At the conclusion of each semester, shortly after final grades are posted, the University Registrar identifies all matriculated students who have failed to meet minimum scholastic standards for previous two semesters (i.e. their semester or cumulative GPA is less than 2.0). This report is shared with various offices including dean's and director's offices which are charged with making dismissal recommendations to the Office of Undergraduate Advising.

Students who are subject to dismissal are notified by University email that they have failed to meet minimum scholastic standards for two consecutive semesters and are subject to dismissal from the University.  Students have the opportunity to appeal their dismissal and are provided with the information listed below.

• Web link to appeal form
• A summary of important information for students who are subject to dismissal
• Directions for how to submit an appeal and what to include:
  • A written statement describing the student’s academic circumstances
  • If appropriate, documentation, on letterhead, verifying the academic circumstances; types of documentation may include:
    • Letters or other documentation verifying involvement in academic support programs
    • Letters from University of Connecticut offices from whom the student has received support
  • A description of the student’s efforts to address their circumstance prior to being subject to dismissal
  • The student’s plans for future academic success
• What will result when the student’s appeal is approved or denied
• When students will be notified of the appeal decision.  Students seeking an expedited decision will be required to submit their complete appeal prior to the regular appeal deadline.  Both deadlines will be included in the letter and email that they receive informing them of the appeal process.

Students who do not submit an appeal by the deadline indicated in their notification correspondence will be academically dismissed. Late appeals are NOT accepted.

Click Here for Critical Dismissal Appeal Process and Deadline Information 

The University works hard to support students who are at academic risk. From the moment that a student is identified as being at risk, whether it is a mid-term grade warning, an academic warning, or being placed on probation, we take active steps to connect the student to the appropriate support services and resources on campus. Our goal is always to support the student. Sometimes this means working closely with the students as they resolve those issues that are causing their academic difficulties. For other students it involves counseling them out of an academic program for which they are not suited. For a few, it means dismissal from the University.

The decision to dismiss a student is not made lightly. We do a holistic review of the student’s progress at the University, looking at the circumstances that led to their academic decline, as well as opportunities for success moving forward. We take into account the efforts that students have taken to address their difficulties as well as the academic progress that they have made. Ultimately, we consider whether or not UConn is the best place for them to be at this particular point in time.

If a student is dismissed from the University of Connecticut there are options for returning at a later date and we will work with those students who intend to return so that they may resume their studies with the best possible chance of future success.

From posting of final grades to student notification of appeal outcome, the dismissal process takes between 4 and 5 weeks.

• Final grades are due (Wednesday following finals in the Fall semester and Tuesday following finals in the Spring semester).
• 3 to 5 days after grades are due, the Office of the Registrar runs a report to identify students who are subject to dismissal.
• 1-2 days later students are notified of their status and given instructions for how to appeal.
• Students are given between 5 and 7 days to submit a completed appeal.
  • Students wishing to seek an earlier decision may request an expedited review of their appeal. Navigate to the Expedited Appeals page for more information about the expedite appeal process
• Once the appeal deadline is closed, University faculty and staff review appeals and make recommendations on dismissal or retention.
• An appeal committee is then convened to review appeals and recommendations.
• Students are notified of the outcome of their dismissal appeal 7-9 days after the dismissal appeal deadline. Notification will be via UConn email.

Expedited Appeal Decision Deadline: Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.

International students wishing to have their appeal decision expedited are required to submit a completed appeal earlier than the regular appeal deadline. Both deadlines will be included in the email notification sent to students outlining the details of the dismissal appeal process.  The expedited decision appeal process will be available to students who meet one or both of the following criteria:

• Undergraduate students who hold F-1 or J-1 visas whose dismissal will require that they transfer to another institution or that they leave the country.
• Undergraduate students who are involved in University-sponsored programs or events which are in progress during the appeal review timeline, and whose participation in the program or event requires verification that they will remain matriculated at the University the following semester. Students who are working in paid employment at the University are not, necessarily, considered to be involved in a University-sponsored program.

