The current undergraduate student Academic Standing policy has been in effect since the beginning of the Fall 2013 semester. Please see below for information about the policy. To read the policy as listed in the undergraduate catalog, please click here.
What factors impact academic standing?
Academic standing is not just about grade point average (GPA), but also includes a measure of your completion ratio for a semester.
What is a completion ratio?
The completion ratio is the percentage of classes that you successfully completed out of the classes that you were registered for in a given semester. Any course that has a W, X, I, F, or U grade is considered a non-completion. You must complete 67% or more of your credits.
Formula: Credit Hours Completed / Credit Hours Attempted = Completion Ratio
What is considered ‘good standing’?
At the undergraduate level, good academic standing means that the student has a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Academic Warning
What is Academic Warning?
You are placed on academic warning only once if either
- You are a first semester student and your GPA is below 2.0
- You have not completed 67% or more of your credits, and this is your first semester ever that you have not been in Good Academic Standing.
Will academic warning be on my transcript?
An academic warning notation will display in CampusNet on your unofficial transcript only. Official transcripts will not display a standing of academic warning.
Academic Probation
What is Academic Probation?
You are placed on academic probation when your Cumulative GPA is below 2.0 and/or you have not completed 67% or more of your credits. Please note that if this is your first semester, and are identified by GPA, then you are on warning, not probation.
How will I know I’m on probation?
At the end of a semester, the Registrar’s office will process academic standing to determine all student standings. If you are on probation, you will receive an email communication that you are on probation.
Will academic probation be on my transcript?
Yes, the probation notation will display on your unofficial and official transcripts.
Can you register for classes when you are on academic probation?
Yes. When you are on probation, you are still an active student and are eligible to register. You are encouraged to meet with your academic advisor to discuss your registration.
How long can I stay on academic probation?
Academic probation may be continued for one additional semester if the student earns a semester grade-point average of 3.00 but the cumulative grade point average remains below 2.00.
The student will return to good standing if he/she earns a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 and successfully completes 67% or more of the credits attempted.
How do I get off academic probation?
To get off probation, you must meet the minimum academic requirements set by the University, which is a 2.0 cumulative GPA and complete 67% or more of your credits.
How will being on academic probation affect my financial aid and scholarships?
Financial Aid Eligibility is based on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), which closely resembles the academic standing criteria. If you are placed on academic probation, you should contact a Financial Aid specialist to discuss your aid and scholarship situation. See Financial Aid's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for more information.
Does being placed on academic probation mean that I can’t participate in off-campus, extracurricular or co-curricular activities?
It may. Many of these programs do set minimum academic standards for participation. You will need to check with individual programs and organizations about your eligibility.
Academic Suspension
What is Academic Suspension?
You are academically suspended when your previous semester was academic probation and you remain below a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and/or you have not completed 67% or more of your credits. The only exception is if you achieve a semester GPA of above 3.0 and complete 67% or more of your credits, you are eligible for continued probation.
Once academically suspended, you are required to sit out for 2 consecutive semesters and must petition the College of your major to return. If you have earned below 60 hours, you may opt to petition to return to Exploratory.
How will I know I’m suspended?
At the end of a semester, the Registrar’s office will process academic standing to determine all student standings. If you are suspended, you will receive both an email communication and a letter indicating that you are suspended.
Will academic suspension be on my transcript?
Yes, the suspension notation will display on your unofficial and official transcripts.
What happens when you are academically suspended?
When you are suspended, you are removed from all future enrollment and your record is made inactive. You are required to sit out for 2 consecutive semesters before petitioning to return to the University.
How does the readmission process work?
In general, as a suspended student you are not eligible to enroll at CSU for a minimum of two semesters and must formally petition for readmission to return. Readmission is a lot like applying to college, though in this case information is sought to ensure that you can be academically successful upon return.
Students seeking readmission must meet with an advisor well ahead of their desired return to discuss the petition process, the application of any transfer credits taken while suspended, and to map out a strategy for a successful return.
If I’ve been placed on academic suspension, can I get into another school?
Yes, definitely. Taking classes successfully at another accredited institution is a good way to ‘get back on your feet’ academically, to continue making progress on your degree, and could be beneficial if you petition to return to CSU in the future. CSU has particularly strong relationships with local community colleges and well-established transfer rules therefore most credits from regionally accredited schools should transfer back to CSU. Check with your CSU academic advisor about classes to focus on for transfer back to CSU.
Of course, other schools have admission requirements that may differ from CSU’s admission and/or readmission requirements. Make sure you check with schools you are interested in attending. Most schools will require you to send a copy of your official academic transcript. CSU transcript ordering information can be found here.
I’ve been on probation at CSU before; will I get suspended right away?
You may. If your previous semester placed you on probation, and you do not achieve the GPA or completion percentage to achieve good standing, you will be placed on Academic Suspension.
Academic Separation
What is Academic Separation?
You are academically separated when you are academically suspended for the second time. Academic separation is a permanent dismissal from the University.
How will I know I’m separated?
At the end of a semester, the Registrar’s office will process academic standing to determine all student standings. If you are separated, you will receive both an email communication and a letter indicating that you are separated.
Will academic separation be on my transcript?
Yes, the separation notation will display on your unofficial and official transcripts.
What happens when you are academically separated?
When you are separated, you are removed from all future enrollment and your record is made inactive. This is a permanent action as you are restricted from returning to the University.
General Questions
What’s the difference between academic probation, academic suspension and academic warning?
Students are placed on academic warning only once if either
- You are a first semester student and your GPA is below 2.0
- You have not completed 67% or more of your credits, and this is your first semester ever that you have not been in Good Academic Standing.
Students are placed on academic probation when their academic performance fails to meet standards set by the University. Consequently, the Committee on Academic Standing places these students on probation as a way of officially notifying them that their performance must improve. Usually, when the committee places a student on probation, it sets conditions, such as a specific minimum grade point average for the upcoming semester, which must be met in order to continue at Cleveland State University. If these conditions aren’t met, the student risks academic suspension.
Academic suspension is a more serious action the Committee on Academic Standing takes. Students who are suspended are no longer eligible to continue at Cleveland State University. They may only return to CSU by petitioning the college of their major after sitting out 2 consecutive semesters.
Can I appeal my standing?
Generally, no. Academic standing is a point in time designation and depicts how you performed in a semester. Most students will be ineligible to enroll at CSU for a minimum of two semesters following academic suspension; however, in exceptional cases, you may petition to return early.
In certain situations, the Undergraduate Catalog allows for review of your academic standing status. These situations include where:
- Standing was calculated based on the inclusion of a grade, or grades, that was/were subsequently changed due to administrative or faculty error
- Standing was calculated based on the inclusion of an incomplete grade, or grades, that was/were subsequently changed after completion of incomplete course requirements
- Standing was calculated based on the inclusion of a grade, or grades, that was/were subsequently changed to W (Withdrawal) as a result of an approved college or university petition
- A student is completing their degree in the same semester that a Warning, Probation, Suspension or Separation status is assigned
Talk to your advisor about whether one of the above scenarios applies to you.
How does being placed on academic suspension or academic separation affect my financial aid and scholarships? Will I need to repay loans immediately?
Suspended students will, of course, stop receiving financial aid and they may need to contact organizations through which they have scholarships in order to stop receiving payments. Failure to do so might be considered fraud. There are various conditions for starting loan repayment. If you are suspended, you should discuss your financial situation with the Financial Aid Office. If you return to CSU through the readmission process, you may be able to resume your financial aid and scholarship, but this isn’t always guaranteed. Part of the readmission process involves reapplying for financial aid. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.