The below forms are for undergraduate students currently in the School of Information Sciences (iSchool). If you have any questions, please contact bsis-advising@illinois.edu.
Independent Study
Independent Study enables the intermediate or advanced student opportunity to undertake the study of a topic not otherwise offered in the curriculum, and pursue a topic beyond or in greater depth than is possible within the context of a regular course. Please visit the Research Page for additional information and the form. https://go.ischool.illinois.edu/BSISresearch
Minors
Undergraduate students enrolled in a degree program at Illinois are not required to complete a minor for degree certification. However, many find this a desirable opportunity to study at some depth in a subject matter of additional interest to their major field of study. View available Minors and find additional information on the Provost's Website "How to 'Declare' a Minor".
Statement of Intent to Declare a Campus Minor Form
Complete the online form and it will be forwarded to the appropriate unit overseeing the minor for approval, and then passed along to your college/school office to process.
Any variance from courses required in the minor must be approved on the Modification of Minor form by the unit sponsoring the minor, that unit’s college and submitted to the student’s college office for final processing.
Cancellation of a Minor Form
Complete if you wish to remove the minor at any time.
Credit/No-Credit (CR/NC)
See Student Code: Article 3, Part 1 - Grades and Grading system: § 3-105 CREDIT-NO CREDIT GRADING OPTIONS
"The credit/no-credit grading option is designed to encourage student exploration into areas of academic interest that they might otherwise avoid for fear of poor grades. Students must choose the credit/no credit option during the first half of the course term (e.g., the first eight weeks of the semester, the fourth week of the summer session, or by the fourth week of an eight-week course), or before completing half the lessons of a correspondence course." See Academic Calendars for Deadlines
All students considering this option are cautioned that many graduate and professional schools consider applicants whose transcripts bear a significant number of nongrade symbols, such as CR or NC, less favorably than those whose transcripts contain none or very few. Likewise, in computing a preadmission grade-point average, some of these schools may convert the NC symbol to a failing grade since they do not know whether the actual grade was a D or  F.
Any lower- or upper-division course may be chosen under the credit-no credit option except courses used to satisfy the university’s general education requirements, courses designated by name or area by the major department for satisfying the major, minor, or field of concentration, or those specifically required by name by the college for graduation.
Any undergraduate student in good academic standing may elect the credit-no credit option.
Students who are placed on probation after electing the credit-no credit option must rescind this request.
If you are on academic probation, you may not use the CR/NC option.
Instructors are not notified if a course is elected as CR/NC and will award a grade for the course. A grade of C- or better to receive credit for the course. The course will be counted in the total credit hours, but not in the GPA.
Two courses per semester (one course per summer session) is allowed when using the CR/NC grading option. 18 hours of CR/NC grading may apply toward the minimum needed for graduation.
Please note that taking a course CR/NC is not a good way to avoid poor grades.
Please meet with an iSchool Academic Advisor to discuss CR/NC options.
CR/NC Form (iSchool students only) Form must be submitted for review before the deadline (approval at discretion of college office)
NOTE: Spring 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 had Covid-19 Academic Policy Modifications, which included modifications to the typical Credit-No Credit Grading Option outlined in the Student Code. Students were notified of this modification and the process via email and how to submit the form. All other semesters operate under regular student code policies.
Grade Replacement Request
To submit a Grade Replacement Request (PDF), students must understand the following rules:
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- Students may use for grade replacement up to a total of four distinct courses, not to exceed a maximum of 10 semester hours.
- All hours must be taken at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Cross-listed courses must be taken in the same department as the original instance, and variable credit courses must be taken for the same number of credit hours when repeated for grade replacement.
- Courses may be repeated for grade replacement only in those cases in which students received grades of C- or lower on the first attempt.
- There must have been no finding of an academic integrity violation in the first attempt.
- A course may be repeated for grade replacement only once.
Intent to use grade replacement must be filed during the first half of the semester in which the course is repeated.
When the Grade Replacement Policy is used, the original grade remains on your permanent record and is flagged with an “R” for “replacement.” Only the grade earned in the second attempt will be included in calculation of your grade point average. It is important to note that most graduate programs, including vet schools and law schools, still use the original instance of the course in calculating your GPA, even if grade replacement was applied. Grade Replacement Calculator
Course Overloads (over 18 hours)
Students may carry as many as 18 hours without special permission. Approval for programs of more than 18 hours (overload) must be obtained from the college. Overload permissions are generally granted in the registration system the day before classes begin (for example, spring semester overloads are available the day before spring classes start), but may be provided earlier at the school's discretion (typically only in the student's last semester if the courses are necessary to graduate).
iSchool students must complete the Overload Request Form. The form allows students to request approval to register for more than the maximum load of 18 hours in a fall or spring term, and more than the maximum load of 9 hours in a summer term. Students in other UIUC Colleges should contact their academic affairs office for overload approval.
