedure below for deadlines.
In the rare instance where a student requests to withdraw from all courses for a term after the final examination period has begun, or the term has ended, the student will need to complete a Graduate College petition. A full justification must be written on the petition, with additional documentation (doctor’s statement, proof of attendance at another institution, etc.). Approval from the Director of Graduate Studies home department is also required.

Students who withdraw from all courses through the official tenth day of the Fall or Spring semester (official fifth day in summer 8-week session; see Administrative Calendar link below for 4-week deadlines) are not considered to have been registered for that term The withdrawn courses will not appear on the student’s transcript and will not be charged any tuition or related fees. See Cancellation of Registration.

Students who withdraw from all courses after the official tenth day of the Fall or Spring semester (fifth in summer 8-week session; see Administrative Calendar link below for 4-week deadlines) are considered “in residence” for that term for most purposes, although usually not for funding or financial aid situations, and are eligible to register for the next term. The withdrawn courses will appear on their transcript with a “W” grade.

Graduate students who fail to register for two terms in a row (excluding summer) without taking an approved leave of absence forfeit their admission to the Graduate College. Like students who have officially withdrawn from the university before the tenth day of the semester (fifth day in summer), they must reapply for admission to the Graduate College. Readmission is not guaranteed.

Withdrawal to Enter Military Service:

A graduate student who must leave the university in order to enter into active service with the armed forces in a national or state emergency (including being called up for the Active Reserve Forces and the National Guard) during the first twelve weeks of the semester (first six weeks in summer session) will be withdrawn from courses with a full refund of tuition and fees. If called to active duty after that time, and before the end of the term, the student may withdraw from all courses with a full refund of tuition and fees, or, the student may ask the instructor(s) for permission to receive an Incomplete (IN) or Deferred (DFR) grade(s). An instructor may assign an IN or DFR if deemed academically appropriate and feasible. Alternatively, an instructor may assign a letter grade, if requested by the student, if the instructor deems it to be academically justified. Deadlines for incomplete grades under these circumstances may be waived upon the discretion of the instructor and the Graduate College. A student who chooses to withdraw from all courses will not receive a “W.” It is the student’s responsibility to present proof of active service status for these actions to occur. (See Financial Obligations and Refunds for additional information.)

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Graduate College Policies