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Academic Bankruptcy

Academic bankruptcy allows a student to request a retroactive withdrawal from one academic term because of personal, emotional, or financial circumstances so devastating that it was impossible for the student to perform academically at a level approximating the usual record of achievement.

For the purposes of this policy, the two summer terms are considered one academic term. The declaration of academic bankruptcy will be allowed as follows:

  • Only currently enrolled students are eligible to request academic bankruptcy.
  • Academic bankruptcy is never granted for the academic term in which the student is currently enrolled nor for the previous academic term.
  • Academic bankruptcy is only granted for UAFS coursework. Transfer credit is not eligible for academic bankruptcy.
  • The request for academic bankruptcy must be declared prior to the completion of the student's graduation application.
  • Bankruptcy cannot be reversed once granted.
  • Academic bankruptcy may only be declared one time during the student's academic career at UAFS.
  • If the petition is approved, the grades for all courses taken during the academic term in question will be recorded as W (withdrawn).
  • The approval of academic bankruptcy does not entail the refund or reimbursement of any tuition and fees paid during the affected term.
  • Credits earned during the requested bankruptcy period cannot have been used to meet prerequisite requirements or satisfy a degree/certificate previously awarded at UAFS or its predecessors.
  • Academic bankruptcy is not recognized by the federal government for financial aid eligibility determination regarding the satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy. Thus, the original grades earned during the bankruptcy term will be used in SAP calculations.
  • Documentation of the personal, emotional, or financial circumstances noted in the petition will be required.

The request for academic bankruptcy is filed in the Registrar’s Office and reviewed by the Academic Standing Appeals committee or designee within 10 business days of submission of request. The committee will recommend approval/disapproval to the provost or designee, who will make the final decision.

The request for academic bankruptcy should be sent from the student's UAFS email account to Registrar@uafs.edu. The email should contain the student's name, ID number, the semester for which bankruptcy is being requested, and a description of the circumstances during the semester in question that prevented the student from successfully completing the semester. Documentation of these events must be included for the request to be considered.