Academic Standing

What does it mean to be in "good academic standing"? What does 'academic notice' mean?

And what does it mean to be "subject to disqualification "?

In the College of Chemistry, when a student's cumulative (overall) and current (most recent term) grade point averages are 2.0 or better, that student is in good academic standing. If either the cumulative or current G.P.A. falls below 2.0, the student is on academic notice and is subject to disqualification .

While most students in the CoC are in good academic standing, occasionally — and for a variety of reasons, some beyond the student's control — some find themselves on academic notice and subject to disqualification .

Note that most students successfully overcome a period on academic notice and go on to have excellent careers after graduation from the CoC. Even subsequent disqualification is not the end of the world — in many cases, time away from Berkeley provides an important space for students to deal with issues that undermine academic success.

Remember that taking action early when you find yourself experiencing difficulties is generally more effective than reacting after it becomes an administrative problem for you. Your advisers in CoC's Undergraduate Student Services and the Undergraduate Dean are here to help — don't hesitate to reach out for more information and support.

Academic Notice
Disqualification
Readmission to the College of Chemistry After Disqualification
Readmission to the College of Letters & Science After Disqualification
Resources

Academic Notice

Students will be placed on academic notice if they do not achieve an overall and semester grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher. Grades for courses taken in summer are not factored into academic notice status. Students on academic notice are placed under the supervision of the Undergraduate Dean and must meet regularly with their college adviser. Since no grade points accrue from courses taken on a Passed/Not Passed basis (making it more difficult to rise above a 2.0), you may not take courses for P/NP (with the exception of physical education courses and courses offered only on a passed/not passed basis).

Disqualification

Students who are on academic notice for two consecutive semesters will be disqualified, although suspension is perhaps a more accurate term. Students who are disqualified are frequently eligible for readmission in a future semester. Note that due to the timeline for posting official grades, students may not be notified of their disqualification for several weeks after the end of the semester in question. Regardless of when a student receives official notification of the disqualification , students will not be allowed to continue in classes in the following semester once they are disqualified.

Readmission to the College of Chemistry After Disqualification

If a student has been disqualified from the College of Chemistry they may be eligible for readmission in a future semester, subject to approval by the Undergraduate Dean. To be eligible, the student must take at least a one-year break from UC Berkeley and at least one semester off from academics. After this break, the Undergraduate Dean may consider readmitting students who demonstrate that they identified and took tangible steps to address the challenges that led to their academic difficulty.

After one semester away from academics, students who believe they have addressed their challenges and who wish to enroll in courses at another institution, or at Berkeley through concurrent enrollment, must contact their CoC college adviser to discuss returning to academic study.

Readmission after disqualification will be considered if students meet the following minimum requirements:

Enroll for one semester or two consecutive quarters at another institution (normally a CA community college or UC Extension) for at least 12 units/term of transferable coursework that fulfills major requirements*
Receive Bs or better in major required courses
Demonstrate you have addressed the issues which led to your lack of academic success

In some cases, it may be best to apply for readmission to another college at Berkeley, or to pursue your education at another institution. Students who have been disqualified twice are not eligible to apply for readmission to the College of Chemistry.

* Students with a verified work schedule of 20+ hours/week may request to take fewer units/term.

Readmission to the College of Letters & Science After Disqualification

Students disqualified from the College of Chemistry who wish to pursue a major in L&S may be eligible to apply for readmission directly to L&S. However, to be eligible, you must follow these guidelines:

Enroll for two consecutive semesters or three consecutive quarters at another institution (normally a California community college) or concurrent enrollment via UC Berkeley Extension , for at least 12 units/term of transferable coursework that fulfills L&S requirements and major pre-requisites (CC units don’t count toward L&S unit cap)
Earn grades of B or better in each class taken after disqualification
Satisfy the Reading & Composition requirement if applicable
After completing your first term, meet with an L&S college adviser
Review the L&S Change of College Guidelines
Choose a viable major; meet with the appropriate L&S major adviser