Academic Policies and Procedures

Academic Calendar

The Chicago School’s Academic Calendar is built on a semester framework. The academic year includes two types of academic periods - the term and the semester. An academic year can consist of 15-week semesters (fall and spring), 8-week terms (fall I, fall II, spring I, spring II, summer I, and summer II), or a combination of both. A student is required to maintain continuous enrollment during the academic year per the Continuous Enrollment policy.  

Definitions

• First Day of Instruction: Instructional activities officially begin on this day.

• Grading Period: The day(s) that fall between the Last Day of Instruction and the Grades Due date.

• Last Day of Instruction: The final instructional day of the academic period. This is the deadline by which all coursework must be completed, including final exams.

• Term: The “term” academic period and its corresponding courses are eight weeks in duration.  

  • Official End of Term: The day on which the academic term closes.

• Semester: The “semester” academic period is 15 weeks in duration. Semester courses offered in the fall and spring are 15 weeks in duration. 

  • Official End of Semester: The day on which the academic semester closes.

A student enrolled in the AAS-N or VN programs attends courses per the program-specific Academic Calendar. Details on term dates appear in the AAS-N and VN Academic Calendar documents. 

Academic Honors

Undergraduate Programs

The Chicago School encourages students to challenge themselves intellectually, professionally, academically and personally. Academic honors acknowledge outstanding undergraduate students for academic excellence and scholastic achievement.

Term Honors

Dean’s Honor List

An undergraduate student will be named to the Dean’s Honor List if all of the following conditions are met:

• Enrolled at least half time
• Earns a term/semester grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 to 3.79
• Maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
• Does not earn any of the following grades: W, WF, IP, F, I
• Has all grades posted at the time term/semester evaluation is conducted

The Dean’s Honor List will be noted on the student’s transcript for the term/semester in which the honor is received. 

President’s Honor List

An undergraduate student will be named to the President’s Honor List if all of the following conditions are met:

• Enrolled at least half time
• Earns a term/semester grade point average (GPA) of 3.80 to 4.00
• Maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
• Does not earn any of the following grades: W, WF, IP, F, I
• Has all grades posted at the time term/semester evaluation is conducted

The President’s Honor List will be noted to the student’s transcript for the term/semester in which the honor is received.

Degree Honors

An undergraduate student who earns a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.50 or higher will be recognized with degree honors. The honors will be awarded upon degree conferral and will be noted on the transcript and the diploma.

• Cum Laude: Student must earn a CGPA between 3.50 and 3.69
• Magna Cum Laude: Student must earn a CGPA between 3.70 and 3.85
• Summa Cum Laude: Student must earn a CGPA between 3.86 and 4.00

To be eligible for degree honors, an undergraduate student must meet the ethical, legal, and professional standards defined in this Academic Catalog and Student Handbook.

Graduate Programs

The Chicago School encourages students to challenge themselves intellectually, professionally, academically, and personally. Academic honors acknowledge outstanding academic excellence and scholastic achievement.

Honors are awarded upon degree conferral only to a degree-seeking graduate student who:

• Earns a CGPA of 4.00.
• Meets the ethical, legal, and professional standards defined in this Academic Catalog and Student Handbook.
• Has been in compliance with institutional policies and procedures.

Degree Honors will be noted on the student transcript.

Admission Requirements

Undergraduate Admission

This policy addresses the admission requirements for an applicant to undergraduate degree programs at The Chicago School. The school accepts international students into select ground campus-based degree programs.  

An applicant to an undergraduate degree program is required to submit a completed application, application fee, and proof of qualifying conferral. Information on admission requirements by degree program is available in the Programs of Study  descriptions in this Catalog.

Once admission has been offered, an applicant must pay the tuition deposit to reserve a spot in their program. The tuition deposit is nonrefundable.

Qualifying Conferral for Undergraduate Admission

The qualifying conferral is defined as the conferral that qualifies an applicant for admission to an undergraduate-level academic program. The qualifying conferral must occur on a date prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the term/semester of entry. A student must submit proof of the qualifying conferral (see options below) by day 9 of the term/semester of entry. Proof of qualifying conferral must be provided in one of the following ways:

Transcripts

• Official or unofficial high school transcript showing an earned high school diploma and date of graduation.
• Official or unofficial Associate degree transcript from a institutionally-accredited institution showing degree earned and date conferred.
• Official or unofficial post-high school/post-secondary transcript from a institutionally-accredited institution showing education completed.
• Official or unofficial college transcript from a institutionally-accredited institution that contains the high school name and date of graduation.
• Official or unofficial transcript of a state-approved home school program showing the date of graduation.

High School Equivalency Test

• Official or unofficial General Educational Development (GED) document, High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), or Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) document.
• Official or unofficial documentation showing a passing score on a state-authorized exam that the state recognizes as equivalent to high school graduation.

Other Document Types

• A copy of a high school diploma (nursing programs only). 
• Letter showing the date of graduation written on institutional letterhead, signed by a school administrator with an academic title, and sent directly to The Chicago School Registrar’s Office from the awarding school. If the graduation date is in the future, the letter must clearly indicate the student has completed all requirements necessary for conferral and the next available conferral date student is eligible for. Letters will only be accepted from public or private high schools and charter schools. Homeschool or online institutions providing a letter will not be accepted. The letter will serve as unofficial proof of qualifying conferral, the student will still be required to provide official proof of qualifying conferral to have their admissions contingency removed and be eligible to apply for financial aid.
• Military Form DD214 showing the high school date of graduation. The DD214 will serve as official proof of qualifying conferral.

International Documents

• A copy of an international high school diploma or equivalent.
• Official or unofficial evaluation of an international post-secondary transcript. The evaluation must be completed by either a National Association of Credential Evaluations Services (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE)-approved service and include the conferral date, program level, and type of diploma, degree, or equivalency conferred. The evaluation must indicate U.S. degree equivalency.

A student who fails to submit proof of qualifying conferral as outlined above by the day 9 of the term/semester will be placed in either Withdrawal or No Show status. The student will be placed in Withdrawal status if they posted attendance in any course, or the student will be placed in No Show status if they did not post attendance. In both cases, the student does not qualify for financial aid disbursement. Refer to Financial Aid and Student Account Policies for information.

Official Proof of Qualifying Conferral 

A student who submits unofficial proof of qualifying conferral must submit official proof of qualifying conferral prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the second semester/third term of enrollment. A student who fails to submit official proof of qualifying conferral prior to the applicable Add/Drop deadline will be withdrawn. 

Unofficial proof of qualifying conferral may qualify a student for financial aid. See Financial Aid and Student Account Policies for information. 

Proof of Qualifying Conferral Extension for Undergraduate Admission

A student facing extenuating circumstances may be eligible for additional time to submit their official proof of qualifying conferral. A term-based student may be eligible for a two-term extension, and a semester-based student may be eligible for a one-semester extension. To request an extension, a student must submit a Proof of Qualifying Conferral Extension request to the College Dean or designee.  

A student with an approved extension will have a hold placed on their account preventing disbursement of financial aid funding, where applicable. The hold will be removed and financial aid disbursed to a qualified student once an approved form of qualifying conferral is received and verified.

Failure to meet this extension deadline will result in administrative withdrawal from the institution, and the withdrawn student does not qualify for financial aid disbursement. Refer to the Financial Aid and Student Account Policies  section for information.

International Post-Secondary Transcript Requirements for Undergraduate Admission

An applicant holding an international post-secondary transcript they wish to use as proof of qualifying conferral must have it evaluated by a NACES or AICE-approved service as part of the admissions process. A course-by-course evaluation of the official transcript from the international institution where the qualifying conferral was obtained may be required. Any NACES or AICE-approved service can perform credential evaluations. An applicant may choose International Education Evaluations (IEE) to receive a preferred rate.  

The evaluation must indicate the equivalent U.S. credential and grade point average (GPA). 

Language Requirement for Undergraduate Admission

An applicant who indicates that English is not their primary language must submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pearson Test of English (PTE), Duolingo English Test, or at a partner ESL institution. This requirement does not apply to applicants whose qualifying conferral is completed in a program that uses English as the language of instruction. The minimum scores are: TOEFL - 500 paper based, 173 computer based, 61 internet based; PTE - 44; IELTS - 5.5; Duolingo - 95. Valid scores are required. TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, and Duolingo scores are valid for two years after the test date.

Undergraduate Admission Contingencies

For admission contingencies other than proof of qualifying conferral, all documents must be submitted prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the following semester for a semester-based student and by the Add/Drop deadline of the third term for a term-based student. Such items may include but are not limited to a letter of recommendation and Criminal Background Check . A student facing extenuating circumstances may request an extension using the policy exception process.   

If documents are missing after a student begins classes, the student’s record will be placed on hold, prohibiting future course registration. If unresolved, the semester-based student will be withdrawn on the Add/Drop deadline of the second semester of enrollment, and the term-based student will be withdrawn on the Add/Drop deadline of the third term of enrollment.

Graduate Admission

This policy addresses the admission requirements for an applicant to a graduate program at The Chicago School. An international applicant who requires sponsorship for a student visa should refer to the International Admission policy below.

An applicant who has earned a qualifying degree from an institutionally accredited institution or who holds an equivalent international degree and who meets other admission requirements as required by the desired degree program may be considered for admission. Information on admission requirements by degree program is available in the Programs of Study  descriptions in this Catalog.

An applicant to a graduate program at The Chicago School is required to submit a completed application, application fee, and proof of qualifying degree conferral.

Once admission has been offered, an applicant must pay the tuition deposit to reserve a spot in their program. The tuition deposit is nonrefundable.

Qualifying Degree for Graduate Admission

The qualifying degree is defined as the degree that qualifies an applicant for admission to a graduate-level academic program. The qualifying degree must be conferred on a date prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the term/semester of entry. A student must provide proof of qualifying degree conferral by day 9 of the term/semester of entry. 

Proof must be provided in one of the following ways:

1. Official transcript showing qualifying degree. An official transcript is printed on official transcript paper and bears the embossed or raised college seal, date, and the Registrar’s signature. An official transcript is delivered in a sealed envelope with the Registrar’s signature stamped across the seal. An official transcript can also be sent electronically directly from a transcript vendor.  See the International Transcript Requirements policy for international transcripts.

2. Unofficial transcript showing qualifying degree. An unofficial transcript is printed on plain paper and does not bear a college seal or registrar’s signature or is an opened transcript submitted by a student, marked as a student copy or stamped unofficial. An unofficial transcript must document: student name, institution name, courses completed with grades earned, specific degree conferred, and the conferral date.

