Understanding Academic Standing

Academic Standing – Understanding Your Status 

Academic Standing is the way we measure how well you are doing in your studies. Standing is based on the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) and the number of credits you have completed. All new undergraduate students start out in Good Academic Standing.  After completion of 9 credit hours at UNBC, your academic record will be re-evaluated at the end of each semester. 

At UNBC there are four levels of Academic Standing for undergraduates 

  1. Good Standing – CGPA above 2.00 after completing 9 credit hours of coursework. Students can continue registering for courses. 
  1. Academic Probation – CGPA of less than 2.00 after completing 9 credit hours of coursework. Students can continue registering for courses. 
  1. Probation Continuing - CGPA of less than 2.00, with SGPA greater than 2.00 after subsequent semesters. Students can continue registering for courses. 
  1. Required to Withdraw – CGPA and SGPA of less than 2.00 after completing 30 credits while on Probation Continuing. Students will be de-registered from future registration and required to withdraw for a period of one academic year. 

Regulations about standing are outlined in the Undergraduate Academic Calendar,  Undergraduate Regulations and Policies, section 48 Conditions of Academic Standing.  

International Students – Understanding How Probation May Affect Your Study permit 

International students must normally be registered continuously in all academic terms to meet eligibility requirements to apply for a post-graduate work permit (PGWP) after their studies conclude. If you are on Academic Probation, you may still take classes. If you are Required to Withdraw, and your appeal is not approved, you will be de-registered from your classes.  Please see the International web site for more information on Study Permits and Visas. 

If you are experiencing academic difficulties, please refer to this page for additional resources that can assist you. It is important to check your UNBC email regularly for updates to your Academic Standing. If you have questions or concerns about academic standing, degree requirements or other academic matters, please connect with Student Advising. The Academic Success Centre (ASC) is also available and committed to working with you to help you achieve your academic goals.   

Appealing a requirement to withdraw 

If your academic status is Required to Withdraw you must decide whether to take the recommended break from studies or appeal the RTW decision. If you choose to appeal, there are strict deadlines for submitting your appeal and registering for courses. Notification of academic standing occurs no later than the first week of the next semester. Please check your UNBC email regularly for important information and deadlines. If you are planning on appealing, you must notify both the Dean of your Faculty and the Office of the Registrar within five (5) business days of receiving official notification of a requirement to withdraw. You will receive instructions and additional information from the Dean’s office on your next steps.  

If your appeal is successful, you will be permitted to register for courses. You may have restrictions on the number of credits you can take, and you will be required to achieve a semester GPA of 2.00 in every subsequent semester until you return to Good Standing. 

UNBC Undergraduate Grading System  

Each course taken for academic credit receives a final grade at the end of the semester. The following grading scale is used at UNBC to assign academic standing. 

Grade Point 

Letter 

Percentage 

Definition 

4.33 

A+ 

90-100% 

 

4.00 

A 

85-89.9% 

Excellent 

3.67 

A- 

80-84.9% 

 

3.33 

B+ 

77-79.9% 

 

3.00 

B 

73-76.9% 

Good 

2.67 

B- 

70-72.9% 

 

2.33 

C+ 

67-69.9% 

 

2.00 

C 

63-66.9% 

 

1.67 

C- 

60-62.9% 

Marginal 

1.33 

D+ 

57-59.9% 

 

1.00 

D 

53-56.9% 

 

0.67 

D- 

50-52.9% 

 

0.00 

F 

0-49.9% 

Failure 

Grade Point Average: Grade Point Average (GPA) is a method of expressing a student’s academic performance as a numerical value. Each letter grade is assigned a numerical equivalent, which is then multiplied by the credit hour value assigned to the course to produce the grade point.  

Semester Grade Point Average: Semester Grade Point Average (SGPA) is computed by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of credit hours taken in a semester.   

Cumulative Grade Point Average: Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) expresses performance as a numerical average for all UNBC courses for all semesters completed. The CGPA is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points earned to date by the total number of credit hours you have completed.  

Letter grades of P or W are not assigned a numerical value and are not used in calculating the grade point average. 

Calculation of Grade Point Average (GPA) 

The following is an example of how a student’s GPA is calculated at the end of a semester: 

Course 1. ENGL 201-3           B           3.00           3 credit hours x 3.00 = 9.00  
Course 2. ENGL 212-3           B-          2.67           3 credit hours x 2.67 = 8.01  
Course 3. PHYS 115-4           C+         2.33           4 credit hours x 2.33 = 9.32  
Course 4. HIST 302-3            A+         4.33            3 credit hours x 4.33 = 12.99  
Course 5. PSYC 303-3           W          — — 

                                                                                Total 13 credit hours 39.32  
                                                                                Semester GPA: 39.32/13 = 3.02