Academic Forgiveness Policy - Undergraduate

Academic forgiveness is the removal of a term of previously completed coursework from a student's calculated grade point averages. 

Students who have been separated from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse (UWL) for four or more years and who have experienced academic challenges affecting their grade point average may wish to seek academic forgiveness as a means of restarting their academic career. The purpose of this policy is to provide an option for undergraduate students to seek forgiveness for one term of past academic coursework, after a time of separation from UWL.

Students seeking academic forgiveness are responsible for ensuring their eligibility, initiating the process by filling out an Application for Academic Forgiveness, and understanding the impact that this policy may have on their academic record.

Eligibility criteria

To be considered for academic forgiveness, a student must be a former undergraduate student who attended UWL for one or more terms and who:

  • has been separated from UWL (non-enrolled) for four consecutive calendar years or more,

  • has not already earned an undergraduate baccalaureate degree from UWL or another accredited institution,

  • has applied to re-enroll at UWL, or has already re-enrolled at UWL following the designated separation,

  • has submitted an Application for Academic Forgiveness within one academic year of a return to UWL, and

  • is free from unresolved holds placed on enrollment by any UWL office or department.

Applicability and transcription

Upon approval of a request, academic forgiveness is applied to all classes within the identified term, regardless of the number of credit hours in the term. Forgiveness is not applicable to individual classes. All courses taken and grades earned during the term of academic forgiveness remain on the student’s official transcript. The transcript is notated that the courses have been removed from the calculation of the GPA. 

Limitations and rules

  1. The term requested for academic forgiveness must apply to the individual’s previous academic enrollment prior to re-entry.
  2. Academic forgiveness can only be approved one time.
  3. Academic forgiveness is irreversible and final.
  4. Tuition refunds are not considered for an academic forgiveness term.
  5. The academic credits earned during the forgiveness term will not count toward the number of credits required for graduation.
  6. Courses used to satisfy a previously earned degree or program (e.g., Bachelor's degree, Associate degree, certificate, etc.) at UWL cannot be forgiven. 
  7. Any previously earned degree or program GPA is recorded at the time the degree or program is awarded. This degree or program GPA will not be impacted by academic forgiveness.
  8. General Education Program requirements previously satisfied by courses taken during an approved forgiveness term are no longer satisfied after the term has been forgiven and not eligible to be waived.
  9. Any courses in the forgiveness term that previously satisfied departmental major/minor requirements should be reviewed by the corresponding department with the student at the time of forgiveness application. The department will decide if a previously completed course may count as fulfilling the requirement in question. The acceptance of previously completed major/minor requirements impacted by the forgiveness term is not guaranteed. Forgiven credits used in these requirements will not count toward the credits required for graduation. 
  10. A successfully completed prerequisite course impacted by academic forgiveness (i.e., during the term forgiveness is requested) must be approved for substitution or the prerequisite waived by the department that set the requirement.
  11. Major or program exit requirements (e.g., student teaching, culminating major/program field experience, internship, clinical, etc.) may not be eligible for forgiveness consideration depending on department/program policies.
  12. Other universities and educational institutions may interpret transcripts and earned grade point averages differently. They may recalculate the grade point average to include all courses and terms of earned credit.
  13. To be considered for academic forgiveness, students must contact the Dean's Office of the program they intend to pursue. The Committee on Academic Policies and Standards (CAPS) will approve all academic forgiveness requests. Any requests involving academic dishonesty may require an oral as well as written presentation before CAPS.

Financial aid

The financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy is not impacted by receiving academic forgiveness. All coursework attempted will be included in evaluating a student’s SAP for financial aid purposes. Students placed on financial aid suspension as a result of not meeting SAP prior to academic forgiveness will continue to remain on financial aid suspension. However, students have the opportunity to appeal their SAP standing. Eligibility for specific academic scholarships is determined by the requirements of each academic scholarship program, including how GPA eligibility decisions are determined. Contact the Financial Aid Office prior to submitting an Application for Academic Forgiveness to better understand any impact on financial aid and the SAP appeals process.