Students will be required to withdraw in circumstances where their academic performance does not meet the University of Guelph's standards or if the student is found guilty of academic misconduct. Please read the following for details about each circumstance. Students should also refer to the Policy on Withdrawal in the Undergraduate Calendar [1] or the Associate Diploma Calendar [2], as appropriate.
Academic Performance
Students who do not meet the requirements for continuations of study will be required to withdraw. See Section VIII of the Undergraduate Calendar [3] and Section VIII of the Diploma Calendar [4] for more information on Continuation of Study. Students should read the definitions of Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 to understand which set of conditions they must follow. In general terms, Schedule 1 includes students entering from high school and Schedule 2 is for transfer students.
Academic Misconduct
Being required to withdraw may be one of the penalties a student experiences when found guilty of academic misconduct. Students may be suspended for a period of two to six semesters before they are eligible to reapply to the University. The Dean responsible for the case will determine the suspension length and date of effect. For more information please refer to the Academic Misconduct Policy in Section VIII of the Undergraduate Calendar [5] and Section VIII of the Diploma Calendar [6].
What does "Required to Withdraw" mean?
Students who are required to withdraw will receive a minimum of a two-semester rustication period where they are not permitted to attend classes for credits towards their program. They will be withdrawn from any pre-registered courses and may not have access to certain services on campus. This does not include your Program Counsellor. Students are encouraged to discuss their situation with their Program Counsellor.
Appeals
Students whose academic performance was influenced by events related to medical, psychological or compassionate reasons are able to request academic consideration [7]. Students are not permitted to attend classes unless the appeal has been granted. Approval of the request is not guaranteed.
Students penalized with suspension for academic misconduct may appeal to the Senate Petitions Committee for reconsideration of the verdict or the length of their suspension.
Readmission is not automatic
Students who are required to withdraw must apply for readmission through Admission Services [8]. Students are encouraged to discuss readmission options and requirements with their Program Counsellor. Details on deadlines and requirements for readmission are indicated by program on the admissions website. [9]
During the Rustication Period
Students have the option of taking Opening Learning classes during the rustication period. If a student is readmitted to the University of Guelph after completing the rustication period, a maximum of 1.00 credits taken through Open Learning can be counted as program credit.
› Course offerings through Open Learning [10]
Deferred Assessment
Students who are granted a deferred assessment will not receive notice if they are required to withdraw until after their deferred assessment has been completed and processed. If a student has a deferred assessment for fall semester and does not meet the continuation of study conditions, that student will be "Required to Withdraw". If the student is registered for classes for the winter semester, he or she will be placed on "Probationary Status" and will be required to meet the requirements for continuation of study in order to continue after the semester. If the required minimum semester average is not met during the winter semester, the student will be required to take a two-semester rustication period that will begin with the subsequent summer semester. In this instance, the student will be eligible to apply for readmission for the following winter semester.
If the student is not enrolled in the winter semester after receiving a deferred assessment for the fall, the two-semester rustication period will begin with the winter semester, allowing the student to be eligible to apply for readmission into the following fall semester.
Probation 2 Status - Undergraduate Students (this does not apply to Associate Diploma students)
A student on probation in the fall semester who does not achieve the required average will not be ‘Required to Withdraw', but will be put on Probation 2 [1] for the winter semester. In the winter semester a student can either accept the withdrawal for two semesters (winter and summer) and apply for readmission to the following fall semester, or complete the winter semester with the required minimum average in order to be able to continue on probation. If the required average is not achieved, the student will be required to withdraw as of the summer semester. In this case, students are eligible to apply for readmission for the following winter semester. Probation 2 is granted only when a student fails to meet the requirements for continuation of study after a fall semester.