Academic Standing

Students' academic status is reviewed on a quarterly basis. Academic standing is determined by GPA and degree progress. To be in good standing:

• Maintain a quarterly and cumulative GPA above 2.0, and
• Make progress towards your degree: This includes but not limited to minimum repetition of degree requirements and making efficient time to degree.

The Student Affairs Office will notify students of their academic probation status via their UCI email account.  The letter will include requirements and an academic probation contract which will outline specific conditions that must be met in order to return to good academic standing.

It is the student’s responsibility to:

• Manage their UCI account
• Read and respond to official messages from their academic counselors immediately
• Monitor academic progress and maintain good academic standing.

Failure to meet the steps outlined in the academic probation letter will result in either an administrative hold on the student’s record or academic disqualification.

Students should contact their academic counselor soon after receiving the academic probation notification to ensure their upcoming course load is reasonable and to learn about helpful campus resources.

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 » Academic Probation

Students are on academic probation if:

Their quarterly or cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. OR

If student is not making progress towards Entry Level Writing or Lower Division Writing within the UCI Catalogue Policies OR

If a student is not making satisfactory progress towards their major/degree

Student is put on Academic Recovery Contract and must meet the terms of the contract in order to avoid Academic Disqualification.

Academic Disqualification

-Academic disqualification will result if the student does not meet the terms of their probation contract. 

-Student is given the opportunity to appeal.

» Submitting a Letter of Appeal

A letter of appeal should explain any unusual or extenuating circumstances that may have contributed to the student's academic difficulties (i.e. health issues, family responsibilities, situations outside of student's control, difficulty understanding course material, time management, etc.).  The student should also explain their plans and actions for effectively addressing these circumstances in order to return to good academic standing.  Essentially, the letter of appeal is the student's opportunity to advocate for themselves and to explain why a reconsideration should be granted.

The Associate Dean will carefully review the student's appeal letter, transcript and academic file with the academic counselors before making a final decision.  Note that the Associate Dean for Student Affairs is the chief academic officer for the Bren School of ICS, and his decisions regarding disqualification appeals are final.

Decisions will be sent to students within seven to ten business days.  Students should try to be patient with the process as it takes time to complete a holistic review of the student's academic history.

Note: Naturally, many students ask what the chances are of having their appeal granted. A determination cannot be made until the Associate Dean completes the holistic review.  The Associate Dean makes a final decision in the best interest of the student.

If the appeal is granted, the student will be held to an academic contract that outlines the expectations and timeframe for returning to good academic standing.

If the appeal is denied, the student will be formally disqualified from the major, the Bren School of ICS, and UC Irvine.  

» Disqualification

If a student is formally disqualified, he or she may not register for courses or use university services after a stated date. The Registrar's Office will also be instructed to note the effective date of the disqualification on the student's official transcript. 

It is recommended that the student see an academic counselor to learn about the readmission process and policy.

» Readmission

If a student has been formally disqualified, the student is encouraged to make an appointment to speak with an academic counselor to learn about the readmission policy and to strategize future plans and goals. Please visit the page on Withdrawal and Readmission for additional information.

If / when the student readmits to ICS after being academically disqualified, the student must earn a 2.0 term GPA and Cs or higher in each course for the first quarter of return.  Failure to meet these terms may result in academic probation or be subject to disqualification.