Academic Standing

Good Academic Standing

Good academic standing is maintained by meeting the standards for credits earned and for grade point average. Students must complete a minimum of 12 credits in the Fall and Spring semesters.

Courses graded Audit (AU), Withdrawn (W), Failure (F, IF, UW), and No Credit (NC) do not count as completed credits. Failure of an international student to be enrolled full-time in a required semester/term is a violation of F-1 Visa status and will result in the student losing immigration status. The student will be required to leave the U.S. immediately.

 The Academic Standing Committee reviews the academic performance of all students at the end of each semester. Students are expected to meet the minimum academic standards, not only for each semester but also cumulatively. In Fall and Spring, any student completing fewer than the required minimum number of semester credits (without advance approval to do so), or earning a semester grade-point average of less than the published standard, will be subject to Academic Probation.

Two successive semesters or three non-consecutive semesters of substandard performance/academic probation will normally result in the dismissal of the student from the College for a minimum of one year. Students academically dismissed for a second time are institutionally withdrawn and are not eligible to return via reinstatement.

In the first semester of a degree program, students may be considered under provisional (or probationary) enrollment, meaning they must meet specific academic criteria of the minimum GPA and passing of prerequisite courses to continue in the program. This applies to undergraduates in the first semester following their major declaration or a change of major, as well as incoming transfer and graduate students. The Academic Standing Committee considers recommendations for dismissal based on substandard performance during the provisional period from the Department Head and Division Dean for undergraduates, or the Department Head, Graduate Program Director, and Division Dean for graduate students.

Once a student is placed on probation, they remain in that status until the end of the next semester, at which time the Academic Standing Committee will review the student’s academic record.  Students returning from Academic Dismissal will continue on probation for the semester they return.

For purposes of academic review by the Academic Standing Committee, a grade of I (for incomplete) is computed in the grade point average as an F. Students may be subject to a warning of academic probation or a warning of academic dismissal (as appropriate) until the I grade is resolved by the completion of required work by the published deadline.

First-year Program Evaluation

At the end of the first semester and at any time during the second semester of the undergraduate student’s Foundation Sear, there may be a review of any student whose performance indicates a probable inability to meet the requirements of the College. After review by the Experimental & Foundation Studies Faculty, EFS Division Dean, and a member of the Academic Standing Committee, the student may be academically dismissed. A student who desires to return to RISD after being dismissed from Experimental & Foundation Studies may be required to re-apply for admission through the Admissions Office rather than be eligible for the reinstatement procedure.