2.5 Grading System
(Last Modified October 12, 2020) Report a broken link
SOURCES:
BoR POLICY MANUAL 3.5, GRADING SYSTEM
The BoR Policy Manual identifies official grades approved for use by institutions.
2.5.1 Academic Renewal
(Last Modified May 19, 2025) Report a broken link
Last reviewed: January 2010
SOURCES:
BoR POLICY 3.5.3, Grade Point Average Upon Academic Renewal
EFFECTIVE DATE: Posted May 2025 for Implementation no later than Fall 2026
2.5.1 Academic Renewal
I. Overview of Academic Renewal
A. Academic Renewal allows University System of Georgia (USG) degree-seeking undergraduate students who earlier experienced academic difficulty to have a one-time fresh start.
B. Academic difficulty is defined as a situation in which a student’s cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) is less than or equal to a threshold set by their institution.
C. Students granted Academic Renewal receive a new GPA to be used for determining their academic standing.
II. Eligibility for Academic Renewal
Each USG institution shall set a required Minimum Period of Absence for Academic Renewal of no less than three years and no more than five years. For returning students, the period of absence refers to the duration of time they have been away from the institution and impacts their eligibility for Academic Renewal. Refer to Section A below for additional information.
For returning and transfer students applying for Academic Renewal with transfer credit, the period of absence also refers to the duration of time since the coursework was completed and impacts coursework eligibility for Academic Renewal. Refer to Section B below for additional information.
A. Student Eligibility for Academic Renewal
- Students returning to a previously attended USG institution and students transferring into a USG institution may be eligible for Academic Renewal.
- Returning students must have been absent from the institution for at least the institution’s Minimum Period of Absence to be considered for Academic Renewal. The student’s period of absence is calculated based on the period of time between the date of last enrollment at the institution and the date of return to the institution.
- Only undergraduate degree-seeking students may be eligible for Academic Renewal.
- Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for Academic Renewal.
- Students who have earned an associate degree may be eligible for Academic Renewal if they are now seeking a bachelor’s degree. Students pursuing a second associate degree are not eligible for Academic Renewal. Please see the “Coursework Eligibility for Academic Renewal” section below for additional information.
- Institutions shall set a GPA threshold to consider students for Academic Renewal at 2.5 or lower. No institution may consider Academic Renewal for students with a GPA higher than 2.5.
- A student shall only be granted Academic Renewal one time in the USG.
- If a student previously granted Academic Renewal by one USG institution is admitted or readmitted to another USG institution, the receiving institution shall honor the earlier Academic Renewal. Please see the “Coursework Eligibility for Academic Renewal” section below for additional information.
B. Coursework Eligibility for Academic Renewal
- Only coursework completed prior to the institution’s Minimum Period of Absence is eligible for Academic Renewal. If Academic Renewal is granted, all eligible coursework completed prior to the institution’s Minimum Period of Absence is renewed. Transfer coursework taken during the institution’s Minimum Period of Absence is ineligible for Academic Renewal. Please see the “Impact of Academic Renewal Approval on Academic Credit” section below for additional information.
- Students who have earned an associate degree and are now pursuing a bachelor’s degree shall only be eligible for Academic Renewal for their coursework completed after the award of their associate degree. Courses completed prior to the award date of the previously awarded credential are not eligible for Academic Renewal.
- The coursework for which Academic Renewal was granted at one institution shall also be granted Academic Renewal at any other USG institution the student subsequently attends.
III. Applying for Academic Renewal
A. Institutions shall establish criteria, procedures and deadlines for students to apply for and be awarded Academic Renewal.
B. Institutions must set a maximum period of time for students to apply for Academic Renewal upon their admission/readmission to, or enrollment/re-enrollment at, the institution.
C. Institutions may elect to allow students to apply for academic renewal during the admission or readmission process so that renewed courses are omitted from the GPA calculated for determining admissibility. Please see the “Academic Renewal and Admissions” section below for additional information.
IV. Calculating the GPA after Academic Renewal Approval
A. A renewed GPA is calculated upon approval for Academic Renewal.
B. The new GPA is calculated by excluding all grades awarded prior to the institution’s Minimum Period of Absence. While the credit for courses for which a grade higher than a “D” was earned is retained (see the “Impact of Academic Renewal Approval on Course Credit” section below), the retained grades are not included in the new GPA calculation. Such credit is considered in the same context as credit by examination and courses with “S”.
C. The renewed GPA will be used for determining academic standing and eligibility for graduation.
V. Impact of Academic Renewal on Academic Credit
A. Academic credit for previously completed coursework will be retained only for courses in which a grade of higher than “D” has been earned. Courses with grades of “D” or “F” must be repeated if they are required in a student’s degree program. Institutions have the discretion to determine how academic renewal is applied to pass/fail courses.
B. Coursework completed prior to the institution’s Minimum Period of Absence cannot be used to satisfy residency requirements (the number of credit hours applied toward the degree that must be earned at the degree-awarding institution). Residency requirements must be satisfied by coursework completed after the period of approved Academic Renewal.
