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Academic Standing
You enter the University in satisfactory standing, and your academic standing is determined soon after the end of a term based on your faculty's regulations. Standing codes are generated in January for the Fall term, in May for the Winter term, and in September for the Summer term, and are displayed on your McGill official and unofficial transcripts. If you receive unsatisfactory standing, you must apply to your faculty for readmission. Consult the appropriate section of this publication for the regulations on academic standing for your faculty.
Note for Continuing Studies: If you are in unsatisfactory standing, you must apply to the Appeals Committee of your academic area.
Academic Standing: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
Academic Standing: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
Your academic standing is based primarily on your cumulative grade point average (CGPA), but may also be affected by your term grade point average (TGPA). The standing in each term determines if you are allowed to continue your studies in the next term, and if any conditions will be attached to your registration.
Decisions about academic standing in the Fall term are based only on grades that are available in January, i.e., if you have deferred examinations or Fall/Winter spanned courses, grades for those courses don't affect your Fall academic standing – they will only affect your Fall TGPA. Therefore, academic standings for the Fall term are designated as interim. Note that interim standings do not appear on your official transcript. Consult the appropriate section of this publication for the regulations on Interim standing decisions.
Satisfactory/Interim Satisfactory Standing: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
Satisfactory/Interim Satisfactory Standing: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
Probationary/Interim Probationary Standing: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
Probationary/Interim Probationary Standing: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
If you are in interim probationary standing (at the end of the Fall term):
- you may continue in your program;
- you should evaluate your course load and reduce it as appropriate;
- you are strongly advised to consult a departmental adviser, before withdrawal deadlines about your course selection for the Winter term;
- you should see your Faculty adviser to discuss degree planning.
If you are in probationary standing:
- you may continue in your program;
- you must carry a reduced load (maximum 14 credits per term);
- you must raise your CGPA to return to satisfactory standing;
- you should see your departmental adviser about your course selection;
- you should see your Faculty adviser to discuss degree planning.
You will be placed in probationary standing:
- if your CGPA falls between 1.50 and 1.99 and if you were previously in satisfactory standing;
- if your CGPA falls between 1.50 and 1.99 and your TGPA in Fall or Winter is 2.50 or higher, and if you were previously in probationary or interim unsatisfactory standing;
- if you were previously in unsatisfactory readmitted standing and have satisfied the relevant conditions specified in your letter of readmission, but your CGPA is still less than 2.00.
Unsatisfactory Readmitted Standing: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
Unsatisfactory Readmitted Standing: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
If you are in unsatisfactory readmitted standing:
- you were previously in unsatisfactory standing and were readmitted by your Faculty or the Committee on Student Standing;
- you must meet the conditions specified in your letter of readmission to be allowed to continue in your program;
- you should see your departmental adviser to discuss your course selection;
- you should see your Faculty adviser to discuss degree planning.
Unsatisfactory/Interim Unsatisfactory Standing: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
Unsatisfactory/Interim Unsatisfactory Standing: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
If you are in interim unsatisfactory standing (at the end of the Fall term):
- you may continue in your program;
- you should evaluate your course load and reduce it as appropriate;
- you are strongly advised to consult an academic adviser, before withdrawal deadlines, about your course selection;
- you should see your Faculty adviser to discuss degree planning.
If you are in unsatisfactory standing:
- you have failed to meet the minimum standards set by the faculties;
- you may not continue in your program, and your registration will be cancelled.
You will be placed in unsatisfactory standing:
- if your CGPA falls or remains below 1.50;
- if your TGPA in the Fall or Winter falls below 2.50 and your CGPA is below 2.00 and if you were previously in probationary, unsatisfactory readmitted, or interim unsatisfactory standing;
- if you were previously in unsatisfactory standing and were readmitted by the Faculty or the Committee on Student Standing but have not satisfied the conditions specified in the letter of readmission.
Appeals for readmission by students in unsatisfactory standing should be received no later than July 15 for readmission to the Fall term, November 15 for the Winter term, and June 10 for the Summer term. Readmission will be considered only when proof of extenuating circumstances that affected academic performance can be provided (e.g., medical or other documentation). If you are in unsatisfactory standing for the second time, you must withdraw permanently.
Normally, supplemental examinations are not permitted; however, if you are in unsatisfactory standing, you may appeal for permission to write a supplemental examination, clearly stating the reasons for special consideration and providing proof as appropriate.
Note for students in the Concurrent B.Sc.-B.Ed. Program: If you receive an F or J in any Education Field Experience course, you are placed in unsatisfactory standing. Although you may complete your term, you are required to withdraw from the Concurrent Program. However, you may apply to transfer to a conventional B.Sc. program as outlined in the Undergraduate Progams, Courses and University Regulations publication under Faculty of Science > Science or Mathematics for Teachers.
Incomplete Standings: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
Incomplete Standings: Faculties of Arts and Science (including B.A. & Sc.)
If you are a student with an incomplete standing (in the Winter or Summer term):
- you may register for the Fall term, but your standing must be resolved by the end of the course change period for that term;
- you may continue in the program if incomplete standing changes to satisfactory, probationary, or interim unsatisfactory standing;
- you may not continue in your program and your registration will be cancelled if standing changes to unsatisfactory standing.
If your standing changes to unsatisfactory:
- you may ask for permission to continue in your program;
- you must make a request for readmission as soon as you are placed in unsatisfactory standing;
- you must provide proof of extenuating circumstances that affected your academic performance (e.g., medical or other documentation).
