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 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.