3. Letter showing the date of graduation written on institutional letterhead, signed by a school administrator with an academic title, and sent directly to The Chicago School Registrar’s Office from the awarding school. If the student’s graduation date is in the future, the letter must clearly indicate that the student has completed all requirements necessary for conferral and the next available conferral date for which the student is eligible. 

4. An official evaluation of by a NACES or AICE-approved service of an international degree that includes the conferral date, degree level, and name of degree conferred, along with U.S. equivalency. See the International Transcript Requirements policy for international transcripts. Any NACES or AICE-approved service can perform credential evaluations. An applicant may choose International Education Evaluations (IEE) to receive a preferred rate. 

If an applicant has earned a graduate degree from an institutionally accredited institution, an exception to the qualifying degree requirement may be considered. An exception must be approved by the Academic Program Lead and documented in the student’s record.

Unless granted an extension under the Proof of Qualifying Degree Extension for Graduate Admission section below, a student who fails to submit proof of qualifying degree by day 9 will be placed in either Withdrawal or No Show status. The student will be placed in Withdrawal status if they posted attendance in any course, or the student will be placed in No Show status if they did not post attendance. In both cases, the student does not qualify for financial aid disbursement. Refer to the Financial Aid and Student Account Policies section for information.

Official Proof of Qualifying Degree 

A student who submits unofficial proof of qualifying degree must submit official proof of qualifying degree prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the second semester/third term of enrollment. A student who fails to submit official proof of qualifying degree prior to the applicable Add/Drop deadline will be withdrawn. 

Unofficial proof of qualifying degree may qualify a student for financial aid. See Financial Aid and Student Account Policies for information. 

Proof of Qualifying Degree Extension for Graduate Admission

A student facing extenuating circumstances may be eligible for additional time to submit their proof of qualifying degree. A term-based student may be eligible for a two-term extension, and a semester-based student may be eligible for a one-semester extension. To request an extension, a student must submit a Proof of Qualifying Degree Extension request to the College Dean or designee. 

A student with an approved extension will have a hold placed on their account preventing disbursement of financial aid funding, where applicable. The hold will be removed and financial aid disbursed to a qualified student once an approved form of qualifying degree is received and verified.

Failure to meet this extension deadline will result in administrative withdrawal from the institution, and the withdrawn student does not qualify for financial aid disbursement. Refer to the Financial Aid and Student Account Policies section for information.

International Transcript Requirements for Graduate Admission

An applicant with transcripts from an international degree-granting institution (bachelors, masters or doctoral) must have their credentials evaluated by a credential evaluation service recognized by the US Department of Education. A course-by-course evaluation of the official transcript from the international institution where the qualifying degree was earned may be required. The evaluation must include a general evaluation showing U.S. degree equivalency and grade point average (GPA). 

Any NACES or AICE-approved service can perform credential evaluations. An applicant may choose International Education Evaluations (IEE) to receive a preferred rate. 

Transcript evaluations are not required from U.S. universities operating internationally, provided the institution is recognized by a U.S. regional accrediting body and with grades reported on a U.S. 4-point scale. 

Language Requirement for Graduate Admission

An applicant who indicates that English is not their primary language must submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Pearson Test of English (PTE), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Duolingo English Test, or at a partner ESL institution. This requirement does not apply to an applicant who either earned an undergraduate or graduate degree or who earned at least 60 credit hours from a university in which the language of instruction was English. The minimum scores are: TOEFL - 550 paper based, 213 computer based, 79 internet based; PTE - 53; IELTS - 6.5; Duolingo - 110. Valid scores are required. TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, and Duolingo scores are valid for two years after the test date.

Evaluation of Other Degree Types for Graduate Admission

A degree type that differs from a standard U.S. bachelor or master’s degree will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The following conditions will be considered:

1. The degree is recognized by a country’s Ministry of Education
2. The NACES or AICE-evaluation shows the degree as equivalent to the U.S. qualifying degree required by the program

Final decisions regarding exceptions to this policy will be made by the Chief Academic Officer.

Graduate Admission Contingencies

For admission contingencies other than proof of the qualifying degree, all documents must be submitted prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the following semester for a semester-based student and prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the third term for a term-based student. Such items may include but are not limited to letters of recommendation, Criminal Background Check  , or GRE scores. A student facing extenuating circumstances may request an extension using the policy exception process.

If documents are missing after a student begins classes, the student’s record will be placed on hold, prohibiting future course registration. If unresolved, the semester-based student will be withdrawn on the Add/Drop deadline of the second semester of enrollment, and the term-based student will be withdrawn on the Add/Drop deadline of the third term of enrollment.

Preparatory Coursework for Graduate Admission

Preparatory coursework refers to course(s) an applicant is required to take in order to enroll in an eligible graduate degree program. Preparatory courses are required for admission to the intended graduate program and do not count toward the requirements for the intended degree program.

An otherwise eligible applicant who must successfully complete preparatory coursework required for admission to a specific graduate program may attend The Chicago School in a Preparatory Student classification.

An applicant who takes preparatory coursework for admission into a graduate program may apply to receive federal Direct Loans for one 12-consecutive month period. The student must be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for loans.  The student must complete the standard financial aid application process and meet all federal eligibility requirements. Only the courses listed in the applicable Programs of Study Admission Requirements section may be used for calculation of loan eligibility. Preparatory coursework that exceeds the 12-consecutive month period will not be eligible for financial aid.

An applicant may review the individual Programs of Study Admission Requirements to view the specific courses required for admission to the intended graduate program. Once all preparatory coursework is successfully completed, the student may be admitted to the intended degree program.

Graduate Progression Requirements

Progression requirements are academic requirements that a student must successfully complete to remain enrolled in the degree program. An applicant may review their Program of Study to view the specific courses required. Failure to successfully complete a progression requirement will result in administrative withdrawal from the degree program.

TCS courses (TCS380, TCS385, TCS390) are non-credit bearing, non-transferrable, and not eligible for financial aid.

International Admission

This policy addresses the admission requirements for an international applicant to a degree program or certificate on a Chicago School ground campus located in the United States. An international applicant to a graduate degree program or certificate who has earned a qualifying degree from an institutionally accredited institution or who holds an equivalent international degree and who meets other admission requirements as required by the desired degree program or certificate may be considered for admission. An international applicant to an undergraduate program who holds a qualifying conferral and who meets other admission requirements as required by the desired degree program may be considered for admission. Information on admission requirements by degree program and certificate is available in the Programs of Study  descriptions in this Catalog.

An international applicant is required to submit a completed application, application fee, and official evaluation of qualifying degree (graduate) or qualifying conferral (undergraduate).

An international student who desires to study in a ground campus degree program or certificate in the United States must be enrolled fulltime to be eligible for a student visa. A student in a non-immigrant status is not eligible for federal financial aid but may be eligible for institutional aid. Contact International Admissions for more information.

Upon acceptance, an international applicant requesting sponsorship for a student visa must submit a New Student Information Form and supporting documentation before a Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant Students (I-20) can be issued. For current information on minimum financial requirements and obtaining the I-20, please visit the International Student Services website. 

Once admission has been offered, an applicant must pay the tuition deposit to reserve a spot in their program. The tuition deposit is nonrefundable.

Qualifying Conferral or Degree for International Admission

The qualifying conferral is defined as the conferral that qualifies an applicant for admission to an undergraduate-level academic program, and the qualifying degree is defined as the degree that qualifies an applicant for admission to a graduate-level academic program. The qualifying degree (graduate) or qualifying conferral (undergraduate) must be conferred on a date prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the term/semester of entry. An international student must provide an official evaluation of the qualifying degree (graduate) or qualifying conferral (undergraduate) by day 9 of the first term/semester of enrollment. Failure to meet this requirement will result in removal from all courses and withdrawal from the institution. Proof must be provided as detailed in the Undergraduate Admission and Graduate Admission polices above. 

Proof of Qualifying Degree (Graduate) or Qualifying Conferral (Undergraduate) Extension for International Admission

An international student facing extenuating circumstances may be eligible for a one-semester extension to submit their proof of qualifying degree (graduate) or qualifying conferral (undergraduate). To request an extension, a student must submit a Proof of Qualifying Degree (graduate) or Qualifying Conferral (undergraduate) Extension request to the College Dean or designee. 

An international student with an approved extension will have a hold placed on their account. The hold will be removed once required documentation is received and verified. Failure to meet the extension deadline will result in administrative withdrawal from the institution.

Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate: International Transcript or Equivalent Requirements

An applicant holding an international transcript or international high school equivalency must have it evaluated as part of the admissions process. The evaluation must indicate the equivalent U.S. credential and grade point average (GPA).

Undergraduate: Admission Contingencies

For admission contingencies other than proof of qualifying conferral, all documents must be submitted prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the following semester. Such items may include but are not limited to a letter of recommendation and Criminal Background Check . A student facing extenuating circumstances may request an extension using the policy exception process.   

If documents are missing after a student begins classes, the student’s record will be placed on hold, prohibiting future course registration. If unresolved, the student will be withdrawn on the Add/Drop deadline of the second semester of enrollment.

Undergraduate: Language Requirement

An applicant to an undergraduate program who indicates that English is not their primary language must submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pearson Test of English (PTE), Duolingo English Test, or at a partner ESL institution. This requirement does not apply to applicants whose qualifying conferral is completed in a program that uses English as the language of instruction. The minimum scores are: TOEFL - 500 paper based, 173 computer based, 61 internet based; PTE - 44; IELTS - 5.5; Duolingo - 95. Valid scores are required. TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, and Duolingo scores are valid for two years after the test date.

Graduate Programs

Graduate: Evaluation of Other Degree Types for International Admission

A degree type that differs from a standard U.S. bachelor or master’s degree will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The following conditions will be considered:

1. The degree is recognized by a country’s Ministry of Education
2. The NACES or AICE-evaluation shows the degree as equivalent to the U.S. qualifying degree required by the degree program

Final decisions regarding exceptions to this policy will be made by the Chief Academic Officer.

Graduate: Admission Contingencies

For admission contingencies other than proof of the qualifying degree, all documents must be submitted prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the following semester for a semester-based student and prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the third term for a term-based student. Such items may include but are not limited to letters of recommendation, Criminal Background Check, or GRE scores. A student facing extenuating circumstances may request an extension using the policy exception process.

If documents are missing after a student begins classes, the student’s record will be placed on hold, prohibiting future course registration. If unresolved, the semester-based student will be withdrawn on the Add/Drop deadline of the second semester of enrollment, and the term-based student will be withdrawn on the Add/Drop deadline of the third term of enrollment. 

