Petitioning the CSE Scholastics Committee for special circumstances

There are a variety of reasons that a student may request a policy exemption or changes in registration outside of University deadlines. You may submit an Academic Policy Petition to the College of Science and Engineering Scholastics Committee to request exceptions to the University policies outlined in the boxes below. Examples of extenuating circumstances include: temporary illness or disabling injury, violence or abuse, depression, anxiety, other mental health concerns, chemical dependency, and death in the family.

We encourage you to work closely with your academic advisor to determine if an academic policy petition may be appropriate and to address any questions you may have about the petition process or your individual circumstances. 

Additional Information:

Substitutions and modifications to major requirements must be approved through the appropriate academic department. Contact your CSE departmental advisor to discuss options and the department’s exceptions approval process.


Substitutions and modifications to minor requirements must be approved by the college or department that offers the minor. Consult the minor academic advisor or college advising office for more information about their approval and petition process.

To submit an Academic Policy Petition to the CSE Scholastics Committee:

  1. Complete the online Academic Policy Petition form. If you are an inactive student and have difficulty logging into this form, please contact csestudent@umn.edu for assistance. 
  2. Select the correct type of petition for your situation/request (see below for detailed description of each petition type).
  3. Provide a detailed explanation of your request. If necessary, confirm that all course information for a registration change is correct, and submit documentation in support of your request based on the information below.
  4. You will receive an email confirmation that your petition was submitted successfully.  
  5. You will receive a decision regarding your petition and any additional next steps via email from the CSE Scholastics Committee.
    • The Committee generally meets weekly during the academic year and bi-weekly in the summer.
    • Students are typically notified of a decision within two weeks of submitting their petition during the academic year. Petitions submitted outside of the academic year may take longer to process.

Please include the appropriate documentation for your petition based on the information below. In lieu of detailed, personal medical records, you may submit a Medical Supplement form completed by your healthcare provider or the Disability Resource Center (DRC). Failure to submit appropriate documentation may delay the review of your petition and/or result in the denial of your petition. 

Petition types & required statement information

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Add a course(s) or swap a section after the deadline

Complete the add a course(s) or swap a section after the deadline petition to add a class or swap a section after the designated last day to add a course without college approval.  See One Stop Cancel/Add Deadlines.

Complete petitions must include:

  • An explanation of why you were unable to add the course by the deadline.  
  • The 5-digit class number in your petition (the class registration number is the blue 5-digit number next to the specific class section on Schedule Builder).

Note: The course instructor’s approval is required for a course to be added after the semester deadline and your petition form will automatically be routed to the instructor for electronic approval. Be sure you have contacted the instructor for permission prior to submitting the petition. 

Academic Policy Petition Steps/Routing

  1. Student completes and submits the online Academic Policy Petition form
  2. Faculty review
  3. CSE Scholastics Committee review
  4. One Stop Student Services processing
  5. Student notified of decision

Increase credit limit

Complete the increase credit limit petition to request to exceed the 20-credit maximum credit limit per semester during the academic year or to exceed the 15-credit maximum credit limit during summer term. 

Complete petitions must include: 

  • A full list of courses you intend to take including the course department and four-digit number (e.g. Hist 1001) for each course. 
  • An explanation of why the credit limit increase is necessary this term and how the additional course(s) contributes to your academic/graduation plans or how it will enhance your well-being.
  • A detailed plan for how you will be successful with this increased credit load.

Note: The Committee is unlikely to approve an increase in credit limit if it is the student’s first semester at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, or if there is not a history of academic success taking similar credit and course loads. Petitions to audit a course(s) instead of taking it for a grade are less likely to be approved as credit cannot be earned for an audited course. If you are petitioning for a credit limit increase and are intending to audit one or more courses, please explain in your personal statement your choice to audit the course(s) instead of taking it for a grade. 

Academic Policy Petition Steps/Routing

  1. Student completes and submits the online Academic Policy Petition form
  2. CSE Scholastics Committee review and processing
  3. Student notified of decision 
  4. Credit limit increases will be applied during open enrollment. Students will be able to manually add their additional class(es) through MyU at that time.

Third attempt at a course

Complete the third attempt at a course petition to request to attempt a course for a third time.  

