Forms, Policies, and Procedures
One Stop Student Services, Twin Cities is an overall University resource that is available to you to help with registration, financial aid, academic records, billing, financial wellness, and veteran services. There is a number of systems, policies, and procedures you need to be aware of as a graduate. . . let's get started.
Ensure you're familiar with the Graduate Planning & Audit System (GPAS). This system allows graduate and professional students to plan future coursework and view student degree progress. You only need to add coursework that you plan on taking because the audit (advisement report) will already track completed coursework and requirements. If you want to add or remove a graduate minor, you will need to submit a separate form.
Degree completion steps are the requirements you need to complete as part of your degree. Your graduate program may have additional requirements and specific timelines. If your degree program is not listed below, contact your program or visit the program website.
When you apply to graduate you will not be able to choose the month you intend to graduate. Instead, the University assumes when you are prepared to graduate based on the timing of your submitted application. You can determine when you should submit your application for a degree in MyU for your intended graduation month.
Ensure you're aware of what your degree requirements are and if you are fulfilling them. Know when to complete your Application for Degree, and talk to your advisor to help you prepare for the final steps of your academic experience at the University of Minnesota.
You may request to change degree award date if you believe that your degree should have been awarded on an earlier date, if you missed the deadline to apply to graduate, or for another legitimate reason.
Before your thesis or dissertation submission, you must ensure you are adhering to the formatting and submission requirements. You can also request to delay the release of your thesis/dissertation.
You must schedule the preliminary and final doctoral oral examination (final defense) with Graduate Student Services and Progress (GSSP) online as soon as the dates are set, but no later than one week prior to the examinations.
To assign or update final examination committees follow the steps as outlined by One Stop. Ensure you're familiar with the committee policy that applies to your program. If needed, you can use external committee members if there is not sufficient expertise among the faculty to examine your work with a very narrow or specific research focus.
As life happens, be sure to be familiar with the special registration categories as you may need them at one time or another during your time at the University of Minnesota.
If you need to interrupt your enrollment for reasons out of your control, you may be able to take a leave of absence with the opportunity to return to the University under the rules and policies in effect when you left and without affecting your time to degree.
If you have any questions regarding any CLA or UMN policies or procedures, connect with your Graduate Program Coordinator, Director of Graduate Studies, your advisor, or the Office of Research and Graduate Programs at [email protected].
Students may need to register solely to meet registration requirements and maintain active status. Special registration categories are available as options to remain active.
CLA Grad 999 Maximum Semesters
One Stop outlines the benefits and use of Grad 999.
CLA allows a maximum of two semesters in which graduate students may register for GRAD 999. Students must follow the requirements and procedures in this policy for registration permissions. CLA graduate students may register for up to two semesters of GRAD 999 with program approval. Students enrolling in their first or second semester of GRAD 999 must contact their Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) for program approval processes.
Additional Semesters
Registration for GRAD 999 for a third or more semester requires program approval.
A CLA GRAD 999 Registration Request Form is available for program use if one is not established within the program. If not using the CLA form, program approval forms include the following:
- An outline of the work to be completed during the semester
- A projected timeline for successful degree completion
- Include the advisor’s and DGS’ signatures
- Submission of the form is to be included with the student’s annual progress review.
Doctoral Thesis Credits (8888)
Policy | Credit Requirements for Master's and Doctoral Degrees
Policy | Early Doctoral Thesis Credit Registration Option
All doctoral candidates are required to register for 24 semester credits of 8888. Graduate programs have the discretion to determine when it is academically appropriate for students to take 8888.
Advanced Status
Master (8333) and PhD (8444) students have a one-credit registration option for eligible students who must certify full-time status to be compliant with the requirements of the University and/or external agencies.
Master’s students must have prior approval from GSSP. PhD students need program permission. Review the Special Registration Categories website for more information
International Students
International students are strongly encouraged to confer with the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) office if they are considering GRAD 999 or other special registration categories to discuss how to maintain legal status and health benefits.
Annual Reviews
University policy, Appendix | Annual Graduate Student Reviews: Guidelines provides guidelines for the annual review of students in doctoral and master’s programs. CLA graduate programs are required to use the CLA-designated Annual Progress Review form in Laserfiche.
Doctoral Programs
Programs must review the progress of each doctoral student at least once a year and must provide the results to the student in writing.
Policy | Doctoral Degree: Performance Standards and Progress
Master’s Programs
Programs must review the progress of each master’s student annually. Students deemed not to be in good standing must be informed of the results of the review in writing.