Students seeking an expedited appeal decision will be required to provide evidence that they meet one of these criteria.

Link to the dismissal appeal form here.

The dismissal appeal committee comprises representatives from the following offices, each of whom plays a key role in supporting student success at the University of Connecticut. Before reviewing appeals, feedback is sought from university officials, including advisors, instructors and other faculty or staff with whom a student may have worked closely.

While we will make every effort to review your appeal as soon as possible, it may not be reviewed immediately upon receipt. Please note that all University employees are mandated reporters of child abuse or neglect. In addition, UConn employees have responsibilities to report to the Office of Institutional Equity student disclosures of sexual assault and related interpersonal violence; any information you submit in this appeal is subject to UConn reporting policies. If you feel you need more immediate assistance or support, we encourage you to reach out to the Dean of Students Office and/or Student Health and Wellness – Mental Health. In addition, if you have concerns related to sexual harassment, sexual assault, intimate partner violence and/or stalking, we encourage you to review the resources and reporting options available at: Title IX: Office of Institutional Equity

Fee Bills

You may receive a fee bill for the next semester before final dismissal decisions are made. You will receive the bill because students subject to dismissal remain matriculated until a decision on their dismissal appeal is finalized.  If you choose to pay your fee bill before final decisions are made and you are subsequently dismissed, the University will refund your payment. If you do not pay your fee bill before final decisions are made and are you are retained, you will be required to pay your fee bill in full by the deadline set down by the Office of the Bursar, if you plan to remain matriculated at the University of Connecticut.  Please follow the instructions outlined by the Office of the Bursar to ensure that your fee bill is paid by the due date. Please go to http://bursar.uconn.edu/students-page/ for more information.

Financial Aid

If you have received correspondence from the Office of Student Financial Aid Services informing you that you did not meet the University's minimum satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards, please review the correspondence carefully and go to http://financialaid.uconn.edu/sap/ for guidance on their appeal process.  IMPORTANT: Financial Aid and scholastic dismissal appeal decisions and processes are separate and independent. Students must submit both a dismissal appeal and a SAP appeal if they find themselves in both of these processes.

Please keep in mind that should you have any incomplete grades, such as I, X or N, your GPA will be calculated using the grades that are posted. Each incomplete grade will carry a GPA of 0.0.  If no final grades are posted, you will be considered to have a semester GPA of 0.0.

If you complete your outstanding work and a final grade is posted, this may raise your grade point average above the minimum standards required for you to be in good standing. In such a case, the Registrar will recalculate your GPA and your probationary status will be rescinded. If a grade change puts you in good standing any time during the dismissal appeal period please email advising@uconn.edu to inquire about next steps.

If the incomplete grade or grades remain on your transcript during the dismissal appeal period, please keep in mind that when reviewing your appeal, advisors will take into account the impact on your subsequent semester's workload that having to complete courses from the previous semester will have.

Once final grades have been posted for any incomplete grades, your academic standing will be updated accordingly.

If you are approved to continue as a matriculated student, you will remain in the academic standing process with the academic standing status of "subject to dismissal" while either your semester or cumulative GPA is below 2.0. You will also be limited to 14 credits per semester until you return to good standing. You may also be subject to additional academic conditions as set down by your dean’s designee at the Storrs campus or your Student Service director if you attend a regional campus.  If you do not earn a grade point average of 2.0 or higher at the end of the next semester, you will be subject to dismissal again.

Students dismissed from the University of Connecticut may still have the opportunity to enroll in undergraduate level credit courses at the University as a non-degree (non-matriculated) student. These courses may be used to determine readmission to the University or as transfer credits at another institution.  A University of Connecticut degree-seeking student dismissed from their degree program must apply as non-degree student and obtain written permission from their previous program to register as a non-degree student each semester. Permission may be given for up to 8 credits per semester and is required for each semester of non-degree enrollment.  To apply as a non-degree student, please visit the Non-Degree website. To schedule an appointment to discuss enrolling in classes as a non-degree student, and to obtain permission to register, contact a Non-Degree advisor at the campus at which you seek to take classes.