Academic Standing and Progression

Academic Standing can be found in the UBC calendar under the “Academic Standing and Promotion Requirements” heading. 

Progression Requirements

Students who are on Probation in Year 1, i.e., with a sessional average between 50% and 59.9%, must achieve a sessional average of 60% or greater in an approved schedule of courses during their next registered Winter Session in order to return to Good Standing. Students must meet with an Engineering Academic Advisor to establish an appropriate schedule of courses, which must be approved by the Director of Engineering Academic Services or designate.

Students who are on Probation in Year 2 or higher, i.e., with a sessional average between 50% and 54.9%, must achieve a sessional average of 55% or greater in an approved schedule of courses during their next registered Winter Session in order to return to Good Standing. Students must meet with a Faculty Advisor to establish an appropriate schedule of courses, which must be approved by the Program Director/Department Head or designate.

You will be notified by email of your academic standing when your Sessional Academic Evaluation is complete.

Once you receive notification, you will be required to discontinue studies for a year before seeking readmission to UBC.

Students who intend to seek readmission to the engineering program after a Failed Year are strongly encouraged to consider using their time away in support of possible future studies:

• If you are in first year, completing a minimum of 24 relevant and transferable credits from another recognized post-secondary institution (e.g. from those institutions offering an Engineering Transfer Program) 
• Completing one year of relevant technical work if no additional coursework can be found
• Some combination of relevant academic study and engineering-related work experience which demonstrates a high potential to have success in the program

If you need assistance in finding relevant academic study or technical work to complete during your time away from UBC, please consult with an Academic Advisor. 

Engineering Academic Services (EAS) may delay determining your academic standing if there are insufficient final grades to conduct an assessment. Such may be the case with Standing Deferred (SD) exams which are completed in late July/early August for Winter Session courses. Your academic record will be reviewed again when further grades have been submitted. If an assessment results in a failed year after the appeal deadline, you will be permitted to submit an appeal within three business days of receiving notice of a failed year standing.

If you received a failed year standing from the current Winter Session and have registered for courses in the Summer Session, you will be permitted to continue with and complete Term 1-only (May-June) and full-term (May-August) Summer Session courses. You will not be permitted to continue with Term 2-only (July-August) Summer Session courses.

• Appeal letter:
  • Be concise. No more than two pages (single space) typed summary addressing:
    • The extenuating circumstances that impacted your academic performance
      • Reflect on what happened. 
      • Consider factors that may have impacted your academic performance.  
      • Chronologically explain the timeline of events that took place that impacted your academic performance.
    • How you are addressing or have addressed the extenuating circumstances
      • The support(s) and resource(s) you have sought and utilized 
      • Have they been helpful? Are you continuing with the support and resources?
    • A detailed plan on how you will achieve academic success when you return
      • Develop an action plan and describe the ways your plan to prevent a recurrence 
  • Include (if any) relevant documentation in support of the grounds for your appeal^1,2,3.
    • It is highly encouraged to include supporting documentation to provide evidence for the grounds on which you are basing your appeal for the review. If documentation is not included but is requested by the Academic Committee to help in their review, it may result in a delay of the review and you will be contacted by EAS to provide documentation:
      • medical documentation can include a letter from a physician, counselor, or medical practitioner that outlines the progress of treatment, and a statement on your readiness to return to studies, and other recommendations that can help support your return
      • any other supporting documents that are directly related to the circumstances

¹ If you are or have been supported by the Centre for Accessibility (CfA) and have identified their support in your appeal, you will not need to include a letter from your accessibility advisor. We may reach out to CfA to confirm documentation has been received and to request their recommendation for support if your appeal is successful.

² Documentation submitted will only be seen by the Academic Committee and EAS administration staff for the purpose of reviewing the appeal.

³All supporting documentation needs to be in English

Additional support for the structure and content of your appeal letter is available through the UBC Ombudsperson Office, who have published Appeal Guidelines to help students navigate through this process. Students can also reach out to AMS Advocacy, who can support students through Academic Standing decisions and provide feedback on written submissions. 

The Faculty of Applied Science’s Academic Committee convenes in the summer to review appeals on academic standing. In their consideration, they are seeking evidence of your preparedness to return to the academic rigours of the program.  As such, they will be evaluating the extenuating circumstances that affected your academic performance, your plan to achieve success, and evidence that the extenuating circumstances which impacted your academic performance have been resolved or managed.

The Academic Committee meets twice in the summer. You will be informed of the Academic Committee’s decision by email within 7 to 10 business days after the committee has reviewed your appeal.