Policy | Master's Degree: Performance Standards and Progress
One Stop Student Services advises that if you do not plan to enroll in classes for at least 1 semester or more and plan to return to the University within 2 academic years, you may qualify for a leave of absence. A formal leave of absence allows you to break your continuous enrollment and return to your degree program at a later date. This provides several benefits to you, such as being able to maintain your active student status, and continuing with the same degree program requirements when you return. If you do not have a definite plan to return or are transferring to another school, please see information about withdrawing.
Students who are not able to maintain active status are strongly encouraged to consult with their director of graduate studies, advisor, and relevant offices to determine whether requesting a leave of absence is the most appropriate course of action.
Additional details and procedures are available at: Leave of Absence and Reinstatement
Policy | Graduate Assistant Employment
Policy | Parental Leave for Employees
Policy | Family and Medical - FMLA Leave
The University of Minnesota provides for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act for eligible employees, which includes Graduate Assistants.
Graduate assistants may be eligible for up to twelve weeks’ absence during a fiscal year for:
- Parental leave for childbirth and/or care of the newborn
- Family medical leave for care of a close family member (spouse/registered same sex domestic partner/child/parent (with a serious health condition)
- Personal medical leave for a serious health condition that prevents you from performing your duties or job-related responsibilities.
Eligibility requires that you have worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months preceding the leave.
Parental leave is available to an employee on 50% appointment or greater and is becoming a parent through birth, adoption, or gestational surrogacy or to an employee who is a gestational carrier.
Upon request, eligible employees may take six weeks of paid leave related to the birth, adoption, or gestational surrogacy of a child.
Contact [email protected] for current policy details and procedures.
Graduate Assistants holding a 50% appointment or greater are eligible for six (6) weeks paid parental leave in accordance with the Parental Leave for Employees policy.
Contact [email protected] for eligibility and additional details.
The University of Minnesota encourages its students to participate in education experiences abroad. To minimize health and safety risks, University policy requires students traveling to, and faculty/staff leading students to countries under a U.S. Department of State travel warning to seek special permission from the University’s International Travel Risk Assessment and Advisory Committee. Proposals should be approved by the department and submitted to ORGP for AD approval prior to travel.
All schools and colleges that offer graduate degrees must have a process in place to receive, evaluate, and resolve student appeals of academic dismissals. The process must also be published (e.g., in the graduate student handbook, collegiate website, or other accessible formats as requested) and communicated to students who are recommended for academic dismissal.
As outlined by the UMN Policy: Graduate Program Student Handbook: Guidelines, programs must provide students with a comprehensive and current handbook. Handbook components to include are outlined in the Graduate Program Student Handbooks CLA Guidance. Handbooks should be reviewed and updated annually.
Academic Complaints
Policy | Addressing Student Academic Complaints
Procedure | Conflict Resolution Process for Student Academic Complaints: Twin Cities
Departments that offer graduate degrees must have a process for receiving, evaluating, and resolving student academic complaints.
Student academic complaints are brought by students who received notifications that they failed to meet minimum academic standards and/or are being or have been dismissed from their programs based on academic grounds. Student academic complaints must be based on a claimed violation of a University rule, policy, or established practice.
The above-linked policy and procedure provides a framework for resolving student academic complaints that allows for both informal and formal resolution of conflicts. Academic complaints, warnings, dismissal, and appeals are not related to employment at the University.
Academic Warning Leading to Probation
Departments must outline in their graduate student handbook what may merit an academic warning in writing, which could result in being placed on academic probation. Instances of the criteria leading up to being placed on academic probation must be documented and stated in writing to the student, with copies retained in the department. University email is the official means of communication concerning academic standing. Warning documentation resulting in an academic probation is to accompany the required Annual Academic Progress Reviews.
If a student is placed on probation, departments must provide students with an opportunity to return to a satisfactory academic status by collectively establishing an improvement plan and timeline. Improvement plans must include required steps to be taken, a detailed timeline, and expectations in order to be removed from probationary status. Plans must also include processes and procedures if a student fails to return to satisfactory academic status. Notifications of academic warning, and/or improvement plans must explicitly detail the potential impact on tuition benefits and fringe benefits. If applicable, an additional letter may accompany the academic warning notification to advise on the implications for graduate assistantships.
Academic improvement plans must be documented in writing and shall be signed by the student, the student’s advisor(s), and the current Director of Graduate Studies. The department will retain the signed copy of the plan, and a copy shall be provided to the student. If a student refuses to sign the improvement plan, the department may move forward to the next step in the process as documented in the graduate student handbook, provided there is proof that the progress improvement plan was delivered and discussed with the student.
Students who do not meet the requirements outlined in a department's academic improvement plan by the agreed-upon date may be dismissed from the program. Students have the right to appeal the academic dismissal decision.
Programs and students may contact the CLA Office for Research and Graduate Programs ([email protected]) for assistance as needed.