Graduate: Language Requirement

An applicant to a graduate program or certificate who indicates that English is not their primary language must submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Pearson Test of English (PTE), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Duolingo English Test, or at a partner ESL institution. This requirement does not apply to an applicant who either earned an undergraduate or graduate degree or who earned at least 60 credit hours from a university in which the language of instruction was English. The minimum scores are: TOEFL - 550 paper based, 213 computer based, 79 internet based; PTE - 53; IELTS - 6.5; Duolingo - 110. Valid scores are required. TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, and Duolingo scores are valid for two years after the test date.

Graduate: Preparatory Coursework for International Admission

Preparatory coursework refers to course(s) an applicant is required to take in order to enroll in an eligible graduate degree program. Preparatory courses are required for admission to the intended graduate program and do not count toward the requirements for the intended degree program.

An otherwise eligible applicant who must successfully complete preparatory coursework required for admission to a specific graduate program may attend the school in a Preparatory Student classification.

An applicant may review the individual Programs of Study Admission Requirements to view the specific courses required for admission to the intended graduate program. Once all preparatory coursework is successfully completed, the student may be admitted to the intended degree program.

Graduate: Progression Requirements 

Progression requirements are an academic requirement that a student must successfully complete to remain enrolled in the degree program. An applicant may review the individual Programs of Study to view the specific courses required. Failure to successfully complete a progression requirement will result in administrative withdrawal from the degree program.

Concurrent Enrollment

A current student must complete all degree requirements and have the degree conferred to be eligible to start another degree program. Degree conferral must occur either on or prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the first term/semester in the new degree program. Concurrent enrollment may be permitted only if an internal articulation agreement has been approved and is on file with both programs (and designated locations as required by programmatic accreditation where applicable).

Attendance

All students are expected to attend and participate in their courses. All students in all delivery modalities (on-ground, online, and blended such as executive style or weekend programs) are recorded as either present or absent for each course during the first week of the term/semester based on participation in an online assigned academic activity. Assigned academic activities include posting an introduction, posting in a discussion forum, or submitting a quiz or assignment. A student cannot post attendance in any course prior to the start of any term/semester.

In addition to completing the online assigned academic activity, a ground campus-based student must attend face-to-face class meetings. Failure to attend face-to-face class meetings will have academic consequences as defined in the course syllabus.

A student who does not submit the assigned academic activity in an individual course during the first week of the term/semester will be administratively withdrawn from the course. A student who does not submit assigned academic activities during the first week of the term/semester in all courses will be administratively withdrawn from the institution.

Excused Absence

Should a student experience extenuating circumstances that necessitate absence from class during the first week of the term/semester, the student must notify the instructor of record for the course in advance. It is within the instructor of record for the course’s discretion to determine whether an absence is excused or unexcused. Reasons for granting an excused absence may include but are not limited to:

            a) Student illness or injury;

            b) Death, injury, or serious illness of an immediate family member;

            c) Religious observance;

            d) Jury duty or other government obligation.

The instructor of record for the course must notify the Student Support Counselor in writing when granting an excused absence. Attendance must be posted for the student upon return to the course. A student is required to provide written documentation substantiating an excused absence. Acceptable forms of documentation include medical documentation, copy of a jury summons, or a copy of a memorial service program. Documentation must be submitted to the Student Support Counselor.

Also, a student must inform the instructor of record for the course(s) in writing of the intent to stay enrolled in the course. The student is responsible for making arrangements to complete coursework missed due to an excused absence. An excused absence does not meet attendance requirements. However, a student’s request for an excused absence indicates the intent to remain enrolled in the course and at the institution. 

Failure to attend 60% of the term/semester may result in a prorated refund of financial aid. Any refund of tuition due to the student will be based on the applicable Refund Policies.

Questions about disability accommodations for short-term impairments that limit a student’s ability to attend class must be directed to the Student Support.

AAS-N and VN: Attendance, Tardy, and Leaving Early 

The AAS-N and VN programs take attendance over the duration of the academic period. A student is required to attend all class meetings, laboratory sessions, and clinical rotations. Instructors record a student’s attendance for each class meeting, laboratory session, and clinical rotation. A student who fails to attend a class meeting, laboratory session, or clinical rotation will be marked absent regardless of the reason for absence. A student will be marked tardy if they arrive for class, laboratory, or clinical rotations after the scheduled start time.

Absence, tardiness, and leaving class early become part of a student’s permanent attendance record. Work missed due to absence is subject to the Make-Up Work policy. Missed clinical rotation hours may be eligible for make up in limited circumstances. A student who arrives for class after a quiz has been initiated may enter the classroom and use the remaining allotted time to complete the quiz.

A student who fails to attend 90% of their cumulative program time will be administratively withdrawn from school. A student who misses more than 10 consecutive scheduled school days will be administratively withdrawn from school for non-attendance. A student who misses two clinical rotations within one academic period may be required to repeat the associated course along with any co-requisite course(s) or may be subject to administrative withdrawal from the program. A student who is administratively withdrawn due to unsatisfactory attendance may request readmission for the next scheduled term start.  

Class Cancellation

If an individual class session must be cancelled, a student will be notified as soon as possible. Information on class cancellation will be sent via Chicago School email. Information on making up the missed class session will be available from the academic department.   

Commencement

Commencement is a ceremony. Participation in the commencement ceremony is voluntary, and neither confers a degree nor releases a student from the obligation to satisfactorily complete curricular or other degree program requirements. Degree conferral will occur upon completion of all program requirements, and diploma issuance is contingent upon meeting all other obligations to the institution. See the Degree Completion policy for more information.

All vocational, associate, bachelor, master, education specialist, and doctoral-level students are invited to participate in a commencement ceremony. A student completing a certificate program may not participate in commencement.

A student is eligible to attend a maximum of one in-person commencement ceremony and one virtual commencement ceremony per earned degree.

To be considered for participation, a student must submit the Intent to Participate in Commencement form by the due date.

Participation Requirements

The Chicago School holds commencement ceremonies at these locations:

• Chicago 
• Dallas
• Southern California
• Washington, D.C. 

A virtual ceremony will be held also. A student must select a specific ceremony location when completing the Intent to Participate in Commencement form and is limited to attending only one in-person ceremony.

Undergraduate Students

A vocational, associate, or bachelor student may be eligible to participate in a commencement ceremony if one of the following conditions are met:

1. All program requirements are completed.
2. All degree requirements will be completed no later than the semester (or two terms) immediately after the one in which the ceremony occurs, as confirmed by the academic department and College Dean.

Master and Education Specialist Students

A master or education specialist student may be eligible to participate in a commencement ceremony if one of the following conditions is met:

1. All degree requirements are completed.
2. All degree requirements will be completed no later than the semester (or two terms) immediately after the one in which the ceremony occurs, as confirmed by the academic department and College Dean. For programs with a research project (thesis, applied research project, advanced applied project, etc.), this must be successfully defended/passed and documented 30 days before the commencement date.

Doctoral Students

A doctoral student may be eligible to participate in a commencement ceremony if the following conditions is met:

1. All degree requirements, including a successfully documented defense of the dissertation, are completed at least 30 days before the commencement date. A student who is still engaged in clinical training may participate with the approval of the Division/Department Chair and College Dean.

Regalia Requirements

A student participating in commencement must adhere to the regalia requirements outlined in this policy in order to participate in a ceremony. Aside from standard cap and gown regalia, a student can wear additional regalia to celebrate their personal identities and heritages, provided that this additional regalia adheres to the University Community Norms and Standards. The College Dean must approve any program-specific regalia requests.

Standard Regalia

The university will provide an official regalia vendor and will provide an opportunity for a student to purchase official regalia within the programmatic stipulations outlined below. The student will be responsible for purchasing their own regalia.

• Undergraduate Participant
  • Black gown
  • Mortarboard cap with black tassel
• Master or Education Specialist Participant
  • Black gown with full-length square sleeves
  • Hood with coloring specific to academic discipline
  • Mortarboard cap with major-specific tassel
• Doctorate Participant
  • Black gown with full rounded sleeves, velvet facing, and velvet sleeve bars
  • Hood with coloring specific to academic discipline and degree type, e.g., PsyD versus PhD
  • Tam cap

Personalized Regalia

A student can decorate their mortarboard cap. A mortarboard cap may only be decorated on top and may not include any offensive content, as defined by Student Life.

In addition to the standard regalia outlined above, a student may wear regalia items that celebrate unique aspects of their identities. These additional items must adhere to the tenets of the University Community Norms and Standards.

Student Life reserves the right to offer specific groups of students special regalia, in line with the examples below.

• Honor cords will be available to a student graduating with honors (as defined by school policy).
• A Veteran and military student will have the opportunity to purchase a red, white, and blue braided cord.
• First Gen cords will be available to any a participant who identifies as First Generation.

Should an academic program wish to offer its students unique regalia, Chairs will need to secure approval in advance from their College Dean. A student’s physical location shall not preclude them from eligibility for program-specific regalia.

Violations

If a participant wears regalia that does not align with this policy, Student Life will ask them to remove the non-approved regalia prior to the start of the commencement ceremony. Should the participant refuse to remove the regalia in question, they will not be permitted to participate in commencement events.

Credit Hour

All courses offered at The Chicago School, irrespective of varying credits, durations, and modalities, define one credit hour as:

• One hour of in-class instructional time and a minimum of out-of-class student preparation time for 15 weeks for one semester, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time.  Out-of-class student preparation time increases with each degree level: Two hours for undergraduate level courses, three hours for master level courses, and three hours plus additional dissertation preparation time for doctoral level courses. 
• The amount of learning required to progress toward completion of learning outcomes as defined by the rigor, complexity, and content of the degree level and the expectations of the profession. Student learning is verified by evidence in student achievement.
• For courses offered in alternative timeframes or modalities, credit hour assignment shall be the equivalent of in-class instructional time per week combined with the appropriate out-of-class student preparation time.

A credit hour is a minimum of a 53-minute period. For courses offered in alternative timeframes or modalities, credit hour assignment shall be the equivalent of the in-class instructional time per week combined with the appropriate out-of-class student preparation time. Information on expected student work is included in the course syllabus. The course syllabus indicates course credit hours and the amount of work required to earn those credit hours.

Degree Completion

Degree Credit Hours

Each degree program defines the number of credit hours required for degree completion. Where a student needs time beyond the coursework required to complete the degree program, they may be required to enroll in an extension course as defined in their Program of Study . An extension course is counted as part of a student’s degree program and may be eligible for financial aid. Tuition and fees may apply. A student who successfully completes their degree program requirements within the published program of study is not required to enroll in extension courses. 

Concentration, Area of Focus/Study, Track, or Minor

Some graduate degree programs require a student to complete a concentration, area of focus/study, or track to meet degree requirements. Some undergraduate degree programs offer optional minors. A concentration is a specific area of emphasis within the student’s chosen degree program, an area of focus/study is the emphasis on a conceptual area within the degree program, and a track is a designated set of courses that lead to a specialized outcome. A minor is a secondary area of study comprised of a set of specialized courses. See the Program of Study pages for more information. 

