Enrollment, Grading and Withdrawals

Students may add a course during the first 10 instructional days and may drop a course during the first eight weeks of instruction for a full semester course. Students may add a course that meets only during the first or second eight weeks of a semester during the first five instructional days and may drop such a course during the first four weeks of instruction.  

Check your time ticket—available online through your UI-Integrate Self-Service account—for the exact day and hour that you may begin adding courses to your schedule. You can continue to add full-term courses through the second week (tenth day) of the fall and spring semesters. Part-term courses may be added through the first week (fifth day) of the class. Summer deadlines vary by session. (See the Office of the Registrar’s academic deadlines for specific dates.) 

If you add a course after the first day it meets, it’s wise to contact the instructor to introduce yourself, receive a copy of the syllabus, check on assignments, figure out which books you need, and determine whether there have been any changes in meeting time, location, or any other aspect of the course. 

To add a course after the official deadline, you must receive permission from the instructor and the department offering the course. You can initiate this process by completing the Online Late Course Add/Section Change/Credit Change Form. If you have questions about adding courses after the deadline, requesting a section change, or changing the amount of credit hours in a variable credit hour course, please work with your academic advisor. 

Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend class. The instructor decides when the student’s absences from class have become excessive and should be reported. If excessive absences will make continuation of the course unprofitable, the student may be required to drop the course with the grade of F.

The college does not provide excuses for missed classes or assignments during the semester (see the Student Code). Notify your instructor(s) and the emergency dean in the Office of the Dean of Students. 

Absences and Extensions

Special personal, family, or medical circumstances sometimes emerge that might disrupt your academic schedule and commitments. Whenever possible, discuss these concerns in advance with your instructors and/or academic advisor. Certain guidelines determine whether, and when, you may be accommodated. 

Emergencies and Absences

In the event of an emergency or sickness that will require a student to be absent from classes, he or she should contact the class instructor. If suffering from a prolonged illness of three or more days or are incapacitated and unable to communicate with instructors, students may contact the Connie Frank CARE Center in the Office of the Dean of Students. For ongoing or significant issues that may affect your ability to succeed academically, please see your advisor or the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Affairs.

Final Examination Scheduling

Students do not have to take more than three final examinations in a 24-hour period. (A morning-afternoon-morning series is, however, a legitimate sequence and does not mean the student may rearrange the schedule.) Consult directly with your advisor after discussing the matter with your instructors.

Incompletes

Only AHS Undergraduate Affairs can authorize extensions for completion of other assignments (papers, reports, presentations) after the end of the term.

An I automatically becomes an F unless replaced by a passing grade by the middle of the next semester, if the student is re-enrolled. If the student does not re-enroll and the incomplete grade is not replaced, it becomes an F after one calendar year.

Withdrawals

During the term

Students who are unable to complete the courses they began in a given semester must initiate a formal withdrawal from the university. Continued absence from classes does not constitute a withdrawal, and an absence which continues through the final examination period may result in failing grades. Failure to follow proper university withdrawal procedures may thus produce an academic record which makes it difficult to return to this University or to enter another college or university. It will also incur a continuing financial obligation.

 Various college rules apply on withdrawal status, depending on timing and circumstances of withdrawal request.

• During the first eight weeks of the semester, students who are in good standing may withdraw without credit or penalty. No estimated grades are required.
• During the ninth through 13th weeks of the semester, students with a history of previous withdrawals may be required to stop out for a semester or more, and/or have conditions for re-entry.
• Students may not withdraw after the 13th week of the semester, although they can petition to do so retroactively after their academic status has been formalized.  

Clearance for withdrawal is obtained from AHS Undergraduate Affairs and the university’s Office of the Dean of Students.

Retroactive withdrawal

Students may petition to withdraw from a semester after the conclusion of the final examination and/or the submission of grades. Typically, we expect such petitions to include documentation of extenuating circumstances. Our decisions may also take into account the petitioner’s full academic record.

Stopping out

Students in good standing or on academic warning have the option of “stopping out” for a time; that is, leaving the university for one semester without initiating formal withdrawal procedures. Students who have stopped out will need to contact their advisor to begin course registration procedures. 

If students are planning on transferring to another institution, the courtesy of initiating formal withdrawal procedures from the university is appreciated, but not required; if students have registered in advance for the subsequent semester, it is their obligation to clear these course enrollments. In cases both of withdrawal and “stopping out,” students are encouraged to discuss their plans with their advisor, the assistant dean, and their parents or guardian. 

The Office of Student Financial Aid provides information concerning possible partial adjustment of tuition and fees.

Procedures for re-entering the college

AHS students who voluntarily withdrew during the semester or stopped out for a semester are generally eligible for re-entry to the AHS major in which they were last enrolled, provided they meet two conditions: 

• The student is in good standing or on academic warning.
• The student’s maximum terms of eligibility have not been exceeded. AHS limits the numbers of semesters students may be enrolled for the purpose of completing their degrees. See “Enrollment (Overloads and Underloads)” below.

