A note to our students,
If you are a student exploring this webpage, there's a chance that you are navigating the subject to disqualification process. We want to acknowledge that this can feel discouraging, stressful, and even scary! You may feel concerned or anxious about your academic standing. Please know that academic difficulty often reflects challenging circumstances, not your academic ability. Many students experience difficulty during their time at UC Davis, and many students return to good academic standing.
We care about you and are here to support you.
Your advisors are here to partner with you toward academic recovery and we share your goal of graduating successfully from UC Davis. That is our responsibility to you.
Overview
Students can be Subject to Disqualification due to Grade Point Average (GPA), Minimum Progress (MP), or both. The following situations will result in each academic status:
- Subject to Disqualification (SD) for GPA: This can result from one or more of the following:
- An overall or term GPA below 1.500 (i.e. 1.499 or lower)
- Accumulating over 16 units of Incomplete "I" grades
- An overall or term GPA between 1.500 to 1.999 for three consecutive terms
- Subject to Disqualification (DQ) for MP: This is a result of a student's Degree Progress Average (DPA) falling below 12 for four consecutive full-time quarters.
Academic status is determined at the end of each regular term (Fall, Winter, Spring) upon submission of final course grades to the Registrar’s Office. Once grading has been completed, the Registrar will begin "end-of-term" processing and academic status for the term will be updated on official transcripts.
Navigating the Subject to Disqualification Process
The following information will cover each of the steps of the process in the College of Letters and Science and steps you should take if you are Subject to Disqualification (SD).
Notifications
You will receive a message via the UC Davis message center notifying you of your status. Included in this message are specific instructions on how to schedule and prepare for your required appointment. It is very important that you read the message carefully as soon as you receive it and take action immediately. Failing to take action may result in being dropped from your courses.
In general, notifications will be sent on roughly the following timeline:
- Fall quarter - First week of Winter quarter (early January)
- Winter quarter - First week of Spring quarter (late March/early April)
- Spring quarter- About 1-2 weeks after Spring quarter ends (mid June)
Scheduling an Appointment
You will be required to meet with an academic advisor in College of Letters and Science, Undergraduate Education and Advising office to discuss your status and potential continuation. Your notification will include the specific link to schedule your appointment with an advisor in our office. It is critical that you book the first available appointment. If you encounter issues in scheduling, you should contact the advising office directly.
Preparing for an Appointment
Once you have scheduled your appointment you should take the following steps in preparation for meeting with an advisor.
Complete the Subject to Disqualification Questionnaire
This is an opportunity to describe your experience in your own words, including any extenuating circumstances you may have faced. In preparation for your appointment, please engage in thoughtful reflection to identify sources of difficulty and provide your advisor with some context around your circumstances. Providing detailed and thoughtful responses through the questionnaire allows us to best partner with you towards your future academic success at UC Davis. However, we recognize that there may be topics that you may be concerned about including on this document; please know that you will have an opportunity to discuss additional circumstances with your advisor in your appointment.
Continue to attend and study for your classes
Make sure you are in a reasonable and appropriate course load. If you received a D, F or NP in a series course, you should not be enrolled in the next course in the series (i.e. do not register for MAT 19B if you received a D in MAT 19A). Instead, plan to repeat courses if appropriate.
Consider creating an academic plan in consultation with your major advisor. If you have been following a specific major plan unsuccessfully, adjust your schedule to reflect a viable alternative major. Be aware that you are not allowed to elect for Optional P/NP grading in letter graded courses if you are not in good academic standing for GPA.
Engage in thoughtful reflection
Before meeting with an advisor, we encourage students to reflect on the following questions:
- What are your academic goals and do you feel they are realistic? Are they truly your goals?
- Is UC Davis meeting your academic and personal needs?
- Are you ready to continue your studies at UC Davis or do you feel a break from school could be beneficial? Would time off allow you to address specific issues (ie: health, financial, personal, or family)?
- What specific actions can you take to improve your academic situation? Examples include:
- Reducing unit load
- Working fewer hours at your job
- Changing your living environment
- Committing to utilizing campus resources on regular basis
What to Expect in Your Appointment
During the appointment, your advisor will
- Explain your current academic status and review your academic progress
- Discuss circumstances that may have impacted your academic performance
- Identify resources and services to support your academic success
- Help you create a realistic plan toward your academic goals
- Determine whether you will be permitted to continue or be disqualified from student status.
If permitted to continue
Your advisor will review specific expectations for the upcoming quarter and establish a personalized Success Agreement for Continuation outlining your responsibilities. If you do not meet the established agreement by the end of the quarter, you will be disqualified from the University. Note: you will be expected to contact your advisor if circumstances arise that may impact your ability to meet your agreement.
If disqualified
Your advisor will review important information regarding your disqualification. Your name will be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar and you will be dropped from your current courses. Your advisor will establish a Success Agreement for Readmission with clear instructions for returning to UC Davis. If applicable, your advisor will discuss ways to address specific academic deficiencies such as GPA or Minimum Progress. This may include attending UC Summer Session or community college.
Steps to take if you are disqualified
- Review the Exit Resource form provided by your advisor and contact other campus units as needed (i.e. Financial Aid, Student Housing, Services for International Students and Scholars etc.).
- Review your Success Agreement for Readmission for detailed instructions for returning to UC Davis, including readmission application deadlines.
- If required, explore options for enrolling at UC Davis Summer Sessions. If you wish to attend Summer Session at another UC or through UC Online, you must contact your advisor before enrolling to review your plan.
- If required, contact a local community college to begin the enrollment process. Note: most community colleges are on semesters which do not correspond to UC Davis quarter, so contacting them in a timely manner may be critical.
- Stay in contact with your advisor and contact them if you have questions.
Read more about the Readmission process in the College of Letters and Science
Although this may be a challenging time, remember that we are here to support you. Sometimes achieving your goals may not look like what you envisioned, but we are here to discuss your options and work with you to create a path to your academic success.