To change a concentration, area of study/focus, track, or minor, a student must submit the Enrollment Change Request form. See the Enrollment Change policy for details.

Credit Hour Residency Requirement

The Credit Hour Residency Requirement is defined as the minimum number of credit hours a degree-seeking student must complete at The Chicago School in order to graduate. It is required that a matriculated student fulfill all degree requirements through courses offered at the institution. Degree programs with external approving or accrediting agencies must align credit hour residency requirements with the guidelines of those bodies.

A student who enters a degree program via an articulation agreement will be held to the requirements stated in the agreement.

• Undergraduate Programs

A student entering an undergraduate degree program is permitted transfer up to 65% of the required credit hours for the program. A student is required to complete a minimum of 35% of required credit hours at The Chicago School. Refer to the Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hours policy for details including information on exceptions.

• AAS-N and VN Programs

The AAS-N program does not accept transfer credit for nursing core courses. The VN program does not accept transfer credit. Refer to the Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hours policy for more details.  

• BSN Program

​A student entering the BSN program is permitted to transfer up to 60% of the required credit hours for the program. A student is required to complete a minimum of 40% of required credit hours at The Chicago School. Refer to the Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hours policy for details.

• Graduate Programs

Credit Hour Residency Requirements for each degree program are defined in the Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hours policy. A student is required to complete the remaining credit hours at The Chicago School. 

Exceptions to this requirement must be clearly defined in specific agreements or degree programs, i.e., articulation agreements or dual degree/enrollment programs, approved by the institution. As a guideline, transfer credits should not exceed 25% of the graduate degree. In no case will the number of allowed transfer credits under an agreement or degree program exceed 50% of the graduate degree except as detailed in the Exception to Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hour Limits. Existing articulation agreements for graduate-level programs that exceed the 50% transfer credits limit and that were in effect prior to the implementation of this policy will be honored. Restrictions on transfer credit placed by regional, state, or programmatic accreditors, where they exist, will take precedence over this policy.

Requests for transfer credit (and course waiver when initiated by the academic department) must be submitted prior to the end of the first semester of enrollment for a semester-based student or second term of enrollment for a term-based student. Refer to the Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hours policy for details.

Additional Requirements

Once a degree is conferred, a student must meet the requirements below to be eligible to receive a diploma:

• Resolve all financial debts to the institution, 
• Return all library books, test kits, or other school-owned materials, and
• Complete financial aid exit counseling.

Degree Conferral

A student declares their intent to graduate by submitting the online Petition for Degree Conferral within the deadlines published on the Office of the Registrar website. A degree conferral fee is assessed to degree-seeking students either at the time of petition or upon conferral if the student fails to petition.

Rigor

To qualify for degree conferral, a student must:

• Be in Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing,
• Be in University Good Standing,
• Have final grades posted in all courses as defined by the degree program, and
• Complete all degree program components including training requirements, competency exam(s), residencies, and the capstone project, thesis, or dissertation as defined by the degree program.
• Be reviewed and approved for graduation by the faculty and administration where required by the degree program.

The Chicago School reserves the right to withhold a student’s degree conferral if the student has an active Student Community Standards (SCS) referral or if the student is being investigated under the Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Title IX Policy, inclusive of the appeal period.

A degree is considered earned once the degree conferral date is posted on a student’s transcript. The degree conferral date will appear on the student’s record no more than 15 business days after the eligible conferral date. The Chicago School confers degrees on the following days (see the Academic Calendar for specific dates):

• Official end of term/semester
• Last working day of the month, unless the month contains the end of the term/semester
• September 15

The Chicago School reserves the right to confer a degree and/or certificate for a student who meets completion requirements but fails to submit a Petition for Degree Conferral.

Applying for a Certificate or Master’s Degree “Along the Way”

A student enrolled in a program that contains an embedded certificate or master’s degree may be eligible to apply for conferral of the credential. Certificate or master’s degree requirements are published in the Program of Study. A student should refer to the Academic Catalog year under which they enrolled to review credential requirements.  

The student must submit a Petition for Degree Conferral at the beginning of the term/semester in which they expect to be eligible for the certificate or master’s degree. An audit to determine eligibility will be conducted, and the credential will be conferred, if earned.

The petition must be submitted within one year of completing the final certificate or master’s degree requirements. A student who files a Petition for Degree Conferral for an “along the way” master’s degree is charged a fee. There is no fee for certificates. 

A student who earns a master’s degree “along the way” may be eligible to participate in Commencement. Additional information is available on the Community website. 

Manuscript Preparation Requirements for Degree Conferral

A student engaged in manuscript preparation of their thesis or dissertation while enrolled in a corresponding extension course will have their degree conferred when manuscript preparation is completed, even if during an active term/semester. Once manuscript preparation is completed, the Office of the Registrar will be notified, the corresponding course grade will be posted, and the degree will be conferred per the schedule above.

Institutional fees apply regardless of the duration of a student’s enrollment in the corresponding extension course. A student enrolled in any thesis or dissertation course who does not make timely progress as defined by the thesis or dissertation chair will be referred to Student Community Standards for disciplinary action.

Accumulating Postdoctoral Hours

Information on accumulating postdoctoral hours is available from local, state, or regional licensing agencies.

Diplomas and Certificate Awards

Diplomas and certificates will be available six to eight weeks after all degree requirements have been verified by the Office of the Registrar. Expedited requests cannot be honored.

All diplomas and certificates are issued in the student’s name of record with the school, and all diplomas and certificates are mailed to a student’s address of record with the institution. The student is responsible for the diploma or certificate replacement cost if it carries an incorrect name or if mailed to the incorrect address. To change the name of record with The Chicago School, the student must submit a Student Personal Information Change Request form.

Diploma and Certificate Replacement

A lost or damaged diploma or certificate may be replaced for a fee. The replacement diploma or certificate will bear the signatures of current school officials but carry the original degree awarded date and degree title. The diploma or certificate will indicate that the document has been reissued. To order, a graduate must complete the Duplicate Diploma Request form. A fee is assessed at the time of order.

Enrollment Change

Degree Program or Campus Location Transfer

A student who desires to transfer to a different degree program or campus location may do so using the procedure outlined in this policy. Degree program or location transfer options are:

• Campus Location Transfer (Same Degree Program): A student who wishes to transfer to another Chicago School campus location while remaining in the same degree program. 
• Degree Program Transfer (Same Degree Level): A student who wishes to transfer to a different degree program at the same degree level on the same campus. 
• Degree Program and Campus Location Transfer: A student who wishes to transfer to a different degree program at the same degree level AND transfer to another campus location. 
• Dual Enrollment Degree Program Transfer (Same Degree Level): A student who wishes to transfer from a Dual Enrollment Program to a non-Dual Enrollment program at the same degree level. 
• Dual Degree Program Transfer (Same Degree Level): A student who wishes to transfer from a Dual Degree Program to non-Dual Degree program at the same degree level. 

To qualify for degree program or campus location transfer, a student must meet all of the following requirements both at the time of the request and upon enrollment into the new degree program and/or campus location: 

• Be in good Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing under SAP requirements.  
• Be in Financial Good Standing .  
• Meet the admission requirements of the new degree program and any affiliated campus location requirements, if transferring to a different campus location. 

To initiate a degree program or campus location transfer, a student must: 

• Consult with their Student Support Counselor to determine next steps based on desired program selection.
• Discuss their intent to transfer with their current Academic Program Lead and the Academic Program Lead of the desired program, if applicable. 
• Contact the Office of Financial Aid to determine financial aid implications including program change timing considerations. 
• Submit an Enrollment Change Request Form to their Student Support Counselor. 

Degree programs may have different degree completion requirements, depending on campus location. A student may be required to take additional courses to satisfy the new degree program requirements. Coursework from the original degree program that applies to the new degree program will be associated, where possible. Associated coursework will be calculated into SAP. All transfer credit accepted during a student’s enrollment cannot be removed from the student’s permanent record, even where the transfer credit does not meet degree program requirements.  

A student seeking entry into a degree program that leads to licensure or certification or a degree program that has or is seeking programmatic accreditation or specialized approval must apply through the Office of Admissions. 

An International student must obtain their Designated School Official (DSO) approval to transfer degree programs or campus locations prior to submitting the Enrollment Change Request Form. 

Graduate Programs: Declaring and/or Changing an Area of Focus/Study, Track, or Concentration

Some graduate programs require a student to select an area of focus/study, track, or concentration. In those programs, a student declares their area of focus/study, track, or concentration at the point of application. A student who chooses undeclared at the point of application must use the Enrollment Change Request Form when they are ready to declare their area of focus/study, track, or concentration. 

A student who wishes to change their area of focus/study, track, or concentration must complete the Enrollment Change Request Form and submit it to their Student Support Counselor. Changing an area of focus/study, track, or concentration is subject to Academic Program Lead approval and availability of courses, and it may extend the student’s time to completion and increase program cost. See the Programs of Study  pages for details. 

Undergraduate Programs: Declaring and/or Changing a Minor

Some undergraduate programs offer optional minors. In those programs, a student may declare their minor at the point of application. A student who wishes to declare and/or change their minor after enrollment must complete the Enrollment Change Request Form and submit it to their Student Support Counselor. Changing a minor is subject to Academic Program Lead approval and availability of courses, and it may extend the student’s time to completion and increase program cost. See the Programs of Study  pages for details. 

Enrollment in a New Degree Level

A student who wishes to enroll in a degree program at a different degree level (e.g., Associate to Bachelor, Bachelor to Master, Master to Bachelor, Certificate to Master, Master to Doctoral, or Doctoral to Master) must apply through the Office of Admissions.  

To qualify for enrollment in a new degree level, a student must meet all of the following requirements both at the time of the request and upon enrollment into the new degree program: 

• Be in good Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing under SAP requirements.  
• Be in Financial Good Standing .  
• Meet the admission requirements of the new degree program. 

Transcripts from prior schools remain on file and need not be resubmitted, but a Chicago School transcript and other admissions documentation must be submitted as required. Documentation requirements may vary under an articulation agreement. 

Once awarded, transfer credit remains on a student’s permanent record and cannot be removed from the academic transcript. 

Good Standing

The Chicago School defines Good Standing along three dimensions - Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing, Programmatic Good Standing, and University Good Standing.

Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing

Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing is the minimum and necessary level of academic performance required of all students at The Chicago School.

