Probation Support for Students

Policy Overview

Academic probation is a bump in your road to graduation, and you have support at UNC to get back on track. Academic probation means your cumulative GPA is below 2.0, and you are on a warning until you raise it. You have 24 probation credits to return to Good Academic Standing. These 24 credits begin your first semester after receiving the academic probation notice. We count any class you complete with a standard letter grade (A-F) in a Fall, Interim, Spring, or Summer session.

Read through your options and steps. And the best thing to do is contact your advisor or probation@unco.edu for support.

Download Self-Support Tools to Raise your GPA

• Academic Success Workshops

  We offer an Academic Success Workshop hosted on the Success at UNC Canvas Course about the policy and academic success tools. This  takes about 30-minutes to complete. If you are on the first semester of probation, you will be assigned the workshop as a "quiz" on the Success at UNC Canvas course. Your advisor cannot remove your Registration Hold until you complete the workshop. If you are on a continuing semester of probation, you are not required to complete the workshop but are more than welcome to, just email probation@unco.edu to be added to the workshop.  

  You should schedule regular check-ins with your probation support because talking with someone who knows your goals can help with motivation, problem-solving, and accountability.

• Fresh Start

  Some students find that taking classes at community college or just a few years off helps them come back to UNC stronger.

  With Fresh Start letter grades "C-," "D+," "D," "D-" or "F" (excluding first semester back courses) will remain on the transcript but will no longer be used in the calculation of UNC GPA. These courses will no longer count for graduation, either. These programs offer you a fresh start, meaning you may need to retake classes to fill your LAC, major, or minor requirements.

  Apply for Fresh Start

  If a fresh start makes sense for your graduation plan, speak with your advisor about the program options:

  Fresh Start for Freshman

  Fresh Start for Freshmen is for students who have completed fewer than 30 earned credits towards graduation at UNC with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0. An eligible student must:

  •  Enroll at another institution.
  • Complete a minimum of 24 transferable credit hours with a 2.5 minimum grade point average (based on a 4.0 scale or an equivalent score on a different scale). You must complete these credits before returning to UNC.
  • Grades of "C-" or higher from other institutions are eligible for transfer to UNC.
  • Grades earned at another institution do not affect UNC GPA: GPA does not transfer.
  • You must send an official transcript to the UNC Registrar's Office for evaluation.
  • Upon returning to UNC, complete a minimum of 12 credits in a single semester, in the first semester back to UNC, with a minimum GPA of 2.50.

  Fresh Start for Returning Students

  Fresh Start for Returning Students is for students who have not attended UNC for a minimum of three years, and who have earned grades of "C-" or lower. 

  To qualify, the most recent UNC grades must be three or more calendar years older than the last completed semester at UNC.

  For example, enrollment from spring 2019 and previous would be eligible for Fresh Start after completion of spring 2022. You could take classes starting in fall 2022.

  Additional Information

  • If planning to transfer to another institution, be aware that many schools recalculate a student's GPA to account for all classes taken at previous institutions.
  • Transfer credits will be accepted following the normal admission criteria.
  • Fresh Start guarantees readmission to UNC if a student had been academically suspended once. A readmission appeal is not required.
  • Students who have been academically suspended from UNC twice are not eligible for Fresh Start. A second academic suspension is a permanent suspension from future enrollment at UNC.
  • Once Fresh Start is applied to an academic record it cannot be removed.
  • The rules of Fresh Start may be applied only once to a student's transcript.
• Readmission to UNC

  After being suspended for 1 full semester, you are eligible for readmission. You do not need to complete a full application (like the first time you applied to UNC). Instead, you will complete a Readmission Appeal.

  Your readmission appeal is considered by our Academic Review Committee, that looks at several things:

  1. Your Appeal Letter. Be specific with what happened before you were suspended and how things will be different if you are readmitted.
  2. Your Academic Record. Include transcripts if you took classes at another college to show the committee how your grades have changed. Transfer grades won't change your UNC GPA, but they will show that you are passing classes now.
  3. Other Documents. Include letters of recommendation, medical circumstances, and other documents that help the committee understand what happened and what is different now.

  Appeal for Readmission

• Suspension Appeals

  There are two ways that you could be suspended from taking classes next semester:

  1. Your cumulative GPA is below 2.0 after 24 credit hours on probation (about 2 semesters). 
  2. Your cumulative GPA is below a 1.0 while on probation.

  A 2.0 is a "C" average across all your classes while a 1.0 is a "D" average. 

  Facing suspension may feel overwhelming. Follow three steps:

  • Check BearMail the Monday after final grades are due. You will have a letter from the Registrar if you are suspended.
    
    • August 14th for Summer 2023 classes
  • Appeal your Suspension by the deadline. Your appeal goes to our Academic Review Committee, who will look at your letter, record, and other documents. If approved, you will have another semester to get your grades up.
    
    • August 15th for Summer 2023 classes

  A second academic suspension is permanent.

  Appeal your Suspension

Find your Probation Support by College

Deadlines and Forms

Our deadlines are "hard" meaning there is no wiggle-room, so please plan ahead for your submissions. You might set an alarm on your phone right now, and set it 24 hours ahead of the true deadline to remind yourself to submit your materials.

 2023 Appeal and Readmission Deadlines: MT (Greeley Time)

Resources and Support

Life happens, and adjusting to college is challenging. Use the free resources and support on campus to help you set and reach your academic goals. 

• Review the Academic Standing Policy. Write down three questions to ask your advisor or success coach.
• Find the academic probation support person for your college. Reach out to them before you log off the computer today.
• Schedule regular conversations throughout the semester for increased success. Our statistics show that the more your meet with your probation support person, the higher your cumulative GPA will rise! Your first meeting should be within the first four weeks of the semester--and it is never too late to get help.
• Complete the self-paced Academic Success Workshop through Canvasto identify campus resources for classes, clarify questions about the Academic Standing Policy, and calculate a GPA target for the semester.
  • If this is your first semester on probation, you are required to complete the course. If you cannot access it, email probation@unco.edu
• If you are writing a suspension appeal, visit the Writing Center 
• And make a plan to use the academic success resources.