Academic standing

A sessional grade point average (GPA) is calculated on all courses attempted in a session which have a unit value.

Sessional GPA determines academic standing for all undergraduate students.  A sessional GPA of at least 2.0 (or equivalent if a UVic student takes courses elsewhere for credit towards a UVic program) is required to remain in good academic standing.

To learn how grade point averages are calculated, visit the Grade point average (GPA) calculations page.

Students who fail to obtain a sessional grade point average of at least 2.00 (or equivalent if a UVic student takes courses elsewhere for credit towards a UVic program) are considered to have unsatisfactory standing and will be placed on academic probation for the next session attended. 

Undergraduate Records will notify students that they have been placed on academic probation through the addition of a notation to their academic record. Students on academic probation should:

• contact their academic adviser for assistance
• consider signing up for the Learning Strategies Program to get personalized academic support.

Students who are on academic probation and who achieve a sessional grade point average of 2.0 or above at UVic will clear their probation status at the end of the session, except as noted below where a student's standing is withheld. 

Students should note that individual faculties may require a higher sessional grade point average. Failure to achieve the faculty grade point average requirement may result in the student being placed on faculty probation. (See individual faculty regulations.) 

Students who are on academic probation, or whose standing is withheld in their most recent session because of deferred status, are not eligible for registration until their sessional grade point average for the latest/deferred session has been determined as satisfactory, except as noted below. If a student's projected sessional grade point average for the latest/deferred session, including a grade of 0 for all deferred courses or outstanding grades, was determined to be above the minimum by the faculty concerned, the student will be authorized to register. The projected grade point average is calculated at the end of the session when the deferred standing is assigned. The projected grade point average does not appear on a student's academic record. Depending upon a student's performance during the period of probation, the Dean may at any time either remove the student from probation for the remainder of the session or, acting on a decision of the faculty, require that the student withdraw from the University.

Students who are on academic probation and whose Winter Sessional or Summer Sessional grade point average falls below 2.00 (or equivalent if a UVic student takes courses elsewhere for credit towards a UVic program) will have failed to clear their probation period and will be required to withdraw, normally for one academic year.

If a student has started courses in the current session before receiving notice of unsatisfactory standing in the most recent session, registration for courses in the current session will remain on the student's record, but the student will be required to withdraw following completion of the course(s), normally for one academic year. Registration in courses that have not started at the time the required to withdraw standing is determined will be dropped automatically.

A student who is required to withdraw a second time will not normally be permitted to register for credit courses at the University for at least three academic years.

All students who have been required to withdraw must apply to reregister if they wish to resume studies at the University. Permission to reregister will normally be granted to students who have:

1. completed the required withdrawal period; and
2. since their last registration at UVic, completed a minimum of 6 units of transferable non-duplicate or mutually exclusive course work with a C+ (3.0) average in ALL transferable courses attempted, including currently in-progress course work.

All students returning after a requirement to withdraw will be placed on probation for the next session attended. Students who have grounds for appeal may appeal to the Senate Committee on Admission, Reregistration and Transfer Appeals (SCARTA), stating why they should be considered for reregistration.

A student who is permitted to reregister following a requirement to withdraw will be on academic probation for the duration of the session in which UVic studies are resumed. 

BEng/BSEng students who have been required to withdraw and who wish to return to the BEng or BSEng program must, in addition to the above, satisfy specific faculty requirements which are outlined in the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science calendar section.