Frequently Asked Questions

All students, regardless of their academic status, have the option to withdraw from the semester up until the last day of instruction. In the case that a student withdraws while on Academic Probation, their readmission may require additional conditions to satisfy before returning. There can be significant financial and/or academic impacts of withdrawing. For that reason we highly recommend that students meet with an EOP Counselor beforehand to fully assess their options and make an informed decision.Should a student make the decision to withdraw, an academic advisor can also offer guidance about the Readmission process.

In order to ensure success while still considering health and wellness, students on Academic Probation may be eligible for a Reduced Course Load if they are a graduating senior, working full or part-time, parenting or caretaking, and/or have a disability. Reduced Course Loads are approved through the respective College and the Disabled Students Program (DSP).

Before a student requests a Reduced Course Load, they should first consult with a Financial Aid & Scholarships Office Advisor to verify their aid eligibility if they were to reduce their enrollment below 12 units.

In addition to a Reduced Course Load, students who are registered with the Disabled Students Program may also be eligible for additional academic accommodations that can benefit their holistic academic and personal success. Please refer to the DSP website for more information and/or schedule an appointment with an EOP Counselor to learn more.

Academic Probation can only be cleared during a Fall or Spring semester. However, taking courses during the Summer term can help a student better position themselves for the Fall or Spring academic term by providing them a boost in GPA and time to reflect, practice, and strategize for the following terms.

Although some courses that a student received a “D” or “F” in may be retaken at a community college to transfer to the university for credit, they will not count towards a student’s UC GPA. Students can use Assist.org to confirm if the community college course is transferable to UC Berkeley. We encourage students to meet with the EOP Degree Completion Counselor to explore your academic options and develop a plan that is best suited to their needs and timeline.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a federal policy that requires students to meet the following three academic conditions to maintain financial aid eligibility:

• Maintain a cumulative GPA at or above 2.0. by the annual SAP evaluation period that occurs at the end of each academic year.
• Complete 67% of all units attempted cumulatively (including accepted transfer units) during your undergraduate career.
• Attempted units (including accepted transfer units) must not exceed 150% of the published length of your degree program.

If a student does not meet the SAP requirements, they have the opportunity to appeal the decision and request for their financial aid eligibility to be reinstated. The student should use the SAP appeal to outline the circumstances that may have led to academic difficulty as well as highlighting progress/improvement in your pathway moving forward. For guidance on how to go navigate the SAP appeal process, meet with a Financial Aid & Scholarships Office Advisor and/or the EOP Degree Completion Counselor

If a student’s SAP appeal is not approved, they will not be eligible to receive Financial Aid for that academic year. If the student chooses to remain enrolled for that semester, they are responsible for the charges incurred on their account. If your SAP appeal is denied, we highly recommend that you meet with an EOP Counselor as soon as possible to discuss your options and outline next steps.

We recommend that you meet with an EOP Counselor for support as you begin the SAP Appeal process to get any questions answered and to ensure that you’ve fully completed each component of the appeal. Also, note the SAP Appeal priority deadlines for your semester as they change each year.

Depending on the circumstances, some students on Academic Probation may also not be meeting the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements. SAP is distinct from Academic Probation and is a federal policy that requires students to meet three academic conditions in order to maintain their financial aid eligibility. Students who are concerned that their academic status may impact their financial aid should consult directly with a Financial Aid & Scholarships Office Advisor and/or an EOP Counselor. To learn more about SAP, please refer to the question “What is SAP and how does it impact my degree progress?” or visit our Academic Probation webpage.

EOP offers Satellite Advising from various offices on campus including the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office (FASO). Currently, FASO offers one-on-one appointments with EOP students on a first-come first-served basis every Wednesday from 1-4PM during the fall and spring semesters.

To learn more about your college’s policies regarding Academic Probation and Dismissal, visit our Academic Probation webpage. You can also schedule an appointment with one of our counselors to discuss your specific situation.

Both the first and second attempts of a course will appear on a student’s transcript, but only the second attempt will be taken into consideration when calculating the cumulative GPA. If a course is attempted for a third time, the average grade between the second and third attempt will be factored into the GPA. All grades will still remain on the student’s transcript. Before a student retakes a course, they should check that their amount of repeat units is below the 12 unit ceiling that is applicable across all colleges. If you are unsure about your eligibility to retake a class, please meet with an EOP Counselor

Oftentimes students may face extenuating circumstances beyond their control. If a student is in good standing in a course, and has completed and passed a majority of the work required, they may request an Incomplete from their instructor during the term that they are on Academic Probation. The granting of the “Incomplete” is at the instructor’s discretion.

