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Graduate College Policies

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.

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.)

Graduate College Policy and Guidance for the Use of Generative AI in Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Policy: Graduate theses and dissertations are intended to demonstrate and provide a record of independent thinking, original research, and technical mastery in a field of study. The core contribution of the thesis, as determined by the author’s advisor(s) and thesis committee, must be the original work of the author and cannot be that of any other party or generative AI. Therefore, the student’s research and writing as presented in the thesis must represent that effort, even if AI tools are used as support. That is, the student’s original scholarship, including writing, critical thinking, and analysis, must be evident regardless of other included supportive materials.

Any AI use must receive documented pre-approval by the student’s thesis committee and must be limited to a clearly defined scope. To confirm adherence with this expectation, a clear and comprehensive statement must be included as an appendix of the final thesis or dissertation describing the role of generative AI in the scholarly process and what was authorized as appropriate use. The student and the thesis committee are responsible for ensuring any permitted use of AI aligns with disciplinary standards and reflects the student’s independent judgment and originality. Unauthorized use of generative AI tools is considered unauthorized assistance under UIC’s code of academic integrity. Unauthorized use of AI tools may also be considered a violation of institutional policies on academic honesty and plagiarism, including those related to integrity in research and scholarly activities.

Guidance: Students and advisors should be aware of the potential risks and limitations associated with generative AI, such as ethical concerns about plagiarism from the content on which the AI was trained, the possibility of inaccurate information, accountability issues, and data security and privacy concerns. It is crucial to critically evaluate AI-generated content and ensure that its use aligns with the norms and standards of the student’s discipline. In particular, students must review and are responsible for the thoroughness, accuracy, and objectivity of all included AI-generated content. Using Generative AI in graduate theses puts the student at risk for future challenges to their expertise or routine scanning of prospective employee’s theses for plagiarism and generative AI. If you need to use AI services, use secure AI services provided by the UIC IT (ACER) office.

Individual programs or departments may have additional policies or restrictions regarding the use of AI tools in graduate research that go beyond these guidelines. It is the student’s responsibility to understand and follow any department-specific or discipline-specific guidelines. Students should contact their department for clarification if needed. As the field of AI evolves, these guidelines may be updated to reflect new developments.

UIC Statement on Responsible and Acceptable Use of Generative AI

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.

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 should consult with their academic program, prior to submission of the form.
Students who are registered in courses that run in only part of the term (Part of the Term A or B, or Summer term S1 and S2) have different withdrawal deadlines. Consult with your academic program and the information at 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 (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.” 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.)