1. A graduate student is considered in good academic and financial aid standing if the student has earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.  An undergraduate student is considered in good academic and financial aid standing if the student has earned a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above.
   1. The student must maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average to remain in this status.
   2. The cumulative GPA is reviewed at the end of every term/semester.
2. A student is meeting the Rate of Progress (ROP) requirement for their program.
   1. A student must progress to ensure degree program completion within the maximum timeframe.
   2. ROP is measured at the end of every term/semester.
   3. ROP is calculated as a period of time during which a student attempts 1.5 times the number of credit hours required to complete the program.
   4. For instance, if the published length of a program is 60 credit hours, then the student must complete their program by the time the student reaches 90 attempted credit hours (60 credit hours X 150% = 90 credit hours). Therefore, in order for a student to complete their program within the maximum timeframe, a student must complete a minimum of 66.67% of all credit hours attempted (60 credit hours ÷ 90 credit hours = 66.67%).
   5. All credit hours attempted or transferred in from another college are considered, even for periods in which the student did not receive financial aid.
3. A student is not on Academic and Financial Aid Warning or Academic and Financial Aid Probation.

Programmatic Good Standing

A degree program may set forth academic, ethical, and performance requirements due to licensure and accreditation standards and professional responsibility in individual disciplines. These programs may create a standard of performance referred to as Programmatic Good Standing.

1. Programmatic Good Standing must include the above standard for Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing as the minimum for academic performance but may exceed this standard. Programmatic Good Standing may also include other metrics of performance.
2. Programmatic Good Standing must be published by the academic department and must be clearly explained to the students in a timely and appropriate manner. All standards must be fully accessible by students, faculty, and staff.
3. In the absence of a formal and published policy of Programmatic Good Standing, Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing shall serve as the default definition of standing for all Chicago School students.

University Good Standing

A student who is subject to Student Community Standards (SCS) action or who is a responding party to an Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Title IX investigation is not in University Good Standing. This is inclusive of the appeal period defined by the applicable policy. The Chicago School reserves the right to withhold a student’s degree conferral if the student has an active SCS referral or is being investigated under the Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Title IX Policy.  

Grading Policies

A student must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward a degree by maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 for undergraduate programs or 3.0 for graduate programs. Final grades for a term/semester in which a student has an outstanding financial balance will be withheld until the financial balance for the term/semester is paid.

All academic grades are assigned by an Instructor of Record for the Course and are noted on the student’s permanent record. 

Academic Grades

Definitions

Full Course Credits Earned: This indication means that the course credits will count toward both the Earned Credits and Attempted Credits Rate of Progress Calculation. At the course level, this will equate to a 100% completion rate. See SAP for more information. 

0 Credits Earned: This indication means that 0 credits will be counted toward the Earned Credits in the Rate of Progress Calculation, while the course credits will count toward the Attempted Credits in the Rate of Progress Calculation. At the course level, this will equate to a 0% completion rate. See SAP for more information.

Audit (AU): The AU grade is assigned to a student who audits a course. This grade is not calculated into the GPA or rate of progress.

Incomplete (I): The I grade is a temporary grade assigned when a student has an authorized incomplete. See the Incomplete Grade policy for more information. This grade is assigned by the instructor of record for the course and recorded by the Registrar.

Definitions

Full Course Credits Earned: This indication means that the course credits will count toward both the Earned Credits and Attempted Credits Rate of Progress Calculation. At the course level, this will equate to a 100% completion rate. See SAP policy for more information. 

0 Credits Earned: This indication means that 0 credits will be counted toward the Earned Credits in the Rate of Progress Calculation, while the course credits will count toward the Attempted Credits in the Rate of Progress Calculation. At the course level, this will equate to a 0% completion rate. See SAP policy for more information.

Audit (AU): The AU grade is assigned to a student who audits a course. This grade is not calculated into the GPA or rate of progress.

Incomplete (I): The I grade is a temporary grade assigned when a student has an authorized incomplete. See Incomplete Grade policy for more information. This grade is assigned by the instructor of record for the course and recorded by the Registrar.

In Progress (IP): The IP grade is a temporary grade assigned in a course that extends beyond the end of a term/semester. See In Progress Grade policy for more information.

Definitions

Full Course Credits Earned: This indication means that the course credits will count toward both the Earned Credits and Attempted Credits Rate of Progress Calculation. At the course level, this will equate to a 100% completion rate. A course grade of C and below does not count toward degree requirements. Courses in which a grade of C and below is earned must be repeated or replaced. See SAP policy for more information. 

0 Credits Earned: This indication means that 0 credits will be counted toward the Earned Credits in the Rate of Progress Calculation, while the course credits will count toward the Attempted Credits in the Rate of Progress Calculation. At the course level, this will equate to a 0% completion rate. See SAP policy for more information.

Audit (AU): The AU grade is assigned to a student who audits a course. This grade is not calculated into the GPA or rate of progress.

Credit (CR): The CR grade is assigned to a student who performs at a level that is marginally satisfactory (equivalent to a B- or higher grade) or has successfully completed a 0 credit course (e.g. Competency Exam, Dissertation Extension). This grade is not calculated into the GPA. It is included in the rate of progress calculation.

In Progress (IP): The IP grade is a temporary grade assigned in a course that extends beyond the end of a term/semester. See In Progress Grade policy for more information.

Incomplete (I): The I grade is a temporary grade assigned when a student has an authorized incomplete. See the Incomplete Grade policy for more information. This grade is assigned by the instructor of record for the course and recorded by the Registrar.

No Credit (NC): The NC is assigned to a student who performs at a level below marginally satisfactory (equivalent to C and below) or who does not meet the deliverables required in a course description. This grade is not calculated into the GPA. It is included in the rate of progress calculation.

Administrative Grades

Administrative grades are issued by the Office of the Registrar. Administrative grades cannot be issued by faculty.

* Deadlines may vary. See the relevant Academic Calendar for details.

Definitions

Credit by Examination (CE): At the discretion of the department faculty and the approval of the Academic Program Lead, credit by examination may be awarded for designated courses within a bachelor’s program under certain circumstances. Credits earned by examination will be recorded as CE on the student’s permanent record and will be counted toward the total number of credits required for the degree program. The CE grade will not impact GPA or a student’s enrollment status, but it will count as credit earned and positively impact rate of progress. 

Not Applicable (N/A): The N/A grade is issued when a student who has posted attendance in a course drops that course during the Add/Drop period. The grade is assigned only to preserve the record of attendance and does not impact SAP. This grade does not appear on a student’s official transcript. 

Transfer Credit (TR): The TR grade is issued to a student who receives transfer credit from an external institution. The TR grade is issued to an AAS-N or VN student who earns credit through CLEP or who is considered advanced placement. This grade is not calculated into the GPA. It is included in the rate of progress calculation.

Withdrawal (W): The W grade is issued when a student drops or is administratively withdrawn from a course before the deadline as listed in the Drop/Withdrawal Schedule. This grade is not calculated into the GPA. It is included in the rate of progress calculation as credits attempted, but not earned.

Withdrawal Fail (WF): The WF grade is issued when a student drops or is administratively withdrawn from a course after the deadline as listed in the Drop/Withdrawal Schedule. This grade is calculated into the GPA and rate of progress.

* Deadlines may vary. See the relevant Academic Calendar for details.

Definitions

Credit by Examination (CE): At the discretion of the department faculty and with the approval of the Academic Program Lead, credit by examination may be awarded for designated courses within a bachelor’s program under certain circumstances. Credits earned by examination will be recorded as CE on the student’s permanent record and will be counted toward the total number of credits required for the degree program. The CE grade will not impact GPA or a student’s enrollment status but it will count as credit earned and positively impact rate of progress. 

Not Applicable (N/A): The N/A grade is issued when a student who has posted attendance in a course drops the course during the Add/Drop period. The grade is assigned only to preserve the record of attendance and does not impact SAP. This grade does not appear on a student’s official transcript. 

Transfer Credit (TR): The TR grade is issued to a student who receives transfer credit from an external institution. The TR grade is issued to an AAS-N or VN student who earns credit through CLEP or who is considered advanced placement. This grade is not calculated into the GPA. It is included in the rate of progress calculation.

Withdrawal (W): The W grade is issued when a student drops or is administratively withdrawn from a course before the deadline as listed in the Drop/Withdrawal Schedule. This grade is not calculated into the GPA. It is included in the rate of progress calculation as credits attempted, but not earned.

Withdrawal Fail (WF): The WF grade is issued when a student drops or is administratively withdrawn from a course after the deadline as listed in the Drop/Withdrawal Schedule. This grade is calculated into the GPA and rate of progress.

* Deadlines may vary by instructional delivery modalities. See the Academic Calendar for details.

Definitions

Credit by Examination (CE): At the discretion of the department faculty and the approval of the Academic Program Lead, credit by examination may be awarded for designated courses within a master’s program under certain circumstances. Credits earned by examination will be recorded as CE on the student’s permanent record and will be counted toward the total number of credits required for the degree program. The CE grade will not impact GPA or a student’s enrollment status but it will count as credit earned and positively impact rate of progress.

Not Applicable (N/A): The N/A grade is issued when a student who has posted attendance in a course drops that course during the Add/Drop period. The grade is assigned only to preserve the record of attendance and does not impact SAP. This grade does not appear on a student’s official transcript.

Transfer Credit (TR): The TR grade is issued to a student who receives transfer credit from an external institution. This grade is not calculated into the GPA. It is included in the rate of progress calculation.

Withdrawal (W): The W grade is issued when a student drops or is administratively withdrawn from a course before the deadline as listed in the Drop/Withdrawal Schedule. This grade is not calculated into the GPA. It is included in the rate of progress calculation as credits attempted, but not earned.

Waiver (WA): The WA grade is issued to a student who receives a waiver of a program requirement at the request of the academic department. Course waiver does not meet the credit hour requirement for any course; a student must take other courses to earn the number of credit hours required for the degree.

Withdrawal Fail (WF): The WF grade is issued when a student drops or is administratively withdrawn from a course after the deadline as listed in the Drop/Withdrawal Schedule. This grade is calculated into the GPA and rate of progress.

Withdrawal No Credit (WNC): The WNC grade is issued when a student drops or is administratively withdrawal from a Credit/No Credit course after the deadline as listed in the Drop/Withdrawal Schedule. This grade is not calculated into the GPA. It is included in the rate of progress calculation.

Drop/Withdrawal Schedule

15-week Semester

12-week Semester

8-week Semester (Summer Only)

8-week Term 

 See the Academic Calendar for specific dates.

Temporary Grades

The Chicago School has two temporary grades - In Progress (IP) and Incomplete (I). The IP grade is a temporary grade assigned in a specific type of course that extends beyond the end of a term/semester. The I grade is a temporary grade assigned to allow a student more time to complete final course requirements in any course if the student is facing an unforeseeable and unexpected circumstance that prohibits them from being able to complete course requirements. Additional restrictions are detailed in the policy below. If either the IP grade or the I grade are not resolved by the stated deadlines, a failing grade will be assigned.