Requests for readmission following an unsatisfactory standing must be submitted to:
If your standing is still incomplete by the end of course change period, you should immediately consult with your Faculty Student Affairs Office.
At the end of the Winter term, if you have a mark of K or L, you will be placed in the appropriate standing in June, if the outstanding mark in the course will not affect your standing. Otherwise, standing decisions will be made only once incomplete marks have been cleared. For more information about incomplete grades, please refer to Incomplete Courses.
Note: Requests are made at the Service Point (3415 McTavish Street). However, it is important that you also see a Faculty adviser in Dawson Hall to talk about your options and the effects that your request may have on your studies. For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/students/advising.
Academic Standing: Faculty of Engineering
Academic Standing: Faculty of Engineering
In the Faculty of Engineering, a decision on your academic standing is determined on the basis of your Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) according to the criteria listed below.
Note: The Faculty determines academic standing decisions after the completion of each term (Fall, Winter, Summer) based on grades obtained up to that point. If you have been granted permission to defer one or more examinations, the academic standing decision will be made disregarding the deferred exam grade.
Satisfactory Standing: Faculty of Engineering
Satisfactory Standing: Faculty of Engineering
You are in satisfactory standing if you have a CGPA of 2.00 or greater.
You may continue with your studies under the following conditions:
- If you obtained a grade of D or F in a core course, you must repeat the course successfully (grade of C or better) or replace it with an alternative approved course and successfully complete the course.
- If you obtained a grade of F in any other course, you must either repeat the course successfully before graduation or replace it with an alternative approved course and successfully complete the course before graduation.
Probationary Standing: Faculty of Engineering
Probationary Standing: Faculty of Engineering
You are in probationary standing if you have EITHER:
- a CGPA that is less than 2.00 and equal to or greater than 1.20
- OR
- a TGPA that is equal to or greater than 2.50 and a CGPA that is less than 2.00.
You may continue with your studies under the following conditions:
- You must reduce your credit load to a maximum of 13 credits per term and must obtain, at the end of the term, either a CGPA of 2.00 or greater or a TGPA of 2.50 or greater.
- If you have a TGPA of 2.50 or greater, but you have a CGPA that is less than 2.00, you may continue with your studies but you will remain in probationary standing until you obtain a CGPA of 2.0 or greater.
- If you do not obtain either the TGPA or CGPA noted above, you will be placed in unsatisfactory standing.
- You must consult a faculty or departmental adviser before withdrawal deadlines concerning your course selection.
Unsatisfactory Standing: Faculty of Engineering
Unsatisfactory Standing: Faculty of Engineering
You are in unsatisfactory standing if you have EITHER:
- a CGPA that is less than 1.20
- OR
- a TGPA that is less than 2.50 and a CGPA that is less than 2.00.
If at any time, you were placed in unsatisfactory standing and were readmitted to the Faculty of Engineering after one term away, and you are placed in unsatisfactory standing again at the end of any subsequent term, you may not continue in your program. You will be asked to withdraw from the Faculty of Engineering for a minimum of one term or permanently, based on the conditions of your last letter of readmission.
If you are in unsatisfactory standing for the first time, the regulations below apply.
Students in interim unsatisfactory standing after the Fall term:
You may continue with your studies under the following conditions:
- You must reduce your credit load to a maximum of 13 credits per term and must obtain, at the end of the term, either a CGPA of 2.00 or greater or a TGPA of 2.50 or greater.
- If you have a TGPA of 2.50 or greater, but your CGPA is less than 2.00, you may continue with your studies but will remain in probationary standing until you obtain a CGPA of 2.00 or greater.
- If you do not obtain either the TGPA or CGPA noted above, you will be placed in unsatisfactory standing.
- You must consult a faculty or departmental adviser before withdrawal deadlines concerning your course selection.
Students in unsatisfactory standing after the Winter term:
For more information about academic standing, see www.mcgill.ca/engineering/student/sao/policies/academic.
Academic Standing: Faculty of Law
Academic Standing: Faculty of Law
If you do not obtain a sessional Grade Point Average (GPA at the end of Fall and Winter terms combined) of 1.50, you will be required to withdraw from the Faculty. If your sessional GPA is between 1.50 and 1.99, you will be permitted to continue with your program, but you must obtain a subsequent sessional GPA of 2.50 or a Cumulative GPA (CGPA) of 2.00. You must have a CGPA of 2.00 to be considered for graduation. Students who are required to withdraw from the Faculty may be authorized to continue in their program by the Faculty Admissions Committee if there are exceptional reasons for the required withdrawal.
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2011-2012 (last updated Feb. 6, 2012) (disclaimer)
Academic Standing for Degree Students Registered in the Summer Term
Academic Standing for Degree Students Registered in the Summer Term
If you are in Unsatisfactory Standing, you may register in Summer courses but will be blocked from Fall term registration unless you have been readmitted by your faculty. Consult the student affairs office of your faculty for more information (www.mcgill.ca/students/advising/advisordirectory).
If you are graduating at the end of the Winter 2012 term, you can still register in Summer courses, but you will be classified as a Special Student. Please contact Enrolment Services on the Downtown campus or the Student Affairs Office on the Macdonald campus for a Change of Program Status Form and for further information.
You are reminded that you cannot graduate at the end of the Summer 2012 term and attend the Spring 2012 convocation. If you complete your degree requirements during Summer 2012, you will be granted your degree at the Fall 2012 convocation.
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2011-2012 (last updated Feb. 6, 2012) (disclaimer)
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2011-2012 (last updated Feb. 6, 2012) (disclaimer)