Fresh Start Policies for Students
The Fresh Start policies (for Freshmen and Returning Students) provides undergraduate students with a second chance or "fresh start". Students who apply and meet the requirements are given the opportunity to recalculate their cumulative GPA without grades of "C-", "D+", "D" and "F".
Applications for Fresh Start are accepted continuously through Student Academic Success. Students returning after an academic suspension need to submit their Fresh Start application by the hard admission deadline posted for the semester they wish to re-enroll.
Fresh Start: First Year (Freshmen)
Fresh Start for First Years is for students who have completed fewer than 30 earned credits towards graduation with a cumulative GPA of less than a 2.0. An eligible student must:
- Enroll at another institution.
- Complete a minimum of 24 transferable credit hours with a 2.5 minimum grade point average (based on a 4.0 scale or an equivalent score on a different scale). These credits must be completed before returning to UNC.
- Grades of "C-" or higher from other institutions are eligible for transfer to UNC.
- Grades earned at another institution do not affect UNC GPA: GPA does not transfer.
- An official transcript must be sent to the UNC Registrar's Office for evaluation.
- Upon returning to UNC, complete a minimum of 12 credits in a single semester, in the first semester back to UNC, with a minimum GPA of 2.50
GPA Calculation
- GPA will not be recalculated until the above qualifications have been met. This will take multiple semesters to achieve.
- All formerly earned grades of "C-", "D+", "D" or "F" (excluding first semester back courses) will remain on the transcript, but will no longer be used in the calculation of the UNC GPA and will no longer be counted for credit towards graduation. A student cannot choose which grades are used in the recalculation. One or more classes may have to be repeated to fulfill Liberal Arts Curriculum, major or minor requirements. Only grades with a "C" and better will be used to calculate of the cumulative GPA. Grades of "S" will count for credit.
- The conditions of good standing, probation and suspension that govern all students remain in effect.
- Students must earn a minimum of 56 UNC credits after the Fresh Start demarcation to determine graduation with honors.
Additional Information
- If planning to transfer to another institution, be aware that many schools recalculate a student's GPA to account for all classes taken at previous institutions.
- Transfer credits will be accepted following the standard admission criteria.
- Fresh Start guarantees readmission to UNC if a student had been academically suspended once. A readmission appeal is not required.
- Students who have been academically suspended from UNC twice are not eligible for Fresh Start. A second academic suspension is a permanent suspension from future enrollment at UNC.
- Once Fresh Start is applied to an academic record it cannot be removed.
- The rules of Fresh Start may be applied only once to a student's transcript.
Fresh Start for Returning Students
Fresh Start for Returning Students is for students who have not attended UNC for a minimum of three years and who have earned grades of "C-" or lower.
For example, a student who left after fall 2019 would be eligible to return with Fresh Start after fall 2022. A student would be eligible to take classes in spring 2023.
Applications are available through Student Academic Success and should be submitted during the first semester back at UNC. Only grades received before the 3-year gap are eligible for Fresh Start.
GPA Calculation
- GPA will not be recalculated until the above qualification have been met.
- All formerly earned grades of "C-", "D+", "D", "D-" or "F's"; (excluding the first semester back courses) will remain on the transcript, but will no longer be used in the calculation of UNC GPA and will no longer be counted from credit towards graduation. A student cannot choose which grades are used in the recalculation. One or more classes may have to be repeated in order to fulfill Liberal Arts Curriculum, major, or minor requirements. Only grades of "C" and better will be used to calculate of the cumulative GPA. Grades of "S" will count for credit.
- The conditions of good standing, probation and suspension that govern all students remain in effect.
- Students must earn a minimum of 56 UNC credits after the Fresh Start demarcation for the calculation for the cumulative GPA to determine graduation with honors.
Additional Information
- If planning to transfer to another institution, be aware that many schools recalculate a student's GPA to account for all classes taken at previous institutions.
- Transfer credits will be accepted following the standard admission criteria.
- Fresh Start guarantees readmission to UNC if a student had been academically suspended once. A readmission appeal is not required.
- Students who have been academically suspended from UNC twice are not eligible for Fresh Start. A second academic suspension is a permanent suspension from future enrollment at UNC.
- Once Fresh Start is applied to an academic record it cannot be removed.
- The rules of Fresh Start may be applied only once to a student's transcript.