Under the SAP policy, In Progress and Incomplete grades are calculated as credits attempted, but not earned during a given term/semester. This means that these grades will count against a student’s rate of progress for the purpose of determining academic progress and financial aid eligibility. 

In Progress (IP) Grade

A course is not considered complete until all course requirements have been met and the final course grade has been assigned. The IP grade may be used only in practicum, internship, field experience, and study abroad courses. 

A student who has completed their final term/semester in their academic program must have all IP grade(s) resolved within 30 calendar days of the official end of the term/semester as published on the Academic Calendar or be enrolled in a corresponding extension course in order to remain in Active status. A student who does not meet those requirements will be withdrawn from the institution. This rule supersedes the 12-week timeframe for practicum and internship courses described below. 

Practicum and Internship Courses

A student is required to complete the following steps in order to receive a grade for practicum and/or internship:

1. Turn in a completed and signed Training Agreement on the Office of Placement and Training (OPT) database by the second week of the term/semester.
2. Submit an hour log signed by the primary supervisor by the end of each term/semester.
3. Submit a site supervisor evaluation.
4. Submit a seminar leader evaluation.
5. Complete a site evaluation by the end of the term/semester.
6. Complete a consolidated report in the OPT database.
7. Submit any additional documentation required by academic department policy and/or state or governing board forms.

A student who fails to complete any of the above steps will be assigned an IP grade in the practicum and/or internship course. Following the 12 weeks of the IP grade, the grade will be changed to No Credit (NC) or Fail (F), and the student may be required to repeat the practicum or internship placement and seminar course.  

A student who needs to complete practicum or internship hours to satisfy degree requirements and who will be actively engaged in training on site after the add/drop date of the subsequent term/semester must be enrolled in an extension course.

Study Abroad and Field Experience Courses

For study abroad, and field experience courses, an IP grade will be changed to a failing grade four weeks after the end of the term/semester in which the grade was assigned if the student does not submit the required course deliverables. If the student successfully completes course requirements, the instructor of record for the course must submit a grade change to the Office of the Registrar. If the student does not successfully complete course requirements, a failing grade will be assigned.  

Incomplete (I) Grade

It is expected that a student will complete all coursework by the end of the term/semester in which a course is taken. In cases where a student faces an unforeseeable and unexpected circumstance that prohibits them from being able to complete final course requirements, they may request an Incomplete grade. An Incomplete grade cannot be granted as a means of extending the standard amount of time given to complete a course.

An Incomplete grade request may be initiated by a student, the instructor of record for the course, a faculty advisor, or an Academic Program Lead. In all cases, the student must be passing the course at the time of request, and the request must be made prior to the Grades Due date for the term/semester as published on the Academic Calendar. Where initiated by the instructor of record for the course, faculty advisor, or Academic Program Lead, the student must agree to the Incomplete grade in writing prior to the grade being awarded.

An instructor of record for the course is not required to grant a request for an Incomplete grade. In considering the request, an instructor of record for the course determines what work will be required to resolve the Incomplete grade. Alternative assignments may be required in lieu of final group projects or peer-dependent activities. 

If approved, an Incomplete Grade Request form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the Grades Due date as published on the Academic Calendar. Note that this date occurs before the Official End of Term/Semester. The Incomplete grade is recorded by the Registrar.

The student will receive written instructions for completing final course requirements from the instructor of record for the course. For semester-based courses, the deadline for completion of all outstanding coursework must be seven or more calendar days before the Add/Drop deadline of the subsequent semester. For term-based courses, the deadline for completion of all outstanding coursework may not extend beyond the Wednesday of Week 1 of the subsequent term.

Once final coursework is evaluated, the instructor of record for the course must submit a Grade Change Request to the Office of the Registrar by the Add/Drop deadline of the subsequent term/semester. A failing grade will be assigned in the course if either the student fails to complete all final course requirements or the instructor of record for the course fails to submit the Grade Change Request by the deadline.

A student carrying an Incomplete grade into a subsequent term/semester may proceed with taking courses. However, if the course for which the Incomplete grade was issued is a prerequisite for a subsequent course(s), the requisite course cannot be taken until the Incomplete grade is resolved.  

A student that is called into active duty by the U.S. Military or National Guard or who is experiencing economic hardship as a result of war, military operation, state or national emergency should consult the Military Leave of Absence Policy for guidance on coursework.

Course Final Grade Appeal

A student who desires to appeal a course final grade must do so by the deadlines stated in this policy. A course final grade may be appealed only when the grading criteria stated in the course syllabus and/or this Catalog have not been followed. A student must be able to present clear evidence of the misapplication of published grading criteria to have a course final grade appeal considered.

A change to a course final grade may be approved only by the instructor of record for the course who assigned the grade, a student’s Academic Program Lead, or a College Dean or designee.

Informal Appeal

The student is required to appeal to the instructor of record for the course prior to submitting a formal appeal. A student is advised to initiate the course final grade appeal process as soon as the grade is posted. If a resolution cannot be reached through informal appeal, the student must complete the formal appeal process below.

Formal Appeal

The student is required to submit a completed Grade Appeal Request form by the deadlines below.

1. Course Final Grade: To formally appeal a course final grade, a student must complete and submit a Grade Appeal Request form as soon as possible and no later than Monday of Week 1 of the term/semester immediately following the one in which the grade in question was earned. A formal appeal received after Monday of Week 1 will not be considered.
2. Course Final Grade earned via resolution of an Incomplete (I) Grade:
   1. Semester-Based Student: A semester-based student must submit a completed Grade Appeal Request form as soon as possible and no later than Friday of Week 1 of the semester immediately following the one in which the grade in question was earned.
   2. Term-Based Student: A term-based student must submit a completed Grade Appeal Request form as soon as possible and no later than Monday of Week 2 of the term immediately following the one in which the grade in question was earned.
3. Course Final Grade earned via resolution of an In Progress (IP) Grade: A student must submit a completed Grade Appeal Request form by the end of the term/semester immediately following the one in which the course was taken.

Procedure: The Academic Program Lead will make a decision on a formal appeal within four business days. They will attempt to resolve the appeal by consulting with the instructor of record for the course who assigned the course final grade and with the appealing student. If the Academic Program Lead is the instructor of record for the course or if the Academic Program Lead requires consultation on the appeal, they must work with the College Dean or their designee prior to rendering a decision on the appeal. 

Notification: Once a decision is made, the Academic Program Lead will inform the instructor of record for the course and the student of the appeal outcome and return the finalized Grade Appeal Request form to the Office of the Registrar. The decision is final and cannot be appealed.

Grade Change

A change to a posted course final grade assigned by a faculty member may be approved by the instructor of record for the course, Academic Program Lead, or faculty committee appointed by an Academic Program Lead. A posted course final grade may be considered for change under the following conditions:

• To correct an administrative error.
• To correct a calculation error.
• To change a temporary grade to a final grade.

A grade change form must be submitted by the Add/Drop deadline one semester for semester-based courses or two terms for term-based courses after the original course final grade was posted. For example, if a course final grade is awarded at the end of the fall semester/fall II term, a grade change form will be accepted until the Add/Drop deadline of the subsequent summer semester for semester-based courses or summer I term for term-based courses. 

The Grade Change timeline does not apply to comprehensive exam courses, training courses (practicum and internship), and research project courses. 

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The GPA is determined by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted. All quality points earned are counted equally on a 4.0 scale.

Calculating the GPA

1. Multiply the point value of the letter grade by the number of credit hours. The result is the quality points earned.
2. Total the credit hours for the term/semester. Total the quality points for the term/semester.
3. Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours.

Repeating a Course

Failed Courses

A student who earns a failing grade in a course is required to repeat or replace the course as failing grades do not meet degree requirements.

• Undergraduate Courses: Courses in which grades of F, W, and WF are earned must be repeated or replaced.
• Graduate Courses: Courses in which grades of C, F, NC, W, WF and WNC are earned must be repeated or replaced.

The repeated failed course should be attempted when the next course offering is available. When the course is successfully completed, the new course grade will be computed in the CGPA; the quality points for the original grade will no longer be computed in the CGPA but will count toward credits attempted thereby affecting SAP. All final grades remain in the student’s record and appear on the official transcript.

See the Financial Aid Eligibility for Repeated Courses  policy for financial aid information. 

Passed Courses

A student who earns a passing grade in a course may repeat the course one time with Academic Program Lead approval and in one of the following circumstances:

• Improve a Course Final Grade: A student may be eligible to repeat a passed course if a higher grade is needed to meet degree conferral requirements, i.e. meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.
• Satisfy Licensure Requirements: A student may be eligible to repeat a course needed for licensure in which a higher grade is required by the licensing agency or entity.
• Advance a Research Project: A student may be eligible to repeat a passed research extension course. Research extension courses include dissertation, thesis, or a thesis-like project such as an applied research project.
• Complete a Training Experience: A student may be eligible to repeat a required training course if necessary to complete a training experience.

The repeated passed course counts toward half-time or fulltime enrollment status only once. The new course grade will be computed in the CGPA; the quality points for the original grade will no longer be computed in the CGPA but will count toward credits attempted thereby affecting SAP. All final grades remain in the student’s record and appear on the official transcript.

See the Financial Aid Eligibility for Repeated Courses  policy for financial aid information. 

Undergraduate Late Assignment Policy

An undergraduate student (not including nursing students) who does not submit an assignment (other than discussion forum posts) on time is allowed a three (3) calendar day grace period (excluding official school holidays) from the original due date to make up the work and submit the assignment without penalty. An assignment submitted later than three (3) calendar days will receive a 10% reduction in the grade if submitted within five (5) calendar days of the original due date. An assignment submitted after five (5) calendar days will receive a grade of zero.

There are four exceptions to the above late policy:

Discussion Forums

• Discussion forums foster engagement during the applicable module/unit week. Students are expected to submit initial and peer reply discussion posts on time. The rubric and due dates listed within the course and syllabus provide the schedule and grading scheme for timely and late submissions of posts.
• In all cases, students who submit the initial discussion post past the last day of the unit (Sunday 11:59 pm Central Time) will receive a grade of zero for the initial post. Peer reply posts submitted more than three (3) calendar days* after the peer reply posts are due will not receive points for their responses.
• In some cases, instructors may have make-up assignments available to all students for missing the submission due dates for discussion forum assignments. Check with your instructor and the course requirements for information about make-up assignments for discussion forums. The late assignment policy above will apply to make-up assignments.

