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  • Academic Progress/Standing

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    Academic progress defined

    Maintaining good academic progress generally requires full-time study (12 credit hours per term), good standing as judged by meeting minimum grade point averages in cumulative GPA and major GPA, and timely completion of major and graduation requirements through course completion.

    Normal degree progress typically requires 31 earned credit hours per academic year for degree completion in eight semesters without summer study, or an average of 15-16 credit hours per semester. 

    Students alone are responsible for making normal progress toward their degree and for meeting all graduation requirements in their curriculum. Normal progress toward the degree generally implies full-time study and timely completion of graduation requirements. Unless students have received specific approval to the contrary from the iSchool Undergraduate Affairs Office, students are required to be full-time candidates for a degree at the Urbana campus.

    Terminology

    Various terms are used to designate undergraduates and their enrollment status at ILLINOIS.

    Student class

    The following criteria are used when referring to undergraduate students by class. Typically, these are used only for students who began their college careers at ILLINOIS.

    Class Earned credit hours
    First-year/freshman 0 - 29
    Sophomore 30 - 59
    Junior 60 - 89
    Senior 90+

    Academic standing

    Your official academic status as a degree student in the iSchool is denoted by one of three categories:

    Standing Eligibility
    Good Standing Eligible to enroll without conditions
    Probation Eligible to enroll with conditions
    Drop Not eligible to enroll

    Key progress indicators

    Student academic progress is reviewed by the college on a semester-by-semester basis in a process called grade audit and at mid-points before graduation in order to assess timely completion of requirements.

    Students are monitored for GPAs, credit hours per term, and earned credit hours per semesters enrolled.

    The college also considers the following areas important in gauging academic progress to degree:

    • Progress in the major
      Students must make regular progress via appropriate course enrollments and performance levels to confirm continued viability in an academic program. This means a student is completing degree requirements for the academic major they are currently in.
    • Progress in specific graduation requirements
      Unless exempt, students must complete the Composition I requirement during their first year. We also advise students to complete their Non-Primary Language requirement during their first two years so that graduation in eight semesters is feasible. Students who have not completed the non-primary language graduation requirement by the time they have completed 60 hours toward the degree will be required to take and complete an appropriate course each semester thereafter until they have fulfilled the requirement.
    • Ten-semester limit on enrollment
      The iSchool limits the number of semesters a student may be enrolled for the purpose of completing their degrees.

    Advising agreements

    If at any time it is determined that a student is not making sufficient progress toward degree completion, the student generally will be placed on academic probation and/or is advised of specific progress deficiencies. Students who do not accept or who do not meet the conditions of their advising agreements or make academic progress may lose their eligibility to continue enrollment in the iSchool.

    Probation or drop status

    Students are considered in good standing if they have met minimum performance criteria—as judged by the cumulative GPA and major GPA—and they are progressing toward a timely completion of their degree requirements.

    Students may access their posted grades online, generally one week after the end of finals. An academic status will be displayed (good standing, probation, or drop). These computer-assigned academic standings are not final until the college has reviewed academic standing for all students. Following academic review these standing are finalized and students may review.

    All iSchool students on probation or drop status after academic progress reviews will be able to view this on their record. A college hold will be placed on students who are on probation or drop status. Students who are unsure about their academic status should contact the iSchool Student Affairs Office bsis-advising@illinois.edu as soon as possible, following academic review. 

    Academic probation

    Academic probationary status serves as a warning that poor academic performance or failure to complete requirements in a timely fashion may jeopardize future enrollment status at and graduation from the University of Illinois.

    Probation levels identify a specific grade-point average which students are expected to earn in their next semester of enrollment on a minimum of 12 graded credit hours. Students placed on academic probation often may be required to enter into an advising agreement that stipulates specific requirements they must meet in the next term of enrollment.

    If students achieve a GPA level required by their probation, but their cumulative and/or major GPA(s) remains below 2.50 and they are not deficient in meeting other academic eligibility and progress requirements, they will be approved to continue on probationary status, until such time as they have achieved good standing.

    Probation rules are based on all university GPAs (Illinois, Combined, and Major). The School of Information Sciences has a minimum GPA of 2.50 for university, cumulative, and within the major. Academic progress towards the degree and all requirements is also considered in the review. The decision to place a student on probation is typically made based on the performance of the most recent semester (2.50 GPA or above), with consideration of the entire academic record. Probation Rules may be found in the Student Code (§ 3-110), with consideration that the minimum GPA for the School of Information Sciences is 2.50. Probation is semester-by-semester, so it may be removed in the next semester if conditions are met. Probation status will not show on your final transcript.

