Academic Probation

Students must meet minimum academic standards, as measured by their cumulative grade point average, in order to remain in good standing and earn academic degrees.  Failure to meet minimum standards may be grounds for dismissal from APUS.

Students whose cumulative grade point average (CGPA) falls below the minimum required by APUS will be placed on Academic Probation, and will be notified by the Registrar.  Credits transferred into APUS are not factored into a student’s APUS CGPA; only credits earned at APUS are used to calculate CGPA. 

• For undergraduate students, the minimum CGPA is 2.0
• For graduate students, the minimum CGPA is 3.0

Students on Academic Probation may continue to register for courses, within the following boundaries:

• Undergraduate students on probation may register for a maximum of 12 credit hours
• Graduate students on probation may register for a maximum of 9 credit hours.

After students complete a period of Academic Probation, the Registrar will review their status to determine if they may be allowed to continue on Academic Probation, or whether dismissal from APUS is appropriate. A period of Academic Probation is defined as:

• For Undergraduate students, a probationary period is 12 attempted credits
• For Graduate students, a probationary period is 9 attempted credits

The intent of Academic Probation is to provide students the opportunity to raise their cumulative GPA to minimum levels so they may continue to pursue their academic goals.  During each period of probation, students must achieve a GPA for that period that meets or exceeds the minimum CGPA for their academic program, based on the number of credits they have attempted.  By doing so, students will make progress towards raising their cumulative GPA.  Students who fail to meet the minimum GPA requirements for a probationary period will be subject to dismissal from APUS.

Continuation and Removal from Academic Probation: As long as students meet minimum GPA requirements during their probationary period, they will be allowed additional periods of probation until they raise their cumulative GPA to the minimum standard or higher, at which time they will be removed from Academic Probation.  If, during any probationary period, students fail to meet the minimum GPA requirements for that period, they will be subject to dismissal from APUS.

Impact on Financial Aid Eligibility: Eligibility for financial aid is a separate issue from Academic Probation.  Students who are receiving Federal Student Aid or other financial assistance should review the financial aid eligibility polices to ensure they understand the grade point average and other requirements for eligibility.  

Degree Conferral: Graduate students must submit a graduation application, attain a minimum cumulative GPA of  3.0 and satisfactorily complete all curriculum requirements for degree conferral. 

Dismissal Appeal Procedure: Any student notified of dismissal may appeal the decision based on mitigating circumstances.  Mitigating circumstances are situations that have had a negative effect on the student’s ability to successfully meet academic standards.  To appeal the decision, students must submit a written petition to the Appeals Department at appeals@apus.edu within 15 days of notification of dismissal.  The appeal should contain a straightforward narrative of the facts as known or perceived by the student, to include supporting documentation.

During the appeal process, the student's status remains as indicated in the letter of dismissal until the case is resolved (e.g., a dismissed student cannot register for another course unless the case is resolved favorably).  An Appeals Committee will consider all appeals.  Students will be notified in writing of the committee’s decision within 15 days of receipt of appeal.  All decisions made by the Committee are final.

Readmission After Appeal: Students whose dismissal appeal is granted will be readmitted in an Academic Probation status.  They will comply with the Academic Probation policies previously described, until they raise their GPA to meet minimum stands, or fail to meet the minimum GPA requirements during a probationary period, at which time they will be permanently dismissed.