Live, In-Class Activities

• Instructors may offer graded activities that occur live (in-person or online) where a student’s physical or virtual attendance is required. These activities may include field trips, guest speakers, pop quizzes, exit tickets, in-class discussions, speeches, group presentations, labs, etc.
• Any points associated with live, in-class activities, as designated by the instructor, cannot be made up.
• Instructors may provide alternative assignments for live, in-class activities that a student cannot make-up.

Special Circumstances

• Because unavoidable life situations can prevent a student from submitting an assignment within the grace period, such as a death in the family, significant personal health issues, hospitalization, military service, etc., special circumstances for an extension beyond the late policy framework will be considered case-by-case by the instructor, department chair, college dean, or designated faculty member.
• Students must contact their instructor by Chicago School email or via Canvas as soon as possible requesting an extension due to special circumstances. The instructor will review the request and provide new assignment due dates if approved. The new due dates will be subject to the late policy above.

Late Assignments and Grades Due Date

• This policy cannot cause instructors to miss the published due date for final grade submission. The only exception to this is for students who have a documented disability. For students who have approved accommodation that allows them extra time on assignments, this will be added to the timeline above.

Leave of Absence (LOA)

A student is required to maintain continuous enrollment as defined in the Continuous Enrollment policy. A student who experiences an unforeseeable and unexpected circumstance that necessitates a break in enrollment may consider either LOA or withdrawal from the institution.

Should study be interrupted between terms/semesters or before the Add/Drop deadline of a term/semester, LOA may be considered. LOA allows a student to return to the same degree program under the requirements in effect when LOA began. LOA is granted only between terms/semesters or before the Add/Drop deadline of any term/semester. A LOA will not be granted after the Add/Drop deadline of an active term/semester.

An unforeseeable and unexpected circumstance is defined as a significant change in the student’s health (severe illness or injury), financial situation, employment, or urgent personal matter. Course unavailability does not constitute an unforeseeable and unexpected circumstance so does not qualify a student for LOA. See the Withdrawal policy for information on a temporary withdrawal related to course unavailability.

The duration of LOA may not exceed 180 calendar days in any 12-month period. For this reason, students are limited to taking two terms/one semester of LOA in any 12-month period. A term-based student who desires an additional term of LOA must contact their Student Support Counselor for eligibility. A student is eligible for a maximum of six terms/three semesters of LOA over the duration of a degree program assuming all conditions set forth in this policy are met. 

Failure to return to active status at the conclusion of LOA will result in administrative withdrawal from the school. Upon withdrawal, the grace period for a federal student loan recipient will begin with the last date of attendance recorded at the school prior to LOA.

Should study be interrupted during an active term/semester after the Add/Drop deadline, withdrawal from the institution may be requested. A withdrawn student may return to the institution following the guidelines in the Returning Students policy. See the Military Leave of Absence policy for information on service-related leave.

Eligibility for LOA

A student must work with their Student Support Counselor to determine their eligibility for LOA. A student must:

• Experience an unforeseeable and unexpected circumstance that leads to a significant change as described above;
• Expect to return from LOA for a subsequent term/semester that falls within the timeframe outlined above;
• Be in Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing per the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy.  A student who is not meeting SAP is not eligible for LOA;
• Be in Programmatic Good Standing per the Good Standing policy, if applicable;
• Meet with the Office of Financial Aid regarding financial impact;
• Clear any financial account hold, if applicable. A student with a financial account hold is not eligible for LOA;
• Be cleared of any disciplinary action, if applicable. A student with pending Student Community Standards (SCS) action is not eligible for LOA;
• Have earned credit hours toward a degree requirement in at least two terms or one semester.

Requesting LOA

Before petitioning, a student considering LOA is strongly encouraged to consult with their Academic Program Lead or faculty advisor to understand any programmatic impact. An international student in F-1 or J-1 status must consult with the Designated School Official (DSO) to understand the impact of a LOA on immigration status. A student engaged in practicum or internship is strongly advised to confer with the practicum or internship coordinator to understand any training implications.

To request LOA, a student must:

• Work with their SSC to complete the Leave of Absence Request in full, including obtaining all required signatures;
• Clearly state the unforeseeable and unexpected circumstance(s) for LOA and provide documentation that substantiates circumstance(s). The school may request additional information prior to evaluating a student’s request;
• Specify the expected term/semester of return;
• Submit the completed document to the Office of the Registrar prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the requested term/semester.

Retroactive LOA is not permitted. Upon approval of LOA, the Office of the Registrar will unregister the student from all scheduled courses, if applicable. Submission of an Add/Drop form is not required.

A student on LOA is bound by The Chicago School’s Code of Conduct and must adhere to the same professional standards as an active student. LOA does not extend the seven academic year degree completion timeframe for a PsyD in Clinical Psychology student.

Manuscript Preparation

A student who is required to write a thesis or dissertation must complete manuscript preparation (formerly copy editing). Documents are reviewed for APA format and grammar only. Thesis or dissertation contents are not reviewed.

Completion and approval of a dissertation by dissertation committee members is a requirement for graduation and receipt of the doctoral degree. Completion and approval of a thesis is a requirement for receipt of selected master’s degrees. Before beginning manuscript preparation, a student must ensure that their manuscript contains all required components and revisions.

A student must remain continuously enrolled in their degree program throughout the manuscript preparation process. The manuscript preparation process takes on average 60 business days. The duration of the process is dependent on the timeliness of student response to feedback.

To initiate the manuscript preparation process, an academic department representative submits the Manuscript Preparation Tracking Form to Maxient. Once the tracking form is received, a student must submit their document to ProQuest.

A student will be enrolled in a manuscript preparation course if both of the following conditions are met:

1. They do not complete manuscript preparation and submit their final document to ProQuest while enrolled in a dissertation course.
2. They are not enrolled in any other course(s).

A student enrolled in a manuscript preparation course will be assigned a Credit (CR) grade if their finalized document is submitted to ProQuest by the end of the term/semester. If the document is not submitted to ProQuest by the end of the term/semester, the student will be assigned a No Credit (NC) grade in the manuscript preparation course. A student’s grade in the manuscript preparation course is assigned by the Manuscript Preparation Office.

A student who earns a NC grade will be required to enroll in a manuscript preparation course in the subsequent term/semester. A student who submits their final document to ProQuest prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the subsequent term/semester will have their most recent manuscript preparation course grade changed from NC to CR and will not be required to complete a subsequent manuscript preparation course. The Manuscript Preparation Office manages grade changes for students who complete the manuscript preparation process prior to the Add/Drop deadline of the subsequent term/semester. 

Additional information is available on the Dissertation & Thesis Website.

Posthumous Degree

The Chicago School may grant a degree posthumously to recognize the achievement of a deceased student. A request for a posthumously-awarded degree must originate with the deceased’s Academic Program Lead and be submitted in writing to the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

The request should describe the deceased’s academic standing and progress in the program at the time of passing. To be considered for a posthumous degree, the deceased student must have been:

• In the final stage of the degree program (e.g. completing the thesis or dissertation, practicum or internship, a final program capstone, or in the final term/semester of study as determined by the academic department);
• Expected to successfully complete all degree requirements;
• In good academic, disciplinary, and programmatic standing; and
• Enrolled at time of passing or on an approved leave of absence.

The Chief Academic Officer or designee will be responsible for evaluating the request against the criteria above in consultation with the Office of the Registrar. If the request is granted, the Office of the Registrar will be notified. 

Registration

Continuous Enrollment

Continuous enrollment is defined as registration during each term or semester until the degree is attained or the student is withdrawn. A student is considered continuously enrolled when they are enrolled in a current course or when they are enrolled in a course that is scheduled to start in the subsequent academic period. If a student fails to commence the scheduled course by the Add/Drop deadline, they are no longer considered continuously enrolled and will be administratively withdrawn. If a student is not continuously enrolled, the student’s status will be Withdrawn, and this status will be reported to external agencies as mandated by federal, state, or other regulatory bodies.  

A student must be registered to attend classes. This includes a student with a registration hold for items including but not limited to a student account balance, admission contingencies, and library fines. All holds must be cleared prior to course registration. 

A student may enroll at either their home campus (the location at which they are regularly enrolled) or a host campus (another Chicago School location or an institution with which Chicago School has an approved Dual Degree program). A student who is enrolled in a Dual Degree program must maintain continuous enrollment in at least one of the two academic programs in an academic period. A student taking courses in at least one of the Dual Degree programs is considered Active in both programs. 

A student whose final degree program requirement is completion of practicum or internship must be enrolled in a corresponding course while actively engaged in training. A student whose final degree program requirement is a research project must be enrolled in a corresponding course. 

Summer course schedules may vary by academic program. See the Academic Calendar for details.

Registration Procedure

Ground Programs: A student enrolled at a ground campus must self-register for courses during the designated registration period published on the Academic Calendar. Failure to do so may result in a late registration fee or administrative withdrawal. Courses are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Wait lists for closed courses are not maintained.

A student will be notified of their designated registration date(s) and times. A student may register for courses or modify their course schedule during the registration period. The registration period ends on the Sunday before the academic period begins at which time the Add/Drop period begins. See below for information on Add/Drop.

Information on registration for a new student is contained in the degree program Welcome Letter. The new student must register for courses in the Student Portal. A new student admitted during the Add/Drop period may work with Admissions to obtain the approval of the Academic Program Lead to register for courses.

AAS-N and VN Programs: A student enrolled in the AAS-N or VN program is registered by the institution. Questions about registration may be directed to the Student Support Counselor.

Online Programs: A student enrolled in an online program is registered by the institution. The student is registered multiple terms in advance, and the course schedule is available in the Student Portal. A new student who is admitted during the Add/Drop period may need approval from the Academic Program Lead or designee for registration.

Add/Drop

The Add/Drop period begins on the first day of the academic period and ends on the first Sunday of the academic period at 11:59pm local time. For new students, the Add/Drop period is the cancellation period.

During the Add/Drop period, a student may add or remove courses from the course schedule. Academic Program Lead or designee approval is required to add courses during the Add/Drop period. A student may request to add or drop a course by completing and submitting the Add/Drop Form prior to the Add/Drop deadline. An Add/Drop fee may apply. After the Add/Drop deadline, courses may not be added to the course schedule.

After the Add/Drop deadline, a student who wishes to drop a course must complete and submit the Add/Drop Form. A student who drops a course after the Add/Drop deadline will receive a grade per the Administrative Grade policy. Dropping a course after the Add/Drop deadline may result in a prorated refund of tuition and may have financial aid implications. Contact Financial Aid for information prior to dropping a course after the Add/Drop deadline. 