C. Coursework completed by students who have attended other institutions during the Minimum Period of Absence is not eligible for Academic Renewal. Transfer credit for coursework taken during the Minimum Period of Absence shall be granted in accordance with the prevailing USG and institutional policies and procedures regarding the award of transfer credit.
VI. Impact of Academic Renewal on Financial Aid
A. The granting of Academic Renewal does not supersede financial aid policies regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress.
VII. Other Academic Renewal Considerations
A. Institutions will determine the eligibility for honors at graduation for those students granted Academic Renewal status based on their institutional policies regarding honors graduation.
B. If a suspension is on the record and the student encounters subsequent academic difficulty after having been granted Academic Renewal, the student may be subject to the academic standing policies and procedures at the institution.
VIII. Documenting Academic Renewal in Student Records
A. All previously attempted courses, including those for which Academic Renewal has been granted, shall be recorded on the student’s official transcript.
B. Scholastic suspensions that occurred in the past shall remain recorded on the student’s permanent record.
C. Institutions must document that Academic Renewal has been granted in student records and on student transcripts.
IX. Academic Renewal and Admission or Readmission
A. Institutions have discretion to allow students to apply for Academic Renewal prior to receiving an admission or readmission decision. If an institution allows Academic Renewal prior to admission or readmission and it is granted, the renewed coursework should be omitted from consideration when evaluating an applicant’s eligibility for admission or readmission to the institution.
B. Receiving Academic Renewal does not guarantee admission or readmission to an institution. All students, including those granted Academic Renewal, must meet Board of Regents and institutional admission requirements.
C. The granting of Academic Renewal does not supersede the admissions requirements of certain programs (e.g., teacher education and nursing) which require a specific minimum grade point average based upon all coursework. However, institutions have the discretion to consider Academic Renewal GPAs for admission to selective programs.
D. Some law schools, medical schools, and graduate schools calculate their own grade point averages for admission and are not subject to these rules on Academic Renewal.
2.5.2 Withdrawal for Military Service: Refunds and Grades
(Last Modified July 31, 2024) Report a broken link
Last reviewed: January 2010
SOURCES:
BoR POLICY 7.3.5.3, MILITARY SERVICE REFUNDS
The following administrative guidelines are established for implementation of this action:
- Students must officially withdraw and present official orders to qualify for refunds of tuition and fees.
- Elective fees are prorated according to the date that the student officially withdraws.
- A student who withdraws and receives a full tuition refund will receive a grade of “WM,” military withdrawal, for all courses. A grade of WM entails no penalties that would ordinarily apply for federal or state aid. For example, the student does not have to pay back money already spent for books and fees, and a WM does not count against attempted hours for HOPE.
- Requests for exceptional relief are made directly to the president of the institution. The president will make a determination on each request expeditiously.
2.5.3 Withdrawal Without Academic Penalty
(Last Modified June 25, 2024) Report a broken link
SOURCES:
BoR POLICY 3.5.2, Symbols Not Included in Determining the Grade Point Average
EFFECTIVE DATE: MAY 2024
The University System of Georgia institutions shall set deadlines for students to withdraw without academic penalty.
Institutions shall set their withdrawal without academic penalty deadline prior to the conclusion of the eleventh full week of classes for any fall or spring term consisting of at least fifteen weeks of instructional time. Holidays/breaks falling in the first eleven weeks are excluded when counting the weeks of term.
For terms or parts of terms that are less than four weeks of instructional time, the withdrawal without academic penalty deadline shall be set no later than one week prior to the last day of classes (excluding final examinations).
For all other terms or parts of term, the withdrawal without academic penalty deadline shall be set no later than two weeks prior to the last day of classes (excluding final examinations).
Withdrawals without academic penalty will not be permitted after the deadline, except in cases of hardship as determined by the appropriate official of the institution. The deadline shall be published in the institution’s academic calendar.
Students who officially withdraw from a course by the end of the last day to withdraw without academic penalty shall receive a grade of “W”. Students receiving a grade of “W” shall receive no credit for the course on their academic record and the course shall not be included in their institutional and/or cumulative GPA calculation.
Institutions shall ensure students are provided early and regular feedback on their course performance. Course performance feedback, which may include mid-term grades, should be provided at least one week prior to the withdrawal without academic penalty deadline for students enrolled in terms consisting of at least fifteen weeks of instructional time. Students enrolled in shorter terms or parts of term should be provided feedback in advance of the withdrawal without academic penalty deadline.
Institutions should advise students considering withdrawal on the impact. Students should be made aware that a reduction in their hours may result in the loss of full-time student status and could impact their eligibility for financial aid, scholarships, participation in athletics, VA educational benefits, student ticket assignments, housing accommodations, access to institution resources and facilities, and immigration status for international students.
Institutions should encourage students to contact the appropriate office(s) and their academic advisor with questions about the impact of their withdrawal from a course before initiating a withdrawal. Veterans and dependents of veterans who receive VA educational benefits should notify the Veterans Education Benefits Area at their institution of any course load reductions.
Institutions shall provide students an opportunity for a medical and/or hardship withdrawal as determined by the appropriate designated office at the institution.
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