Academic Standing, Reinstatement, and Course Overloads

Full-time traditional undergraduates are encouraged to enroll in at least 32 semester hours each academic year to graduate within 4 years. However, full-time enrollment is met when students complete at least 24 semester hours per year while maintaining a 2.0 cumulative GPA; a part-time student, when completing 12 semester hours per year while maintaining a 2.0 cumulative GPA.

Student class level is determined by the number of semester hours completed as follows:

0-27, freshman;
28-59, sophomore;
60-91, junior;
92 and above, senior.

Students must meet the satisfactory academic progress standards as described under the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy in the Financial Aid section of the University catalog to maintain financial aid eligibility.

NOTE: The information on this page is for general guidance and may not apply to your specific situation.

Legend

Good Standing (GS): If you maintain an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher then you’re in good standing. [Note: A grade of C- is not equivalent to a 2.0 GPA].
Academic Warning (AW): If you fail to earn a term GPA of 2.0 or higher even though your overall GPA is above 2.0, then you will be given an academic warning. The academic warning is posted on the transcript and grade report for that semester.
Academic Probation (AP): If your overall GPA falls below 2.0 then you will be placed on academic probation. If you were academically reinstated after academic disqualification, you will be placed back on academic probation. A notation will be made on the transcript. Academic probation is a serious warning that your academic record is unsatisfactory. If you are on academic probation, you must obtain a ULV GPA of 2.0 or above each academic term until the cumulative ULV GPA meets or exceeds 2.0. You will not be eligible to enroll in the culminating activity or be cleared for Commencement until academic probation is removed. If you fail to improve your academic standing after one semester will be academically disqualified.
Academic Disqualification (AD): If you fail to earn a ULV GPA of 2.0 in any semester after being placed on academic probation, you will be academically disqualified. Academic disqualification will be recorded on the transcript. If you are disqualified for the first time, you may appeal for reinstatement and resume an academic probation status. You must maintain a ULV GPA of 2.0 or better every academic term until you resume good standing (an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher). If you are disqualified a second time–failed to earn a ULV GPA of 2.0 or higher in any academic term–then you must leave ULV for one academic year to take courses elsewhere and prove that you can be successful before returning to ULV by appeal reinstatement.

Academic Reinstatement or Readmission

The Dean of Academic & Career Success may consider extenuating circumstances in your appeal for reinstatement after receiving a notice of academic disqualification (first disqualification). A second disqualification for failing to earn a ULV GPA of 2.0 or higher results in automatic dismissal for one academic year.

During your absence after disqualification, you are encouraged to matriculate in courses at another college or university to demonstrate academic success. You can use these courses to appeal for academic reinstatement after one academic year. We encourage enrollment in degree-bearing courses that can be transferred to ULV.

Financial Aid Implications

Because financial aid is not guaranteed and may be denied even if you are academically reinstated, you may need to consider a financial plan on how you intend to pay tuition in the absence of financial aid. Academic reinstatement and financial aid by appeal are not guaranteed, thus, you are expected to treat these appeals as serious matters.

Course Overloads, Financial Aid, and Billing

A traditional undergraduate at the Central Campus must petition the Undergraduate Appeals Committee if he/she wishes to enroll for a total of more than 18 semester hours at La Verne or concurrently at another college or university. Seeking pre-approval of the transfer course(s) may save you valuable time and money if a course is determined as not eligible for transfer. The Registrar’s Transfer Center has more information about transferring courses, HERE.

Course overloads for January Inter-term and/or retroactive appeals for course overloads are not permitted.

The Registrar handles academic appeals.

Enrollment of Traditional Undergraduates in Fall/Spring Term, Regional and Online Campuses

Starting in fall term 2021, traditional undergraduates may register for any course(s) up to 18 semester hours attempted in fall or spring terms (17-week semester or 8-week session 1 or 8-week session 2) from any ULV campus location, except at the military campuses or work-site locations. Faculty recommend but do not require, that traditional undergraduates not exceed 10 semester hours in any one session in either fall or spring terms.

Be mindful about how your overall enrollment may affect financial aid or tuition, see the “Course Overloads, Financial Aid, and Billing” section on this page for details.

Click HERE for more information about our new academic calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question Will my financial aid be affected if I attempt more than 18 semester hours in a fall or spring term?

There are no financial aid implications for registering full-time at 12, 16, 18, or even 20 semester hours in any term (fall or spring). Thus, at any time in a cycle of registered and/or billed semester hours, the financial aid remains level (unchanged). There may be longer-term impacts of excessive withdrawals that could put you in poor standing for SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress).

Question I withdrew from a 4-semester hour course that brought me down to 12 semester hours, should I register for a fall/spring Session 2 course to bring up my overall semester hours back to 16?

Yes, you can register for another course, but this decision carries billing implications. The reason for this is that the total attempted semester hours of enrollment for the academic term would be 20 semester hours, not back to 16. You are responsible for the tuition you incurred in excess of the attempted unit maximum of 18 semester hours for the entire academic term (fall or spring). An academic term consists of a 17-week semester, an 8-week Session I, and an 8-week Session II.

Question What is the summer term enrollment limitation?

