Academic Standing

Academic standing describes the state of a student’s academic progress towards program completion. It encompasses both the positive status of good academic standing and the negative status of academic warning, probation, suspension, provisional readmission and dismissal. Students in “No Intended Degree” status do not have academic standing calculated as they are not  enrolled in a specific degree program or certificate.

In determining academic standing, the UW grade (Unofficial Withdrawal) acts as a punitive grade, indicating that the student is not making academic progress. The grades I (Incomplete), W Withdrawal), R (Doctoral Thesis Extension), X (Audit), and Y (Course Extension) are not punitive.

Good Academic Standing

Undergraduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 throughout their enrollment at CityU to maintain Good Academic Standing at the university. Masters, graduate certificate, and doctoral students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 throughout their enrollment at CityU to maintain Good Academic Standing. Students must be in Good Academic Standing in order to graduate from any program or to earn a certificate from the university.

Academic Warning

A student will be placed on Academic Warning as the result of one of the following:

  • When an undergraduate student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, or a graduate or doctoral student’s cumulative GPA falls below 3.0.
  • When a student with no cumulative GPA (for example, a new student) receives UW grades for all courses taken in a term.
  • When a student receives a UW grade for any course in three consecutive terms.

Students are notified in writing by the university when they are placed on Academic Warning and are advised to contact their Academic or Enrollment Advisor for additional support. This status appears on the student’s transcript. A status of Academic Warning does not interfere with the student’s ability to enroll for new courses.

Probation

After a term in which a student has been on Academic Warning, a student will be placed on Probation as a result of one of the following:

  • When an undergraduate student’s cumulative GPA remains below 2.0, or a graduate or doctoral student’s cumulative GPA remains below 3.0.
  • When a student receives a UW grade for any course.

Students are notified in writing by the university when they are placed on probation. The written notice may include a description of requirements students must follow in order to be removed from Probation.

A status of Probation does not interfere with a student's ability to enroll for new courses.

Suspension

After the term in which a student has been on Probation, a student will be on Suspension as a result of one of the following:

  • When an undergraduate student’s cumulative GPA remains below 2.0, or a graduate or doctoral student’s cumulative GPA remains below 3.0.
  • When a student receives a UW grade for any course.

The status Suspended appears on the student's transcript after the third term.   A student with the status of Suspended may be removed from current enrollment and/or blocked from future enrollment.

Once the status of Suspended is applied to the student’s transcript, they must request and be granted provisional readmission by the Readmission Committee in order to re-enroll at CityU.

Provisional Readmission

For a student to be readmitted following suspension, the student must submit a written, signed petition to the Readmission Committee within four terms (one year) of the suspension.  Upon review of the request, if readmission is approved, the student will receive written notice outlining the conditions under which their studies may resume.  The status Provisionally Readmitted appears as a permanent record on the student's transcript.  A student who has been provisionally readmitted is still considered to be on suspension, and if academic performance does not improve during the next term, and/or if the student does not follow the conditions outlined by the Readmission Committee, they may be dismissed, at the discretion of the Registrar.

Dismissal from program

If a suspended student does not request provisional readmission within four terms (one year) of the suspension, or is not granted provisional readmission after petitioning the Readmission Committee, they are dismissed from their academic program.  Additionally, if the student is granted provisional readmission, but does not follow the Readmission Committee’s guidelines and/or does not improve their academic performance during the next term, the student may be dismissed from their academic program. The status of dismissal appears as a permanent record on the student's transcript.

A student who has been dismissed from a program may apply for readmission to the program after one year by sending a written request to the Readmission Committee.

Dismissal from the University

On rare occasions, students may be dismissed from the University and prohibited from all further study due to violations of student conduct, or prolonged negative academic performance in which other options have been exhausted.  The status of the dismissal will show on the student transcript under the final term of study, and a note regarding the dismissal will be noted in the student’s official file. Students will receive an official letter from the Provost if this status is utilized.

Student’s Right to Appeal after Dismissal

If the student wishes to appeal a dismissal from the university, a letter of appeal may be submitted at the end of four terms (one year). It must be sent to the Readmission Committee, which then forwards it to the dean of the appropriate school. The dean's decision is final and is not subject to further appeal.

(Policy #3500.10)