Approval is based on the following considerations:
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- Your UIUC GPA should be 3.0 or above.
- You have successfully completed 17-18 hours in one term (GPA for that term was 3.5 or above).
- You have successfully completed previously approved overloads, if applicable (GPA for that term was 3.5 or above).
- We only provide overload approvals in 2 hour increments from highest number of hours previously completed.
- Example: For a 19 hour overload a student would need to have completed 17 hours successfully (typically 3.50 or higher), and for a 20 hour overload a student would need to have successfully completed 18 hours (and so on).
- Overloads beyond 21 hours are very rare.
- We will look at the courses in which you are registered, as well as the course you plan to add if the overload request is approved. You should be registered for your other classes at the time of requesting the overload, but we will not review until after grades are processed for the current term.
First Term Enrollment Credit Hour Limitation Policy
Students are limited to registering for no more than 18 credit hours in their first term. A University of Illinois GPA is required to be reviewed before a student may request an overload. Therefore, first-year students within first semester and first-semester transfer students may not submit an overload request, and a semester of graded coursework at the University of Illinois is required to be reviewed before second-semester student’s requests can be granted, to ensure such students are in good academic standing. This is to assist students both in managing their time effectively and acclimating to a new degree program.
Part-Time/Underload (below 12 hours)
Dropping to fewer than 12 hours can negatively impact your academic status and may have implications on your time to degree completion, financial aid offerings, NCAA eligibility, visa status, private health insurance, and more. To drop below full-time status, you must schedule an appointment with an academic advisor to discuss your reasons for doing so and the effects it may have on your progress. Part-Time Form: https://go.ischool.illinois.edu/bsisparttime
Late Course Change
This form is to be used when adding a course or changing sections after the deadline to add a course. This process is only for iSchool Undergraduates (all other students should check with their current college). Students must receive approval from the instructor teaching the course prior to submitting, and this must be included in the submittal.
Instructions:
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- Complete the Late Course Change (PDF): Term, Year, EGD (Estimated Graduation Date), Name, UIN, College (School of Information Sciences), & Department (Information Sciences); Action, CRN, Subject & Number, Section, Credit Hours.
- If the course is an Information Sciences or an Informatics course, you may leave Department Approval blank. If it is a course in another department, you must have them complete the Department Approval.
- Email completed form and the email approval from the instructor teaching the course to bsis-advising@illinois.edu
- The iSchool Undergraduate Affairs Office will review and notify you with information. If you are approved, our office will add you to the course.
Notes:
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- Student must have room in their schedule to add the course (it will not extend the hours beyond 18 hours, unless approved for an overload), and there may not be any overlapping courses. Drop any necessary courses or make scheduling changes prior to submitting the form.
- It is the student's responsibility to catch up in the course (not the instructor's responsibility to catch you up). We recommend utilizing any instructor office hours and taking additional time to ensure you are on-track.
Late Course Drop Petition
University policy allows students to drop courses without penalty through the midpoint of the course. The midpoint is different based on the term for the course: Part of Term A/First-Eight Weeks is typically four weeks into the semester, and Full Semester is typically eight weeks (view the Academic Calendar for deadlines).
This petition is to be used for situations in which a student wishes to drop a class past this deadline due extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control which commenced subsequent to the midpoint of the course or prevented adherence to the official drop deadline.
Other options may exist for completing coursework without dropping a course. You should discuss these options with your instructor and advisor before submitting this petition.
It is your responsibility to check on the implications such a drop would have on financial aid, lengthening of academic tenure, and all related financial and other implications of this, eligibility for housing, participation in intercollegiate athletics, insurance coverage, student employment, or other activities.
Continue attending and participating in class while the petition is being reviewed. The College will notify you via email of its decision on your petition, generally within five business days. If your petition is denied, you should continue with the course. If your petition is approved, the course will still appear on your transcript with a “W” for “withdrawal” unless otherwise determined by the College.
