Academic Probation/Suspension Policy

General Academic Probation

If your term (semester) GPA is below 2.0, or if the cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, you might be placed on academic probation. Thie means:

  • a hold (PB) would be placed on your registration; for the period that you are on academic probation, you will be required to meet with an advisor in your student community before registering for subsequent terms or semesters; and
  • you will be required to earn a GPA of at least 2.0 each term, and your cumulative GPA must be at least 2.0, in order for the probation status to be lifted. When that is achieved, the probation hold will be removed, and you will again be in good academic standing at the University. 

Academic Suspension

If you are already on academic probation, and if both your term GPA and your cumulative GPA fall below 2.0, you might be suspended from the University. This means that you cannots register for classes at the University and will not receive financial aid for at least one year. 

Readmission to the University after Academic Suspension

Readmission to the University after suspension is not automatic, even after the minimum one-year period. If you have been suspended, you must appeal for readmission; the Scholastic Committee will then decide whether readmission is warranted at the time. 

If you are readmitted to the University after being susepnded, you will be placed on an academic contract for your first term of enrollment. The general terms of the contract will be that you receive a grade of C- or higher, or S, in all of your classes, and earn a GPA of at least 2.0 for that semester; additional terms might be added (such as completing a minimum number of credits that semester, and/or completion of specific required or pre-requisite courses for your major or proposed major). 

If you meet the terms of the academic contract, and if your cumulative GPA is at least 2.0, you will be taken off academic probation at the end of the contract term. If your cumulative GPA is below 2.0, however, you will continue on academic probation until your cumulative GPA is at or above 2.0 (during that time, you will still be required to have a term GPA of 2.0 or above for each semester you are enrolled).

If you do not meet the terms of the academic contract, you could be academically dismissed from the university.

Purpose of the policy

The academic probation/suspension policy at the University of Minnesota is not intended to be punitive. We understand that a student might run into academic difficulty for a wide variety of reasons, including (but not limited to) personal issues, poor time-management, inappropriate course selection, or unsuitable choice of major. The probation policy is intended to be an intervention by the University, to alert the student that certain adjustments need to be made to avoid continuing academic difficulty. The suspension policy is intended to give a student the time to address the issues that resulted in academic difficulty, when adjustments made during probation are no sufficient, and to prevent further damage to the student's academic record while those issues are resolved.