Other students who may complete the AHS re-entry form include: 

• AHS students placed on a “must petition” status due to late semester withdrawal, disciplinary issue, or other special circumstances. Re-entry is not guaranteed.
• Any Illinois student required to spend time away from campus due to inadequate academic progress (“drop” status) who now wants to apply for re-instatement or admission to AHS as a declared major. Re-entry is not guaranteed.
• Students who have already earned a degree at Illinois and wish to pursue a second Bachelor’s degree.

Choose one of the following steps, depending upon your time of absence:

• AHS students who have stopped out for one semester only should contact their advisor to verify remaining degree requirements and appropriate registration time. 
• Students who have stopped out for two semesters or more should submit the AHS Re-entry Application. 

Please note: 
Students on academic drop status must stop out for at least one full semester (summer session is not included) before they are eligible to submit a petition for re-entry. Re-entry is not guaranteed and will depend upon a careful review of your application and previous performance patterns.

International students should submit by the priority application deadline in order to provide enough time for visa application and processing.

Your Re-Entry Application must be received by the dates indicated below. 

Students may be eligible to enroll in courses at more than one University of Illinois campus or at Parkland College in a semester using the concurrent enrollment process. Please contact your academic advisor if you have questions and consult the concurrent enrollment information available from the Office of the Registrar.

Students may add a course during the first ten instructional days and may drop a course during the first eight weeks of instruction for a full semester course.  Students may add a course that meets only during the first or second 8 weeks of a semester during the first five instructional days and may drop such a course during the first four weeks of instruction.  

For fall and spring terms, as long as you remain enrolled in at least 12 credit hours, you can drop a full-term course without academic penalty until the end of the eighth week of the term. Part-term courses and summer courses may be dropped without academic penalty until the midpoint of the course. (See the Office of the Registrar’s academic deadlines for specific dates.) Courses dropped by the appropriate deadline will not appear on official transcripts. 

Be aware that some financial aid packages require completion of a specific number of credit hours. If you currently receive financial aid, talk with a financial aid counselor before dropping any classes. 

Dropping to fewer than 12 hours can negatively impact your academic status and may have implications on your time to degree completion, financial aid offerings, NCAA eligibility, visa status, private health insurance, and more. To drop below full-time status, you must schedule an appointment with an academic advisor to discuss your reasons for doing so and the effects it may have on your progress. 

See “Late Course Drop” and “Retroactive Course Drop” below for information on dropping courses past the deadline. 

Maximum and Minimum Course Loads  

An earned AHS degree is evidence that the student has followed a carefully planned and challenging program of study. In order to make normal progress toward a degree, the student is expected to be a full-time student. 

Normal progress toward the degree in eight semesters is maintained by enrolling in an average of 15 credit hours per semester. The minimum course load required for full-time status is 12 hours. 

The student registration system will not automatically block you from initiating a drop action that may bring you below the required full-time status. You are responsible for the following proper procedure noted in the section below on “Course Underloads.” Also note: 

• Students who drop below 12 hours without the prior approval of the college may lose the privilege of further enrollment.
• International students are required to consult International Student and Scholar Services before initiating any change in their course schedule.
• Students on academic warning are required to meet academic performance standards gauged on a 12-credit-hour load.

Course Underloads (under 12 hours)

AHS approves course loads of less than 12 hours in special circumstances, such as seniors in their final semester who need fewer than 12 hours to graduate and students with a documented illness who are unable to carry a full load (medical documentation is required). Students may request an underload for other reasons, but the college generally does not approve more than one such request. To get permission for an underload, contact your Academic Advisor. 

Course Overloads (over 18 hours)

Students may carry as many as 18 hours without special permission. Approval for programs of more than 18 hours (overload) must be obtained from the college. Overload permissions are generally granted in the registration system the day before classes begin (for example, spring semester overloads are available the day before spring classes start). To get permission for an overload, contact your Academic Advisor. 

Credit/No Credit Option 

The credit/no credit option encourages students to explore subjects outside their major.

Timeline for Selecting the Option

Students must choose the credit/no credit option during the first half of the course term (for example, the first eight weeks of the semester, the fourth week of the summer session, or by the fourth week of an eight-week course), or before completing half the lessons of a correspondence course. Students must file a credit/no credit form with AHS Undergraduate Affairs after speaking with their academic advisor (as their approval will be required on the form). 

Amending Your Request

If students later want to return to the traditional grade option, they must file an amended request with AHS Undergraduate Affairs during the first half of the course term or before they complete half the lessons of a correspondence course. Be advised that petitions to change the grading option in a course which are submitted after the midterm deadline can be approved only when extenuating circumstances that might merit such a change are identified and documented. 

To change to or from the credit/no credit option, students must obtain approval from their advisor. Students cannot be self-advising in this matter. 

Be Careful About Using This Option If…

• You plan to apply to professional or graduate school. Students who accumulate 10 percent or more of their hours through the credit/no credit option may be forced to rely on achieving high scores on the nationally administered objective admission tests like the MCAT and LSAT. In addition, some graduate schools will not accept prerequisite coursework taken for credit/no credit – a grade must be reported to satisfy the admission requirement. Students must confirm with the graduate programs they plan to apply to before electing the credit/no credit option.
•  It may also affect your membership in an honorary society. 

