Low Scholarship

Following are the general university regulations relating to low scholarship. The Studies committee of each college/school may determine more stringent requirements. Students with questions regarding their academic standing should consult their college/school student services office.

“On Trial”

This is an intermediate status between good standing and dismissal in which students remain enrolled according to stated academic conditions of their college/school.

Students are placed “on trial” by their dean or designated committee of their college/school. Special academic conditions may be set in each case. Normally the period of “trial” status is one semester.

This policy applies in the following instances:

1. Students, having been dismissed for low scholarship, are placed “on trial” upon readmission.
2. Students may be placed “on trial” if in any semester they have failed one-half or more of their semester credits, but have been permitted to continue in college/school.
3. Students whose records have been consistently below the graduating average or generally unsatisfactory in any semester may be placed “on trial” or continued “on trial” even though they do not come within the provisions that apply to “separation”.

Separation

Students are dismissed from UVM if they receive grades below passing in one-half or more of their semester credits in any semester, unless they are allowed to continue by action of the designated committee.

Students who fail to meet the condition of their trial or whose record has been unsatisfactory and consistently below the graduation average may be dismissed for low scholarship even though they do not come within the “on trial” provisions.

Students dismissed for low scholarship must address their application for readmission to their college/school and receive written approval from their dean before enrolling in any university course.

Students dismissed for disciplinary reasons must receive written approval from the Division of Student Affairs before enrolling in any university course.

The Academic Reprieve Policy is designed to make it possible for former UVM students, whose academic performance when first enrolled was below standard, to resume their studies without the encumbrance of the grades previously earned.

The Academic Reprieve Policy is available to returning students who have not been enrolled at UVM or any other accredited institution of higher education for a period of at least three calendar years.

Former students returning to the university may request the application of the Academic Reprieve Policy only once in their career at UVM. The established procedures and criteria for admission or readmission apply to students applying for an Academic Reprieve.

The dean of the college/school in which the student is enrolled at the time of initial eligibility for the application of the Academic Reprieve shall determine eligibility for, and application of, the reprieve. Eligible former students must file a petition with the appropriate dean requesting reprieve of all prior course work at the university, either at time of admission or readmission or before the close of the first semester of re-enrollment. The Academic Reprieve Policy includes all previous UVM work and does not allow the students to pick and choose individual courses for reprieve. All courses with grades below passing are ignored, credits for courses passed are carried forward, but the grades are not figured in the new grade-point average, which begins again at zero.

Any person electing the reprieve option is required to complete a minimum of thirty additional regularly graded credits at UVM before a degree may be awarded; these credits are not open to the pass/no pass option. Those electing the reprieve option may qualify for honors at graduation only on the same basis as any transfer student, i.e., completion of sixty or more regularly graded credits at UVM.

Persons electing the reprieve option will be required to meet degree requirements of the catalogue in effect on the date of the student’s application for readmission.

The Academic Reprieve Policy applies solely to regular undergraduate degree programs. Graduate programs are specifically excluded.

Please note: the University of Vermont is required to include all courses, whenever taken, in evaluating a student’s satisfactory academic progress as it relates to a student’s financial aid eligibility. There is no provision made for courses that have been granted academic reprieve. Please contact Student Financial Services at (802) 656-5700 if you have questions concerning your financial aid eligibility.