Being on Academic Probation provides an additional layer to a student's academic journey. Therefore, we strongly advise any student experiencing academic probation to consult with the EOP Degree Completion Counselor to discuss if requesting an “Incomplete” is an optimal fit for their unique situation.

EOP, R2R, and our campus partners make up a network of academic, financial, and wellness resources available to students on their journey to overcoming academic difficulty. Visit our Resources webpage to look through a complete list of resources and our Get Involved webpage to get connected with R2R.

At EOP, students can discuss their academic probation status holistically with any Academic Counselor. We highly encourage you to connect with our EOP Degree Completion Counselor to create a strategic plan that works for you. We also highly recommend that students connect with their College and/or Major advisors for support.

Students experiencing academic difficulty should first know that they are not alone! Many students face adversity during their academic careers and as a result, connecting to campus and personal support networks can help one navigate and feel more supported in their situation. A good first step is meeting with our EOP Degree Completion Counselor to discuss which academic options are available and best for you.

Rausser College of Natural Resources

CNR students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of ≥ 2.0 and a term/semester GPA of ≥ 1.5. If they are unable to meet the academic requirements, they will be placed on academic probation and provided instructions on how they may return to good standing. If they are unable to do so they may be subject to dismissal from the college. CNR students who are dismissed may not take any classes at UC Berkeley but may enroll in courses at a community college or other institution.

College of Chemistry

Students will be placed on academic probation if they do not achieve an overall and semester grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher.

College of Engineering

• To be considered in good standing in the College of Engineering, students are required to:

• maintain an overall UC GPA of ≥ 2.0

• maintain a technical GPA of ≥ 2.0

• maintain an upper division technical GPA of ≥ 2.0

• earn a GPA each semester ≥ 2.0;

• and make normal degree progress toward their officially declared major.

• As of Fall 2023, the CoE adjusted its academic standing categories in the following ways:

• Implemented new academic statuses called “Subject to Suspension” and “Suspension” into their college. 

• How it works: 

• Students are considered “Subject to Suspension” when they’ve not met the academic requirements of the college but are permitted to continue taking courses under specific conditions. 

• Students are suspended if they are reviewed and it’s determined that they should take a break from academics. The college requires that suspended students take at least one academic year away from UC Berkeley and also requires students to meet specific conditions, including stepping away from academics for at least one semester and, once they are ready, taking courses at a community college or through Concurrent Enrollment at UC Berkeley.

• Students are considered “Subject to Dismissal” if they’ve been “dismissed” or suspended once prior to Fall 2023 but are not dismissed following the current semester’s review. If they are unable to meet the requirements to return to good academic standing, they may be dismissed from the college.

• Students are dismissed if, upon review, it is determined that they have not made adequate progress in meeting the conditions to return to good standing. Students who are dismissed from Fall 2023 onwards are not eligible for readmission to the College of Engineering; however, they still have the option to readmit to another college, such as L&S for example.

College of Environmental Design

CED Students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of ≥ 2.0 and a term/semester GPA of ≥ 1.5. If a student cannot meet the GPA requirements, they will be notified by the college that they have been placed on academic probation and are subject to dismissal if they do not meet the criteria provided in their notification email. A student may be dismissed if they are unable to improve their academic performance. If a CED student is dismissed, they must take at least one semester away from UC Berkeley and can seek readmission once they “demonstrate tangible readiness to return”. This could mean performing well in community college courses and/or addressing any personal challenges or circumstances that lead to their dismissal.

College of Letters & Science

• L&S students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of ≥ 2.0 and a term/semester GPA of ≥ 1.5. Students who are unable to meet this requirement may be either continued on probation or subject to dismissal depending on how much improvement they’ve demonstrated. Students who continue on probation must still meet the requirements to return to good standing and may be subject to dismissal if it is determined that they may need to take time away and address the challenges that are affecting their academic performance.

• L&S students who’ve been dismissed must take at least two semesters away at another institution, earning ‘B’s’ or better with a full course load. They may also consider attending Summer Sessions or Extension courses at Berkeley. Please meet with us or an L&S college advisor for more information.