Dismissal from the College

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences reviews the academic records of students on academic probation at the close of the fall and spring semesters. There is no academic review at the close of the summer or winter sessions. Students dismissed for low scholarship may not enroll in courses offered by the University of Iowa unless they have been admitted to another college at the university.

Dismissal after fall semester

All students on academic probation during a fall semester must achieve either good standing or demonstrate significant improvement with a fall UI Term grade point average of 2.00 or higher (C average). If not, they are subject to dismissal after the end of the fall semester. This includes students admitted on academic probation for the fall semester from another UI college or another institution. Dismissal will result in cancellation of all spring semester course enrollments. Dismissed students may remain enrolled in any winter courses already underway. 

Please note:  Marks of Incomplete (I) cannot be used in calculating the UI Term GPA. Students on academic probation who receive marks of Incomplete (I) in all courses are subject to dismissal.

Dismissal after spring semester

All students on academic probation during a spring semester must achieve either good standing or demonstrate significant improvement with a spring UI Term grade point average of 2.00 or higher (C average). If not, they are subject to dismissal after the end of the spring semester. This includes students admitted on academic probation for the spring semester from another UI college or another institution. Dismissal will result in cancellation of all summer session and fall semester course enrollments.

Please note:  Marks of Incomplete (I) cannot be used in calculating the UI Term GPA. Students on academic probation who receive marks of Incomplete (I) in all courses are subject to dismissal.

Notification and records

If you are dismissed from the College, you will be notified in the following ways:

  1. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education will send a letter to to your University of Iowa email address, and a copy will be attached in your MyUI Advising Notes & Files.
  2. The Registrar will mark your grade report with the notation "Not permitted to register."

Appealing a dismissal

Dismissed students may appeal to the Student Academic Standards Committee for revocation of a dismissal. If you are planning to appeal an academic dismissal, we strongly encourage you to first consult CLAS Undergraduate Programs.

Dismissal appeals will not be accepted unless they are completed by the student. Third parties—including parents—cannot appeal on behalf of the student.

Deadline

The deadline for receipt of a dismissal appeal and any supporting documentation is the date listed in the dismissal letter.

  • The deadline to appeal a fall 2023 dismissal was Sunday, January 7, 2024.
  • The deadline to appeal a spring 2024 dismissal is Monday, June 3, 2024.

Personal Statement

  1. The student must submit the dismissal appeal by the deadline to the Student Academic Standards Committee using the online form link provided in the dismissal letter (maximum length: 4,000 characters including spaces).
  2. The very first sentence: “I am requesting a revocation of my dismissal from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.”
  3. Next: describe concisely the circumstances that affected your academic performance, and your plans for future academic success.
  4. Next: indicate what, if any, supporting documentation the committee can expect to receive.
  5. Do not plagiarize a dismissal appeal letter, in whole or part, from a website or any other source. Students are expected to adhere to the Code of Academic Honesty when writing a dismissal appeal.
  6. Dismissal appeals must be submitted using the online form. We will not accept appeals submitted by email or any other method.

Supporting Documentation

The student is responsible for requesting any supporting documentation; however, documentation is not required to submit a dismissal appeal.

The student may attach documentation to the dismissal appeal form, or have the person providing the documentation send it directly to the Student Academic Standards Committee, by email to clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu or fax to 319-335-3192. Please note, if documentation is attached to the online dismissal appeal form or sent by the student, our office may contact the originator for verification. 

Note: If you were seen at Student Health or University Counseling Service, please contact CLAS Undergraduate Programs, 319-335-2633, clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu, for assistance in obtaining documentation from those offices.

Examples of supporting documentation:

  • A letter (not a medical record or clinical notes) from a private health care provider
  • Student Health (please contact clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu for assistance in obtaining documentation)
  • University Counseling Service (please contact clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu for assistance in obtaining documentation)
  • A copy of a funeral program or obituary notice
  • Legal documentation (such as court documents, divorce decree, or letter from a lawyer)
  • None

Please note, the following items are NOT appropriate supporting documentation and should not be submitted:

  • A medical record or clinical notes
  • A copy or photograph of a prescription or medication container
  • A photograph of a medical procedure, body part, or deceased person
  • A billing statement
  • A letter from a parent or other family member

Notification

The Student Academic Standards Committee will respond to the student in writing by a) sending an electronic letter to the student’s UI email address, and b) attaching a PDF copy of the letter to the student’s MyUI Advising Notes & Files.