Students are allowed to take up to 12 semester hours overall in the summer. They can enroll in a mix of terms or sessions. Students seeking financial aid may appeal to the Office of Financial Aid, otherwise it is an out-of-pocket expense.

We recommend that students should take no more than 5 semester hours in any one session since these are only 4 weeks long.

Question I am currently taking two courses in semester “Session 1” (8-weeks), and 2 courses that are full semester (17 weeks). When the “Session 1” courses finish I will drop down to 8 semester hours. Do I need to take another course or two in “Session 2” (8-weeks) to get back up to 12 or 16 semester hours to maintain full-time standing for financial aid eligibility?

No, once the “Session 1” courses conclude you do NOT have to replace these with new courses from “Session 2” to “bring up” the semester hours to 16-18. Billing is based on the total attempted semester hours for the entire academic term. An academic term (fall or spring) consists of three academic calendars: one (1) 17-week semester, one (1) Session 1 (initial 8 weeks), and one (1) Session 2 (latter 8 weeks). As long as your total initial enrollment for the entire academic term is within or up to 18 semester hours max you should be fine. What you want to avoid is to add more courses, unless you want to add more courses in Session 2, that exceed the 18 total attempted semester hours for the entire academic term. Any semester hours in excess of the initial attempted 18 semester hours for the academic term come with an overload charge for every semester hour that exceeds 18.

See our other FAQ above, if you withdraw from a course. There are billing implications if you want to replace these semester hours in Session 2 that exceed the 18 semester hours maximum of attempted semester hours for the academic term.

Question I took an extended leave from the university and want to return to finish my degree. Can I return without the need to reapply for admission?

There are multiple scenarios here, each with its own set of pathways to returning.

IF YOU WERE ADMITTED PRIOR TO 2008, AND DID NOT ATTEND ANOTHER COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY:

If you were admitted prior to 2008, you must reapply for admission given that your original admission date was far too long for an appeal for an extension of time to be viable. If you are expected to reapply for admission and are accepted, you will be updated to the newest catalog year and with new academic requirements even if many, most, or all of your prior ULV academic work carries over.

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IF YOU WERE ADMITTED AFTER 2008, BUT ATTENDED ANOTHER COLLEGE AFTER LEAVING ULV.

If you seek to return but you transferred to another college or university, you must reapply for admission. You will be expected to submit official transcripts from all other colleges or universities you attended after leaving ULV. You will be updated to the newest catalog year and with new academic requirements even if many, most, or all of your prior ULV academic work carries over.

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IF YOU WERE ADMITTED AFTER 2008 AND YOU DID NOT ATTEND ANOTHER COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, AND YOU NEED MORE THAN 32 UNITS TO COMPLETE THE DEGREE.

You must reapply for admission. You will be updated to the newest catalog year and with new academic requirements even if many, most, or all of your prior ULV academic work carries over.

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IF YOU WERE ADMITTED AFTER 2008 AND YOU DID NOT ATTEND ANOTHER COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, AND YOU NEED FEWER THAN 32 UNITS TO COMPLETE THE DEGREE.

You can file an appeal for an extension of time to complete the degree with the University Registrar. Your appeal must include an advisor-endorsed completion plan, your statement, and the appeal cover sheet, downloaded from the Registrar’s website > “Undergraduate Appeals Forms” > “Other” (PDF).

Question I am an international student with a visa. How does an F or WF affect my visa status?

An F is allowable for an international student, however a WF can drop you below full-time units and put you out of status with your F-1 visa. If you are not succeeding in the class, then an F grade is preferable to a WF (but if we are honest, neither is a good mark to have), because an F will not affect their full-time status. If you have too many F’s, then these will affect your academic standing which may include one of the following progressive downgrades: academic warning, probation, or disqualification.

The WF can put you below the full-time status and that’s problematic if that class is part of your full-time units. The exception to this is if you have 16 or more semester hours then one WF grade will likely not affect you because you will have met the full-time 12-semester hours that are required of you with other courses and earned grades.

Question If I withdraw from a class and get a W on my transcript, do the units still count toward my full-time status and will this affect my financial aid for the academic term?

Where you started the academic term as a full-time student between 12-18 semester hours will have different effects to your “full-time” status vis-à-vis your financial aid.

First, let’s address the issue of full-time standing and withdrawing from a course: See the question above, “I withdrew from a 4-semester hour course that brought me down to 12 semester hours, should I register for a fall/spring Session 2 course to bring up my overall semester hours back to 16?”

Second, withdrawing from a course at the University of La Verne can impact your financial aid in several ways:

Return of Federal Funds: If you withdraw within the first 60% of the term, you may be required to return a portion of your federal financial aid. The amount to be returned is calculated based on the percentage of the term completed.
Repayment Responsibility: Both the university and the student share the responsibility to repay unearned aid. The student must repay their share within 45 days or set up a repayment plan with the U.S. Department of Education ¹.
Impact on Future Aid: Withdrawing from courses can affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) or might place you on SAP status to maintain your financial aid eligibility (consider being on SAP status as akin to being on probation).
Loan Deferment Status: Withdrawal might affect your loan deferment status and potentially require you to start repaying your loans sooner than expected.

If you have specific concerns or need personalized advice, it’s best to contact the Office of Financial Aid at the University of La Verne directly.