Complete petitions must include: 

  • An explanation of why you did not succeed in your previous attempts at the course. If related to an extenuating circumstance, you should provide written documentation such as a medical supplement, obituary, letter from employer, etc.  
  • A plan detailing what you will do differently this time in order to succeed or how your circumstances have changed since your first two attempts of the course.  

Note: Courses readily available at other institutions are less likely to be approved for a third attempt at the U. If taking the class elsewhere would result in personal or financial challenges, please explain those circumstances in your petition. Petitions for a fourth attempt will not be considered.

Academic Policy Petition Steps/Routing

  1. Student completes and submits the online Academic Policy Petition form
  2. CSE Scholastics Committee review
  3. Department review, if the class is an upper division requirement
  4. One Stop Student Services processing
  5. Student notified of decision

Withdrawal from a course(s) after the deadline

Complete withdrawal from a course(s) after the deadline petition to request to withdraw from a course(s) after the semester drop deadline due to extenuating circumstances.  See One Stop Cancel/Add Deadlines.  

Complete petitions must include: 

  • Written proof of an extenuating circumstance such as a medical supplement, obituary, letter from employer, etc.  
  • A clear timeline of events for the semester you are petitioning for.
  • An explanation of why you were unable to drop the course(s) by the deadline (i.e. what happened after the semester withdrawal deadline that made it difficult to be successful in your courses?). 

Note: If you are petitioning to selectively withdraw from part of your registration (i.e. asking to selectively withdraw from two out of your four courses), include the reasons you were successful in some courses and not others in your petition (i.e., why did your extenuating circumstance only influence your performance in a few courses?).  Students must explain how their circumstances impacted courses differently to justify a withdrawal from only some courses.

Additional information: If approved, the letter grade(s) or S/N for the course(s) requested will be replaced with a “W”.  Late and retroactive withdrawals can have a significant impact on financial aid. If you receive financial aid, consult One Stop Student Services for details about how your aid may be impacted before submitting this petition. Students who withdraw from classes may be required to return all or some of the financial aid disbursed to them. Students with extenuating circumstances may be eligible for a tuition refund appeal. If you are an international student and your petition to withdraw from a course(s) would drop you below 12 credits, you must be approved for a Reduced Credit Load (RCL) through ISSS first. International students should contact ISSS and/or their college advisor with any questions. 

Academic Policy Petition Steps/Routing

  1. Student completes and submits the online Academic Policy Petition form
  2. CSE Scholastics Committee review
  3. One Stop Student Services processing
  4. Student notified of decision 

Using OTO (One-Time Only Late Withdrawal)

Complete the online OTO form to request to withdraw from a course after the designated withdrawal deadline.  For more information, please see the CSE Course Withdrawals page. Your OTO petition must be submitted prior to the last day of the course and before completing the final exam/project. See One Stop Dates and Deadlines.  

Additional information:  If approved, the letter grade(s) or S/N for the course(s) requested will be replaced with a “W”. Late and retroactive withdrawals can have a significant impact on financial aid. If you receive financial aid, consult One Stop Student Services for details about how your aid may be impacted before submitting this petition. Students who withdraw from classes may be required to return all or some of the financial aid disbursed to them. Students with extenuating circumstances may be eligible for a tuition refund appeal. If you are an international student and your petition to withdraw from a course(s) would drop you below 12 credits, you must be approved for a Reduced Credit Load (RCL) through ISSS first. International students should contact ISSS and/or their college advisor with any questions. 

Academic Policy Petition Steps/Routing

  1. Student completes and submits the online OTO form 
  2. Review by CSE Academic Advising 
  3. One Stop Student Services processing
  4. Student notified of decision 

Reinstate OTO (One Time Only Late Withdrawal)

Select “Other” as your petition type on the online Academic Policy Petition form and indicate that you are petitioning to reinstate your OTO (One Time Only Late Withdrawal) for future use.  The Reinstate OTO petition will only be approved if the OTO Late Withdrawal has been used and the student is subsequently approved for a late withdrawal for that course based on extenuating circumstances.  

Academic Policy Petition Steps/Routing

  1. Student completes and submits form
  2. CSE Scholastics Committee review and processing
  3. Student notified of decision 

Change grade basis

Complete the change grade basis petition to request to change the grading basis for a course after the semester deadline.  See One Stop Dates and Deadlines.  

