Student Status Changes

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Readmission

Students who have taken time away from the University and plan to resume classes in a Fall or Spring semester will need to apply for readmission by the appropriate deadline in order to be granted access to enroll in courses and login access to CalCentral.

To enroll in Summer Sessions, readmission is not necessary.

Application packets must be received by:

  • June 1 for Fall semester readmission

  • November 1 for Spring semester readmission

In order to be on time for Phase I registration appointment, it is strongly recommended to submit your request well before the deadlines.

It is strongly recommended that you apply for readmission as soon as you know when you’ll return, and well in advance of these deadlines, to secure the earliest possible registration time for the next semester. Students who withdraw from the university after the 10th week of classes are not eligible for readmission in the following semester.

Upon readmission, you will be required to submit an online Statement of Legal Residence and an application for readmission fee via CalCentral. For more information about readmission fee waivers, please visit the Educational Opportunity Program website

Applying for Readmission

To be considered for readmission, students should consult their major advisor before applying. Then, complete the following pieces of the Application for Readmission and submit all application materials together to bse-ugrad@berkeley.edu

  • Undergraduate Application for Readmission (Note: ​​It is not necessary to obtain the Dean's signature or the advisor initials for "Approval of Expected Grad Term" prior to submitting the application for readmission. The Dean's signature and the advisor initials are obtained on the student’s behalf after the College reviews and approves the application.)

  • EOP Readmission/Enrollment Fee Waiver (if applicable) 

Students from Other Colleges
Students who were last enrolled at UC Berkeley in another college (L&S, Haas, COE, CED, Chem. Rausser) who wish to be readmitted directly into the BSE may petition to do so if the Change of College requirements are met. The BSE does not permit students to transfer to the college as undeclared. Students must meet all requirements to petition a Change of College. 

Students pursuing a Change of College should:

  • Review the requirements for the Educational Sciences Major. 

  • Meet with an Undergraduate Advisor

  • Complete the Change of College application at the same time as they submit their Application for Readmission and other supporting documents noted above under “Applying for Readmission”.


For more information about university requirements for readmission, please review information posted on the Office of the Registrar's website

Semester Withdrawal

Withdrawal 

Withdrawal means dropping all classes once the semester has started. Withdrawal of a Fall or Spring semester will also cancel any enrollment in future semesters (including Summer Session) and students will need to apply for readmission in order to attend a future Fall or Spring semester. If a student wishes to withdraw, review Cal Student Central's withdrawal information to understand how a withdrawal may affect different aspects of student status, including financial aid, housing, and more. 

It is always encouraged that students meet with a BSE advisor to discuss the decision to withdraw from a semester, especially if they plan to take coursework elsewhere while not enrolled at UC Berkeley. 

Cancellation

Withdrawals submitted prior to the first day of instruction for a term will be processed as a cancellation of registration. Students will need to apply for readmission in order to attend a future Fall or Spring semester. 

Deadline

Fall/Spring semesters: Friday of RRR week at 11:59pm PT

Summer Sessions: Last day of the session at 11:59pm PT

How to Withdraw:

If a student is enrolled in classes and does not plan on attending that term, they must submit a Withdrawal Request Form in CalCentral > My Dashboard > Add a Withdrawal Request.

If the Withdrawal Request Form is submitted before the first day of instruction for the term, the request will be processed as a Cancellation. Students will be dropped from all classes and all term fees will be de-assessed. There will be no notation of the cancellation on the transcript. 

Students may be granted a withdrawal at any time during the semester up through the last day of instruction (i.e., last day of RRR week).

Contact the BSE advisor as soon as possible to complete the withdrawal process.

New undergraduates: If this is a student’s first semester at UC Berkeley, they should  contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions about the possibility of deferring admission before canceling registration. If the registration is canceled, students will be required to submit a new admission application to attend a future semester. The same process applies to new students who enroll in Summer Session and then cancel their first semester enrollment.

Continuing students:If the Withdrawal Request Form is submitted on or after the first day of instruction, the request will be processed as a Withdrawal. Students will be dropped from all classes and will be subject to prorated penalties outlined in Refunds After Withdrawal.

Students should meet with their college advisor (undergraduates) before initiating their request as the form will not be processed until approved by the college or school Dean’s office (undergraduates).

Withdrawing also affects a semester of financial aid eligibility. If students have a student loan (Federal Direct, Health Professions, or Perkins), the process remains the same as any withdrawal, and students are required to complete an exit interview.

When students cancel or withdraw, students will no longer be eligible to attend for that semester or any future semester until they are Readmitted. The last day to submit a withdrawal is the Friday of RRR week at 11:59PM PDT.

Withdraw for Medical Reasons

If students are withdrawing for medical reasons, the process remains the same as any withdrawal and will be recorded as a "Self-Requested Medical Withdrawal". However, University Health Services at the Tang Center has an additional process for reviewing medical withdrawals which, if approved, will be recorded as "Approved Medical-Withdrawal".

Withdraw if International Student

If a student is an international student (on an F-1 or J-1 visa), the process remains the same as any withdrawal, and you must also consult with an advisor at the Berkeley International Office to determine whether or not withdrawing will jeopardize their immigration status and their permission to be in the United States.

Withdraw if Student Athlete

If a student is a student athlete, the process remains the same as any withdrawal, and they should discuss your plan with their coach and also with their advisor in the Athletic Study Center.

Withdraw if Called to Active Military Duty

If students are a Reserve or National Guard member of the U.S. Armed Forces and are called to active duty for service other than their training commitment; or if students are on active duty while attending UC Berkeley and are deployed elsewhere, the campus Veterans Benefits Unit will help them:

  • withdraw with a full refund of eligible tuition and fees paid out of pocket (funds paid by the VA need not be refunded)

  • obtain Incomplete grades that will not lapse to an F before students return to complete the work; and

  • apply for readmission without a fee.

Readmission

To return to Cal after a withdrawal or cancellation, students will need to apply for Readmission. 

Academic Notice

You will be placed on Academic Notice (formerly known as "Academic Probation") when any of the following three conditions occur:

  • You earn a term GPA below 1.5 at the end of a Fall or Spring semester.

  • You earn a cumulative UC GPA below 2.0 at the end of a Fall or Spring semester.

  • You earn no letter grades in a Fall or Spring semester. This includes earning all Pass/No Pass, Incomplete, In Progress, or not recorded grades or any combination of the above. Even if you earn all Pass grades, since no grade points are earned, you will have a 0.0 GPA and will be placed on Academic Notice.

Many students will experience a period of Academic Notice during their time at Cal. Academic Notice signals concern with your GPA and is an opportunity to get support. 

Academic Notice grading option restriction: While you are on Academic Notice, you will not be able to change a grading option from Letter Graded to Pass/No Pass. If you make this change, the system will change your grading option back to Letter Graded. It is okay to sign up for a class that is offered as Pass/No Pass only.

If you do not clear Academic Notice by the end of the next semester (i.e. Fall or Spring) of enrollment, you may be required to withdraw from UC Berkeley and earn specific grades at a different institution (e.g. other UC, CSU, or community college)before returning. This is called being “dismissed”. See the BSE Disqualification page and the Disqualification section below for more information about this process. 

To clear Academic Notice, you will need to earn a minimum 2.0 term (semester) GPA and a 2.0 cumulative UC GPA by the end of the next Fall or Spring semester of enrollment (probationary term). An Advisor can help you understand the grades you will need to earn if you need to raise your GPA to a 2.0.

During an Academic Notice term, all courses that can be taken for a letter grade must be taken for a letter grade. You are still allowed to enroll in courses that are only offered as Pass/No Pass.

Students will need to be enrolled in a minimum of 13 units, unless approved for a Reduced Course Load. If you use your Late Change of Class Schedule petition while on academic notice to drop a course and this puts you below 13 units, BSE will approve a Reduced Course Load for you. However, if you are on Academic Notice, you may wish to discuss using your Late Change of Class Schedule petition with a BSE advisor

Academic Disqualification

If you were on Academic Notice and were unable to earn a minimum 2.0 term (semester) GPA and a 2.0 cumulative UC GPA by the end of your probationary term, you may be required to take a break from attending UC Berkeley. This is called academic disqualification (formerly "academic dismissal"). Disqualification is meant to allow you time to find direction, overcome struggles, and demonstrate your readiness to get back on track at UC Berkeley. Advisors have worked with many students through their Disqualification period, offering encouragement and guidance to not only return to Cal, but to achieve bigger picture goals.

There is no appeal process available for a Disqualification Review decision.

Standard Terms

When you are ready, meet with a BSE advisor to plan for your readmission. To be readmitted, you will need to complete "standard terms." This means taking a break from academics for one full semester, before enrolling in another institution for at least one full term, and earning B grades or better as a full-time student, unless you are eligible for reduced course load (more details about this process and the types of institutions you may choose, including UC Berkeley Summer Sessions or UC Berkeley Extension, can be found on the Readmission After Disqualification page). An advisor will help you plan class schedules that meet expectations for these terms, including choosing transferable coursework and designing schedules that reflect what you plan to take at UC Berkeley in the future. An advisor can also help you determine whether it is possible to satisfy any degree requirements during these terms and discuss timelines that may work best for you. 

If you are a Financial Aid recipient, you should discuss your next steps with Financial Aid to understand your best options as it relates to financial aid. 

Apply for Readmission after Disqualification

You can typically apply for readmission after disqualification when your first standard term is completed with B's or better and your second standard term is in progress. This timeline may or may not work well for you depending on timing and availability of courses for your specific major direction. A BSE advisor can discuss this with you in more depth to make a plan that fits your goals. 

Once you plan to come back, please read the Readmission after Disqualification page in order to get all the necessary details and information.

Readmission after Disqualification for Graduation Purposes

It is possible to graduate while on disqualified status, but only if all remaining degree requirements (i.e. UC and BSE requirements) can be fulfilled without further course work at Berkeley in a Fall or Spring semester.

In this case, the readmission request is only for the purpose of reinstating current student status in order to graduate. Outstanding requirements may be completed with coursework from a different institution (e.g. other UC, CSU, or community college), UC Berkeley Summer Sessions, or UC Berkeley Extension XB or XBW courses.

Note that the senior residence requirement cannot be met through UC Berkeley Extension.​ 

Submitting your Request for Readmission for Graduation Purposes Only

  1. Check the Graduation webpage for deadlines to add to the degree list. 

  2. Meet with your BSE advisor to check your academic progress to make sure that remaining requirements can be completed without further coursework at UC Berkeley in a Fall or Spring semester.

If you are completing transfer coursework, contact your transfer institution to request your transcript be submitted to UC Berkeley. More information on the Central Evaluation Unit's Submitting and Reviewing Transcripts page

Continued on Academic Notice (CAN) students must consult with a BSE advisor before using a Late Change to Class Schedule petition to see if it will violate your CAN conditions. See below for more information on Continued on Academic Notice status.