NOTE: After the last day of the semester, petitions will not be reviewed until after final grades are posted.
Late Course Petition Form: http://go.ischool.illinois.edu/BSISlatedroppetition
Incomplete "I" Grade
An Incomplete "I" Grade may be recorded at the discretion of the dean of the student’s college/director of undergraduate affairs, in collaboration with the instructor and academic advisor, for individual cases. A grade of “incomplete” that is not removed by the end of the first eight weeks of instruction in the next semester in which the student is enrolled on the Urbana-Champaign campus becomes the grade of F (or U) by rule, depending on grading mode of the course.
This grade is an extension of time granted by the instructor to a student who is not able to complete all course requirements by Reading Day. A request for an Incomplete grade must be initiated by the student prior to Reading Day. A grade of Incomplete must be replaced by a letter grade no later than 5:00 p.m. of the mid-semester point of the next semester in which the student is registered or it automatically becomes an F grade. If the student does not enroll the following semester in a graded course, the incomplete grade becomes an F-by-rule after one year. Incomplete grades earned in the spring semester will not be converted to F-by-rule until the end of the following fall semester, whether the student registers for the summer.
Student should discuss with their Instructor and Academic Advisor first. Form is located here.
Special Request Petition
This petition form is to be used for requests that do not have a specific petition form designated. iSchool students typically use this form for an IS elective course substitution, previous petition decision appeals, and submission of forms/petitions after the posted deadline. Requests require a compelling reason and any supporting documentation on why this request should be approved. It is recommended you meet and discuss with an iSchool Academic Advisor prior to submitting. https://go.ischool.illinois.edu/BSISSpecialPetition
Cancellation/Withdrawal from Term
A cancellation or withdrawal means you are ending your enrollment in classes; it does not necessarily mean that you are formally ending your admission to Illinois or your ability to register for later semesters.
BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS (CANCELLATION)
You may cancel your registration before the first day of classes. A cancellation results in the removal of all tuition and fee charges for that semester.
Via Enterprise Self-Service: Enhanced Registration allows students to drop all courses until approximately 10 days prior to the beginning of instruction. Within Classic Registration, a student can drop all but their last remaining class using the Add/Drop Classes option. The student should be provided an option to “Cancel Registration” and should follow all prompts and verifications to confirm their intent to cancel.
Log in to UI-Integrate Self-Service, find the registration module, and select “add/drop classes”. Use the “web-drop” option for each of your classes. When you attempt to drop your last class, the system will ask you to confirm that you intend to cancel your registration. If you agree, an electronic notification will be sent to the UIUC Registrar Office to complete your cancellation. More information is available at the Office of the Registrar.
Alternative methods are to submit a request to cancel registration by email to registration@illinois.edu from your Illinois email account; submit a request by letter to the Office of the Registrar at 901 West Illinois Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801; or by request in-person at the Records Service Center at 901 West Illinois Street, Urbana, Illinois. For more information on these alternative methods can be found on the Registrar website.
DURING THE SEMESTER (WITHDRAWAL)
Once the semester begins, you can no longer cancel, but you can request to withdraw. If you experience extenuating circumstances that require you to leave campus for an extended period of time or encounter events that negatively impact your ability to progress academically, you can exercise your option to withdraw.
IMPLICATIONS OF A WITHDRAWAL
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- If you fail to follow the official withdrawal procedure—e.g., you simply stop going to classes and leave campus—you are still responsible for tuition and fee assessments and will earn 'F' grades in your classes.
- Refunds for tuition and fees are provided on a pro-rata basis depending on the date of withdrawal. Special refund policies apply if you withdraw to enter active duty in the armed forces or other approved national defense.
- Requests to withdraw after the ninth week of the semester must include additional documentation showing extinuating circumstances. Additionally, your ability to enroll for subsequent semesters may be impacted.
- More information and applicable refund deadlines are available at the Office of the Registrar.
HOW TO WITHDRAW
After the semester has begun, iSchool students needing to drop their semester registration should contact their academic advisor to initiate a withdrawal from the semester. Withdrawals require the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Affairs, as well as that of additional officials as needed prior to its submission to the Office of Admissions and Records. The withdrawal effective date is the date in which the student notifies their academic advisor of their intent to withdraw. This date also affects the percentage of refund to which the student may be eligible. A student may consult the withdrawal refund schedule.
See Sections 3-312 and 3-313 for General Rules and withdrawal for Military or Other National Defense Services, respectively.