    As long as students are on probationary status, they may not elect the credit/no credit grading option for any course. Academic probationary status may not be cleared by attendance at another institution. Transfer work that averages below a C+ level may result in a student being placed on probation in the iSchool if the combined (university and transfer) GPA does not reflect at least a 2.50 standing. The probation rules are listed below. Students may also refer to the Student Code.

    A student may be placed on (or similarly, removed from) a probationary status at any time that the iSchool judges that the student's scholastic record warrants such action.

    Drop Rules (per Student Code)

    1. Drop Rules
      The following regulations shall be used to determine if a student is to be dropped from the university.
      1. A student is dropped if the student fails to earn at least a 1.0 (D) average in any academic semester (not including summer or winter session).
      2. A student on probation who fails to meet the student's established probation level is dropped unless the student has achieved at least a 2.0 average or better for that semester and the student's cumulative average is at least 2.0.
      3. A student who fails to make satisfactory progress toward a degree is dropped. Examples would be the repeated failure of a required course or failure to meet other conditions for continuation in the curriculum.
      4. A nondegree or part-time student who fails to complete the conditions of admission or continuation is dropped.
      5. The drop rules may be waived when, in the judgment of the student’s college or school, the student's scholastic record warrants such action.

    iSchool FA20-SP21 Academic Standing Policy:

    1. The School of Information Sciences (iSchool) may place students on Academic Drop status using the following criteria:
      1. Student has 2 or more semesters below a 2.0 GPA and an Illinois GPA below 2.00
      2. Student has 2 or more semesters below 1.0 GPA
      3. Students with no SP20 or FA20 GPA, due to the revised CR/NC policy for that term, that have a FA20 GPA below a 2.0 GPA will be considered for Academic Drop if their SP20 term resulted in a majority of “NC” notations for their courses
      4. Students with no GPA or below a 2.00 FA20 GPA, due to the revised CR/NC policy for that term, that have a SP21 GPA below a 2.0 GPA will be considered for Academic Drop if their SP21 term resulted in a majority of “NZ” notations for their courses
      5. Students with multiple “No Credit” or “Covid No Pass” designations for the FA20 and/or SP21 terms, such that if those designations were the original “F” grades would put their gpa below 2.0 or 1.0, will be reviewed for Academic Drop using the above criteria
      6. Students meeting more than one of the above criteria are most at risk of being placed on Academic Drop
    2. iSchool students that meet Academic Drop criteria or are placed on Academic Drop after the term may have the opportunity to petition the college for reinstatement
      1. Students may still be required to have a mandatory “stop out” of the next term and be placed on “must-petition” status for re-entry for the upcoming term 
      2. Students that have clear extenuating circumstances that caused their poor academic result for the term may be eligible for retroactive withdrawal of the entire term, provided they discuss with the college immediately following academic status updates and submit a petition
      3. Students approved for retroactive withdrawal for a semester(s) may still be required to have a mandatory “stop out” of the next term and be placed on “must-petition” status for re-entry for an upcoming term
      4. iSchool students that were placed on Academic Drop status, but have a clear path to graduation the next term may be retained, following an approved petition which includes a clear path of completion

    Appealing an Academic Drop Status 

    Students who are dropped from the college for academic deficiencies are able to view their drop status in their student record. The drop rules may be waived when, in the judgment of the student’s college or school, the student's scholastic record warrants such action. Only written statements of appeal are accepted by the School of Information Sciences Undergraduate Affairs Office (bsis-advising@illinois.edu). Students should contact the office as soon as possible following academic status updates.

    The college reviews appeals during a limited time following the academic appeal process (see timeline below). Appeals at other times are heard strictly at the discretion of the iSchool Undergraduate Student Affairs Office.

    Decisions of the college are final, and there is no appeal in the college beyond that body. Personal interviews with the student are generally not available, but may be initiated by the office under highly unusual circumstances.

    Students who have been dropped and re-enter in the preceding semester, or whose academic records show deficiencies so severe as to create a doubt of degree completion, may be placed on "special drop" status and are not permitted to appeal. Some students are furthermore denied any additional consideration for re-entry to School of Information Science.

    To determine if you are eligible for an appeal and discuss the process, please email bsis-advising@illinois.edu as soon as possible following the end of the semester. If the college determines you are able to appeal, you may be asked to provide documentation and commentary on why your appeal should be considered within the timeframe listed above, and additional items may be required (such as a petition to retroactively withdrawal from the previous semester).

    Deadline:

    • Fall - June 15
    • Spring - November 15
    • Summer - April 15
    • For International students, please allow additional time for your visa. It may take several months depending on your Visa situation.