Reinstatement

If you are dismissed from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for unsatisfactory scholarship and do not appeal the dismissal or if the appeal is denied, you will not be permitted to register again for at least one year. If you wish to re-enroll in the College, you must seek reinstatement prior to the semester you want to return, as outlined below.

Reinstatement Policies

  • The minimum dismissal period is one year.
  • The student must seek reinstatement between March 1-July 1 for reinstatement to the following fall semester, or between October 1-December 1 for reinstatement to the following spring semester.
  • Late requests for reinstatement will be deferred to the following semester. The College does not reinstate students to a summer or a winter session.
  • During the reinstatement semester, the College will limit the number of semester hours and courses allowed for the reinstated student.
  • During the reinstatement semester, the reinstated student must achieve either good standing or a minimum UI Term GPA of 2.00, otherwise the student may be dismissed at the close of that semester.

Note:  If you were dismissed from another college at the University of Iowa, and do not meet the academic standards of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for good standing, you must complete a minimum one-year dismissal period before admission or readmission to CLAS. Please contact CLAS Undergraduate Programs with any questions.

Reinstatement to CLAS after a First Dismissal

To be eligible for reinstatement (i.e., to re-enroll), you must

  1. complete the one-year dismissal period
  2. complete the reinstatement interview (see below)
  3. earn a 2.50 GPA on any college transfer coursework taken if enrolled in another college during the dismissal period. Please note: grades for Career & Technical courses are not included in the 2.50 GPA requirement.

Reinstatement Interview

To arrange a reinstatement interview, schedule an appointment with an academic staff member in CLAS Undergraduate Programs by calling 319-335-2633 between 8:00 am-4:30 pm weekdays approximately two weeks in advance. Appointments for reinstatement interviews must not be scheduled in MyUI. You also may email clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu for assistance in scheduling a reinstatement interview. All reinstatement interviews may be conducted in person in 120 Schaeffer Hall, by telephone, or Zoom. Note: Please be sure to add the @uiowa.edu domain to your email account's "safe senders" or "approved senders" list to ensure you receive any emails that our office sends to you.

For reinstatement to a fall semester, the reinstatement interview must take place between March 1 and July 1.

  • For reinstatement to the fall 2024 semester, the reinstatement interview must take place between March 1 - July 1, 2024.
  • For reinstatement to the fall 2025 semester, the reinstatement interview must take place between March 1 - July 1, 2025.

For reinstatement to a spring semester, the reinstatement interview must take place between October 1 and December 1.

  • For reinstatement to the spring 2025 semester, the reinstatement interview must take place between October 1 - December 1, 2024.
  • For reinstatement to the spring 2026 semester, the reinstatement interview must take place between October 1 - December 1, 2025.

Late requests for a reinstatement interview will be deferred to the following semester.

The College does not reinstate students to a summer or a winter session.

Note: Even if you do not currently meet requirements to be approved for reinstatement (for example, you have a transfer GPA below 2.50 during the dismissal period) you MUST meet with an academic staff member in CLAS Undergraduate Programs during the appropriate times listed above to be considered for reinstatement to the next semester.

Reinstatement to CLAS after a Second Dismissal

  • The minimum dismissal period following a second dismissal is one year.
  • Students dismissed for the second time may or may not be granted a second reinstatement. You are strongly encouraged to discuss your future academic options with an academic staff member in CLAS Undergraduate Programs.
  • To seek reinstatement to a fall semester, you must contact CLAS Undergraduate Programs at 319-335-2633 or clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu between March 1 and July 1.
  • To seek reinstatement to a spring semester, you must contact CLAS Undergraduate Programs at 319-335-2633 or clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu between October 1 and December 1.
  • Late requests for reinstatement will be deferred to the following semester.
  • The College does not reinstate students to a summer or a winter session.
  • Note: Please be sure to add the @uiowa.edu domain to your email account's "safe senders" or "approved senders" list to ensure you receive any emails that our office sends to you.

Restart

If you have been gone from the University of Iowa for at least four years and wish to return to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, you might be qualified to reenter under the college's academic forgiveness policy. Additional rules and eligibility requirements apply. For more information, see Restart.