Restrictions on Using the Credit/No Credit Option 

The credit/no credit option may not be used with courses graded as satisfactory/unsatisfactory, or with courses that satisfy general education requirements needed for graduation, courses specifically required by the college for graduation, or courses specifically designated by the curriculum as satisfying the student’s major (including supporting work and minors). This includes any course taken to fulfill the Composition I and Advanced Composition requirements, foreign language courses taken to fulfill graduation requirements, and courses taken to fulfill general education requirements. 

Full-time students may take no more than two courses in any one semester under this option (one course during summer school). 

Part-time students may take one course for credit/no credit in any one semester. 

A student on academic warning may not exercise the credit/no credit option. 

A maximum of 18 hours of C/NC may be counted toward a degree. 

A NetMath or other course of non-traditional length may be taken credit/no credit provided that the course is not otherwise excluded from the option by the reasons above. (Such courses on credit/no credit will count as a credit/no credit course for each semester in which the student is enrolled in the university until the course is completed.) 

Note: A final grade of CR or NC is entered on the student’s permanent academic record.

Ten Semester Limit on Enrollment 

Each student is assigned an Expected Graduation Date, which represents the last semester for which he or she is authorized to register. Students in AHS are accorded a maximum of 10 semesters of eligibility for enrollment for completion of degree. The 10 semesters include enrollment in all post-secondary institutions attended, not just enrollment at U of I. Students who complete their degree requirements in fewer than eight semesters and do not put their name on the degree list will be allowed to register for subsequent semesters. 

• Extensions of enrollment eligibility. Students may request approval for extended enrollment by consulting with the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Affairs. An extension beyond 10 semesters requires extenuating circumstances, is rare, and is at the assistant dean’s discretion. Extensions in most academic areas are prohibited because of crowded program conditions; for similar reasons, extensions are not granted for the purpose of completing a minor or pursuing a second baccalaureate degree. 

If a grade of C-minus or lower was earned in a course, students may elect to repeat the course for grade replacement.  If a ‘D-‘ or higher is earned on the second attempt, only the second grade earned will factor into the student’s GPA. If an ‘F’ is earned on the second attempt, both grades factor into the GPA.  In either case, all attempts remain part of the permanent transcript. Students may only repeat for grade replacement up to a total of 4 distinct courses, not to exceed a maximum of 10 semester hours.  The repeated course must be taken at Illinois.  The deadline to elect Grade Replacement is by the midpoint of a term.  AHS students must meet with their advisor to elect Grade Replacement. There may be instances where a student may choose to repeat a course and not replace the grade. Students are encouraged to make an appointment with their academic advisor to discuss their options. 

Fill out the Grade Replacement Petition Form. 

In cases where a serious extenuating circumstance makes it impossible for a student to complete a final exam or final assignment for a course, an incomplete grade may be requested.  An “I” grade is authorized only for end-of-semester extensions for final exams, final papers, or end-of-semester assignments.  It is not intended as an extension to address a significant part of a semester’s coursework. An incomplete grade will require the support of the course instructor. The College of Applied Health Sciences cannot compel an instructor to permit an incomplete grade. If you believe that you qualify for an incomplete grade, please contact your academic advisor in the College of Applied Health Sciences to discuss the process. 

A grade of ‘I’ is temporary, and the incomplete work must be made up by the 8th week of the immediate subsequent semester (fall or spring).  It is your responsibility to work within the time frame for completion of course requirements approved by the course instructor. If the work is not completed in the time allowed, the ‘I’ grade will be replaced by a grade of ‘F’.  In exceptional cases, students may not be able to complete the missing work in the specified time frame due to legitimate reasons (for example, active military service or a chronic health condition). In such an instance, you may be granted a limited extension. If you believe an extension is appropriate, please contact Assistant Dean Dustin Tarter at dtarter@illinois.edu to discuss the situation. 

After the drop period (midpoint of a given term) has passed, students may submit a petition for a late drop of a course only if serious extenuating circumstances exist that have impacted their ability to be successful in the course.  

Few exceptions to the official drop deadlines are granted. For consideration, you must follow a formal petition process in which you demonstrate that extraordinary extenuating circumstances, particularly those after the official drop deadline, have had detrimental and irreversible effects on your academic ability. You must submit a written explanation of your situation as well as supporting documentation (a doctor’s note, legal paperwork, an obituary, etc.). If you believe you qualify for a late-drop exception, you should talk to an academic advisor, who can provide you with the official late-drop petition form. Courses approved under the late-drop petition process will show as “W” on transcripts. 

The process is similar to that of a late course drop petition. Please schedule an appointment with an academic advisor to discuss this option and obtain the official retroactive late-drop petition form. Courses approved under the retroactive petition process will show as “W” on transcripts. A committee will review your petition and notify you of the decision within 2-3 weeks of the petition’s full submission. Permission to drop after the semester has ended is not automatic and will be granted only in extraordinary circumstances.