Academic Dismissals
Academic dismissals are defined as dismissals related to the overall academic progress of a student (e.g., GPA below minimum, failure to satisfy a required milestone) and not related to employment at the University or non-academic student misconduct.
Academic dismissals are determined by the graduate program’s Director of Graduate Studies and the student’s advisor, with input from Graduate Program Coordinators and/or faculty associated with the student’s academic performance issue(s). Students are to be notified if/when they are being academically dismissed including the reasons for the academic dismissal and prior warning communications and probationary review results.
Notification of dismissal must be in writing and it must include an effective dismissal date and appeal options. It is to be provided to the student via their University email. The department will retain a copy of the dismissal notification and is responsible for notifying appropriate University Offices of the change in student status. Students have the right to appeal the dismissal decision.
Programs and students may contact the CLA Office for Research and Graduate Programs ([email protected]) for assistance as needed.
Appeals of Academic Dismissals
Whenever possible, appeals should occur after a dismissal decision is reached and has been communicated in writing to the student. If a student files a complaint regarding a graduate program’s academic dismissal policy, the unit and/or college may delay the start of the academic dismissal appeal process until the complaint is resolved. Dismissal communications must include that academic dismissal will result in the loss of assistantship and/or fellowship funding, health care benefits, and if any, tuition support will be retracted.
How to Initiate an Academic Dismissal Appeal
Appeals are to be submitted in writing and initiated by the student to CLA ORGP at [email protected] within 10 business days of the academic dismissal notification to the student. Business days will exclude University holidays.
Roles within the academic dismissal appeal process include the Associate Dean (AD) in the CLA Office of Research and Graduate Programs, or their delegate. The Associate Dean will work in partnership with CLA’s designated College Coordinator, who will serve as the Appeal Coordinator (AC). Both parties are responsible for receiving appeals and arranging a formal evaluation of an appeal and will confer with other central offices, as appropriate, to evaluate and resolve appeals of academic dismissals.
If the AD determines that any portion of the complaint is not subject to the academic dismissal appeal procedure, the AD will notify the student of that decision in writing within 10 business days of receiving the appeal request.
If the complaint is eligible for an academic dismissal appeal procedure, the AD and AC will establish a hearing panel, moderated by the AC, that will have at least three members drawn from non-associated faculty and/or academic staff of the dismissal decision or the impacting circumstances. Separate meetings will be arranged for a formal discussion with the student and the related unit within 15 business days of receiving the appeal. The student and related unit will have the opportunity to bring a support person (e.g., from the Student Conflict Resolution Center) to any formal hearing and to submit documentation/evidence for consideration of the appeal.
Evaluation of the Appeal
The sole purpose of an academic dismissal appeal is to determine whether the parties have been afforded due process. Academic dismissal appeals must be based on a claimed violation of a graduate program’s policies on student progress and dismissal.
Decision by Associate Dean
The panel will prepare a written report, articulating findings and recommending a resolution of the matter. The panel must submit its report within 10 business days of the close of the hearing to the Associate Dean (or designee) of the college.
Generally speaking, most appeals of academic dismissals will have one of two results:
- recommendation to the unit that the dismissal decision stands, needing no action; or
- recommendation to the unit to overturn the decision to dismiss and reinstate the student.
The Associate Dean (AD) will review the panel's report and may review any other parts of the hearing record. The AD has full discretion to accept or modify the panel recommendations. If the AD opts to modify the panel’s recommendation, they must provide their justification in writing. Within 10 business days of receipt of the panel report, the AD will issue a decision to the parties, unless there are compelling reasons for delay.
Resolution of complaints under this procedure may include student reinstatement or other corrective action for the benefit of the student, including refunds, but may not include the award of monetary damages or disciplinary action against any employee of the University.
The final decision, as communicated by the collegiate AD (or designee), is final and not appealable within the University.
Reinstatement
Students who are reinstated to their program must be in agreement with their academic advisor and/or Director of Graduate Studies on a detailed academic plan to establish and maintain good academic standing and plans to achieve degree completion, including a detailed timeline. If there is conflict between the student and their advisor, a transition to a new advisor shall be facilitated by the program’s DGS and/or department Chair as part of the reinstatement plan.
Appeals related to any of the following areas fall outside the academic dismissals definition and must be directed to the appropriate office for review:
- Discrimination; Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Stalking and Relationship Violence; Nepotism and Personal Relationships; or Retaliation under the purview of the Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office;
- Alleged violations of University rules, policies, or established practices under the purview of the Addressing Academic Complaints policy.
- Disciplinary action under Board of Regents Policy: Student Conduct Code.
When a student is filing complaints under both the academic dismissal policy and with one of the offices above, the school/college may delay the start of the academic dismissal appeal process until the resolution of the complaint is reached.