Academic Status and Retention

Note: Effective Fall 2020, the following academic standing and retention standards will apply to all current, transfer, or returning undergraduate students.

All students must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress for retention and continued enrollment at Florida State University. Satisfactory academic progress includes, but is not limited to, successful completion of credit hours and progression toward completing a degree. The University reserves the right not to retain students who do not demonstrate satisfactory academic progress.

A minimum Florida State University (FSU) cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 ("C") or better is required for graduation. Students should maintain at least this minimum at all times to be in good standing. There are five academic status categories at FSU: 1) Good Standing; 2) Academic Probation; 3) Academic Probation Continued; 4) Dismissed and 5) Dismissed, Reinstated on Academic Probation. Statuses of "Academic Probation," "Academic Probation Continued", or "Dismissed, Reinstated on Academic Probation" do not specifically prohibit a student from participating in extracurricular activities unless otherwise specified by University policy, rules, or by-laws governing the activity or organization.

Probation

Any time a student's FSU cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, the student will have a designation of "Academic Probation" placed on their transcript and the student will be placed on academic probation for their next term of enrollment at FSU. A student who has been placed on academic probation must enroll for not less than twelve and not more than fifteen letter-graded semester hours in their next term of enrollment after being placed on academic probation.

If the student fails to remove the probationary status by the end of the probationary term, the student's academic standing will be reassessed. Students who do not return to good academic standing after a semester on academic probation and who earn a term GPA of less than 2.5 will be dismissed from the university. Students on academic probation who do not return to good academic standing but who earn a term GPA of 2.5 or higher at FSU will have their academic standing reflected as "Academic Probation Continued". A student may be on "Academic Probation Continued" for a maximum of two consecutive terms. Students who have not returned to good academic standing after two consecutive semesters of "Academic Probation Continued" status will be dismissed.

Students who earn less than 2.0 FSU cumulative GPA in their first semester at FSU or who must repeat a required college-level preparatory course will be required to enroll in SLS 1122, Strategies for Academic Success, or SLS 3140, Academic Success Strategies for Transfer Students. These are one credit-hour graded courses designed to help students develop the needed study skills to return to good academic standing. Students will be administratively enrolled in one of these courses during the following semester and are responsible for all tuition, fees, and textbook/supplies.

Students on academic probation who elect to enroll in a Florida public postsecondary institution (or in a regionally accredited institution within or outside the state) and who receive an academic Associate of Arts degree with an overall 2.0 average will have the probationary status and their previous Florida State University average excluded upon application for readmission, and will be guaranteed a maximum of sixty semester hours, with approval of the academic dean.

For a comprehensive overview of policies related to academic status and retention please reference the Academic Standing and Retention section of the Undergraduate Bulletin chapter Academic Regulations and Procedures.