Eligibility

A student may become "ineligible to continue in Graduate School" should the student receive two grades of C, a grade lower than a C, or if his or her GPA drops below 3.0. A student will also become ineligible if, after having successfully appealed ineligible status once, he or she receives one more grade of C or below. If this occurs, the student will be unable to enroll in courses, and will not be able to receive financial assistance from the department or university.

If a graduate student becomes ineligible to continue in Graduate School, he or she may file an appeal to the Graduate Council Appeals Committee. In order to do so, the student must submit a persuasive letter of petition to the Graduate Coordinator outlining the reasons for the appeal. In order for the Committee to hear the petition, the student must have the support of the department; the Graduate Coordinator will submit a letter of support to the Committee. Please note that the Committee usually meets only once per semester. Petitions must be filed on time in order to be considered. The dates on which the Committee will meet are available from the Graduate School. Becoming ineligible is a serious situation, and no student is guaranteed the support of the department in an appeal should this occur. Students who become ineligible will be notified in writing by the Graduate School; they should make immediate arrangements to meet with the Graduate Coordinator and discuss the situation. For more information on the Appeals process, please consult the Graduate School appeals web page.