Complete petitions must include: 

  • Written proof of an extenuating circumstance such as a medical supplement, obituary, letter from employer, etc. that influenced your registration.

 Note: Change grade basis petitions are rarely approved. 

Academic Policy Petition Steps/Routing

  1. Student completes and submits the online Academic Policy Petition form
  2. CSE Scholastics Committee review
  3. One Stop Student Services processing
  4. Student notified of decision 

Move Major Declaration Required (MDR) hold

Select “Other” as your petition type on the online Academic Policy Petition form and indicate that you are petitioning to move your MDR hold to register for a specific semester.

Complete petitions must include:

  • An explanation of why you have not been admitted to your major.
  • A personal statement detailing your plan for success in your future courses.
  • Your intended major (whether in CSE or a different college at the U of M Twin Cities).
  • A complete list of courses you plan to take including the course department and four-digit number (e.g. Hist 1001). If you are intending to transfer to a different college at the U of M Twin Cities, please include communication with that college regarding your intended list of courses.

Note:

  • MDR petitions will not be approved once the semester in which you are petitioning to enroll begins.
  • If you indicate you will continue to pursue a major in CSE, the committee will conduct a technical GPA calculation to determine whether you can reasonably be admitted to your major after an additional semester of coursework (based on past performance).
  • The MDR hold will remain on your record until you are admitted to your major or transfer colleges.

Academic Policy Petition Steps/Routing

  1. Student completes and submits the online Academic Policy Petition form
  2. CSE Scholastics Committee review and processing
  3. Student notified of decision 

Reinstatement after suspension

Use the Petition for Reinstatement After Suspension form (PDF) for this request. Petitions for reinstatement after suspension for the Fall semester must be submitted by July 1st. Petitions for reinstatement after suspension for the Spring semester must be submitted by November 1st. 

Complete petitions must include:

  • All requested information on the Petition for Reinstatement After Suspension form.
  • A personal statement demonstrating that you are academically ready to resume coursework at the U of M along with a description of the barriers that prevented your success, your detailed plan for improvement and the resources you intend to leverage (including changes you have already made), and a complete list of courses you wish to take the first semester you return including the course department and four-digit number (e.g. Hist 1001).
  • If you are petitioning to return early from suspension, you will need to explain how the extenuating circumstances that led to your suspension were isolated events that are now resolved (i.e. death in the family).

Note:

  • Petitions received after the July 1/November 1 deadline will not be reviewed unless you provide a compelling relevant explanation as to why your petition was late.
  • Petitions to return early from suspension—before the full year is over—are rarely approved.

To be considered for return, you will also need to complete an online Application for Readmission at the same time. The Petition for Reinstatement after Suspension and the Application for Readmission must be submitted by July 1st for Fall semester petitions and November 1st for spring semester petitions. 

Academic Policy Petition Steps/Routing

  1. Student completes and submits the Petition for Reinstatement After Suspension form (PDF) to csestudent@umn.edu. Note: Students must also complete the  online Application for Readmission before their petition will go to committee review. 
  2. CSE Scholastics Committee review and processing
  3. Student notified of decision 

How are decisions made?

The College of Science and Engineering Scholastic Committee, a rotating committee composed of CSE staff, reviews most petitions. Academic departments are also consulted for some petitions. The CSE Scholastic Committee generally meets weekly during the academic year and bi-weekly in the summer. 

Your petition should be clear and concise as you will not be meeting with the committee in person. Explanations and personal statements should not exceed two pages typed.

Students are typically notified of a decision within two weeks of submitting their petition during the academic year. Petitions submitted outside of the academic year may take longer to process. There is no guarantee of approval, regardless of circumstances and supporting documentation. If your particular exemption request is not listed, please consult with your academic advisor.

Special Circumstances

Students should be aware that help is available when unexpected situations arise. Many students face extenuating circumstances at some point in their undergraduate careers, which can make it more challenging to keep a healthy balance between academics, personal life, and other responsibilities. CSE advisors are committed to helping students find ways to successfully overcome these challenges and make whatever changes are needed for maintaining personal well-being and academic achievement. In some cases, it may be necessary for students to limit their course load, seek Incomplete grades in courses, take a temporary leave of absence, or gain assistance from one of the following resources: