Graduate College Academics Registration and Records Academic Standing FAQ For Graduate Students

Academic Standing FAQ for Graduate Students

The Graduate College and academic departments monitor various aspects of a student’s progress in their degree program. We use Academic Standing to reflect a student’s progress in several categories, for example, grades and progress toward degree milestones.

There are three categories of Academic Standing.

  • Good Standing: Students in Good Standing are making satisfactory progress in all aspects of their degree.
  • Academic Warning: Student on Academic Warning status are not making satisfactory progress in an aspect of their degree. Students on Academic Warning will receive a notice from the Graduate College.
  • Drop Status: Students on Academic Warning who do not satisfy the requirements described in the notice letter will be placed on Drop Status. Students on Drop Status are not eligible to enroll or hold any graduate appointment. In this status, students can petition for reinstatement.

Students may view their current Academic Standing in Student Self-Service.

The Graduate College sends notices to students to let them know if they will be placed on Academic Warning or Drop Status. It’s also a good idea to check your current Academic Standing in Student Self-Service.

If you are notified by the Graduate College that you are no longer in good academic standing, you will need to submit a petition requesting to hold an assistantship/fellowship while not in Good Standing. You can learn more about the petition process and submit your request on the Graduate College website.

Yes, it is possible to petition for an exception to Academic Warning status through the Graduate College petition process. Petitions will need to include justification from the department and your adviser.

You can petition the Graduate College for reinstatement through the Graduate College petition process. In your petition, you will need to have an academic plan for progress and any other relevant supporting materials. The petition must contain strong support from your academic program.

Student academic standing status does not appear on the academic transcript, except in cases where students have been dropped and are not reinstated.

For quick questions about academic standing and/or the petition process, you can schedule a 15-minute Academic Standing Advising appointment on the Graduate College website. 

If you would like help mapping out a plan to take your preliminary exam, you can schedule a 30-minute Academic Success Coaching appointment on the Graduate College website.