When a student withdraws, takes LOA, or is dismissed from the school, the Office of the Registrar will remove the student from their course(s) and assign administrative grades per the Drop/Withdrawal Schedule, where applicable. When a student withdraws, takes LOA, or is dismissed, they are not required to submit an Add/Drop Form. If the student is a financial aid recipient, being withdrawn or dismissed from the institution before 60% of the academic period has expired will result in a Return of Title IV funds calculation. This calculation will determine the percentage of the financial aid award earned and may result in returning funds to the student’s lender. Such action may cause the student to owe a balance to the institution.

While every effort is made to ensure courses are offered frequently, course availability varies. Deviation from the standard progression of a program such as dropping a course, repeating a course, taking LOA, or reducing enrollment credit hours may result in an academic period when a needed course is not available. In such cases, a student will be required to follow the Temporary Withdrawal policy. This may delay a student’s graduation and impact their financial aid eligibility.

A student who drops all courses will be administratively withdrawn from the institution. If the student is a financial aid recipient, being withdrawn from the institution before 60% of the term/semester has expired will result in a Return of Title IV funds calculation. This calculation will determine the percentage of the financial aid award earned and may result in returning funds to the student’s lender. Such action may cause the student to owe a balance to the institution.

Course Auditing

To audit a course, a student registers for the course as if taken for credit. After registering, the student must request to audit using the Add/Drop Form, being certain to identify the course(s) to be taken as an auditor. The student must obtain the approval of the Academic Program Lead and submit the form by the Add/Drop deadline. Failure to follow this procedure will result in earning a grade in the course.

The faculty determines participation requirements for a course auditor. Any course that a student has previously identified as an audit course may not be changed to a credit-bearing course after the Add/Drop deadline. Any course identified as a credit-bearing course may not be changed as an audit course after the Add/Drop deadline.

No credit hours are earned from an audited course, and audited courses are not computed in the grade point average. Students who successfully complete an audited course are assigned the “AU” grade notation. An audited course does not count toward continuous enrollment and is not eligible for financial aid. A student enrolled in a certificate program may not audit courses. Study abroad courses are not eligible for auditing. Information on audit fees is available here.

Cross Registration

Cross Campus or Modality

A student may take a degree-required course on a different campus or in a different modality on a space available basis. To request approval for cross-campus or modality registration, the student must consult with their Academic Program Lead. If the Academic Program Lead supports the student’s request, the student will work with their Student Support Counselor to complete and submit the Cross Campus Registration form prior to the Add/Drop deadline. A student enrolled at a California campus need not submit a Cross Campus Registration form to take a course at a different California location.

If the course meets a degree program requirement, it may be eligible for financial aid. If it does not meet a degree program requirement, it will not be eligible for financial aid.

Cross Program

A student may take a course in a different degree program on a space available basis.  To request approval for cross-program registration, the student must consult with their Academic Program Lead. If the Academic Program Lead supports the student’s request, the student will work with their Student Support Counselor to complete and submit the Course Substitution Petition prior to the Add/Drop deadline. 

If the course meets a degree program requirement, it may be eligible for financial aid. If it does not meet a degree program requirement, it will not be eligible for financial aid.

Course Substitution 

Course substitution may be available to a student who desires to take a course outside of the published program of study. A student works with their Faculty Advisor to select courses and to complete the Course Substitution Petition. If the course meets a degree program requirement, it may be eligible for financial aid. If it does not meet a degree program requirement, it will not be eligible for use in a student’s financial aid award calculation. Academic Program Lead approval is required before registration is permitted.  

Course Waiver

Course waiver provides an opportunity for a student in selected graduate degree-granting programs to have a selected course waived based on department acceptance of course content mastery. Course waiver may be available to a student in selected programs who provides documented evidence of specific competency attainment gained outside of traditional coursework such as through employment, specialized training, or licensure. Course waiver is not granted for training or research project courses. A student who believes they may be eligible for course waiver must make the request for waiver to their academic department.  

The decision to grant waiver rests solely with the academic department. A waived course will be posted to the student’s transcript after the student remains enrolled past the Add/Drop deadline. Should an approved course waiver result in a schedule change after the Add/Drop deadline, the student will be held to the refund schedule. 

Course waiver does not reduce the overall number of credit hours required for degree completion. A student who waives a course must replace the credit hours with other Chicago School courses either within or outside of the enrolled program of study. A student may request to take courses in another Chicago School degree program via the Course Substitution Petition.  

Study Abroad

A study abroad course may be used to meet a degree requirement if it is listed in the enrolled degree program, fulfills an elective requirement, or is approved as a substitution for a required course in the enrolled degree program. If it is determined that the study abroad course meets a degree requirement, it may be eligible for financial aid. If the study abroad course does not meet a degree requirement, it will not be eligible for financial aid.

To register for a study abroad course, the student must complete the Course Substitution Petition, obtain the Academic Program Lead’s approval, and submit the form to the Student Support Counselor. Upon approval, the student will be registered in the Study Abroad course, and the student’s record will reflect the approved substitution. 

Approval of a course substitution does not confirm a student’s eligibility or enrollment in the course. A student must apply through Global Engagement to be considered for and enrolled in a study abroad course. Click on this link for detailed information.

Late Registration Fee for Continuing Students

A late registration fee may be charged to a student whose initial registration activity occurs during the Add/Drop Period.

Alternative Registration (SAL)

Student-at-Large (SAL)

A SAL is a visiting student enrolled in courses outside of a certificate or degree program enrollment. A SAL is subject to department approval. Information on SAL enrollment is available from the Office of Admissions at 800.721.8072.

A SAL is required to provide an unofficial transcript documenting degree(s) earned and date(s) conferred to prove that they meet prerequisite requirements for the course(s) in which they desire to enroll. A SAL may complete a maximum of six credit hours of study with The Chicago School (maximum three credit hours per term/six credit hours per semester). A SAL who wishes to enroll in more than three credit hours per term/six credit hours per semester must have written approval from the Academic Program Lead.

A SAL enrollment does not qualify for any enrollment status. A SAL is not eligible to audit courses. A SAL is not eligible for financial aid.

Student-at-Large - Preparatory (SAL-Prep)

A SAL-Prep is a student who must complete coursework prior to enrollment in their selected certificate or degree program as specified by their program’s admission requirements. Information on SAL-Prep enrollment is available from the Office of Admissions at 800.721.8072.

A SAL-Prep enrollment may qualify a student for financial aid. Information on aid eligibility is available from Student Finance at 800.595.6938, Option 2. 

Research Project Courses

A student may work on research project course deliverables when they are actively enrolled (not on Leave of Absence or Withdrawn) regardless of the type of course in which they are enrolled.

A student enrolled in a RPX course must work with their research project chair or instructor to complete a Work Agreement for the course. If the student completes the deliverables listed in the Work Agreement, they will receive a CR grade in the RPX course. If the student does not complete the deliverables listed in the Work Agreement, they will receive a NC grade in the RPX course.

Exemptions

A dissertation student who is conducting research in collaboration with another institution or outside of the United States requiring separate IRB approvals and who has successfully defended their dissertation proposal may petition to enroll in one additional semester or two terms of RPX for the purpose of completing external IRB requirements.

A student in a program accredited by the American Psychological Association is subject to a separate time to completion policy.

Returning Students

Readmission

A former student who aims to return to The Chicago School 365 or more days after the date of withdrawal must reapply to the university. The former student must indicate a past academic history on the admission application. If readmitted, the student will return in the same Satisfactory Academic Progress status that was in effect on the date of withdrawal. Readmission is not guaranteed.

A former student must meet all admission, Academic Catalog, and degree requirements in effect at the time of re-application. The former student must reapply through the Office of Admissions. This policy applies to all degree programs in all instructional delivery modalities. All holds must be resolved prior to registering for courses. All holds must be resolved prior to registering for courses. See the Registration policy for more information.

A former student who returns to the school 364 or fewer days after the date of withdrawal is governed by the Reentry policy.

Readmission of Dismissed Students

A former student in dismissal status may not return to The Chicago School until 365 or more days after the date of dismissal have passed. This applies to a former student dismissed due to not meeting all Satisfactory Academic Progress standards or due to a disciplinary action. The former student must indicate a past academic history on the admission application. Readmission is not guaranteed.

As part of the re-application process, a former student in dismissal status must submit supporting documentation that includes:

1. An explanation for previous unsatisfactory academic performance including any mitigating circumstances;
2. Evidence of the ability to succeed academically including new professional experience(s) or changed personal circumstances, and
3. Official documentation of any coursework completed while in dismissal status.

This documentation and the past academic history will be reviewed in considering the application for readmission. The passage of time alone does not substantiate eligibility for readmission or appeal for readmission. A former student in dismissal status is not eligible for auto admission.

If the former student is accepted by the admission committee of the desired department, the Academic Program Lead will have the opportunity to review the admission file and render an independent decision. An offer of admission may be rescinded should it be discovered that a former student provided fraudulent information on the admission application.

Upon approval for readmission to the school, the student must work with the Academic Program Lead and the Office of the Registrar to create a SAP Plan that will ensure the timely return to Good Standing, if followed. A former student who returns from a Student Community Standards (SCS) dismissal must work with the Academic Program Lead to create an Academic Development Plan (ADP) to ensure academic success in the program.

A former student who was previously in Academic and Financial Aid Dismissal or Academic and Financial Aid Probation status who is re-admitted to the school will be placed on Academic and Financial Aid Probation and must follow the SAP Plan. If the student fails to meet the SAP Plan or SAP standards at the end of the Academic and Financial Aid Probation period, the student will be dismissed.

A former student dismissed from The Chicago School due to exceeding the Maximum Timeframe (MTF) for the enrolled program may not return to the same degree program.

Readmission of Military Service Members

In compliance with criteria established by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, a student whose absence from school is necessitated by reason of service in the uniformed services shall be entitled to readmission at the same academic status attained prior to such service provided the student (or an appropriate officer of the Armed Forces) gives advance notice of such service to the Office of the Registrar and the cumulative length of the absence and of all previous absences by reason of service in the uniformed services does not exceed five (5) years.

However, no advance notice is required if the giving of such notice is precluded by military necessity such as a mission, operation, exercise, or requirement that is classified; or a pending or ongoing mission, operation, exercise, or requirement that may be compromised or otherwise adversely affected by public knowledge.

These readmission requirements apply to a student who performs service in the uniformed services, whether voluntary or involuntary, in the Armed Forces, including service as a member of the National Guard or Reserve, on active duty, active duty for training, or fulltime National Guard duty under Federal authority (but not State authority), for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under a call or order to active duty of more than 30 consecutive days.

In order for a service member to qualify for these benefits by reason of service, a student must submit appropriate documentation to the school. Documents that might establish service member eligibility include but are not limited to:

• DD214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
• Copy of duty orders prepared by the facility where the orders were fulfilled carrying an endorsement indicating completion of the described service.
• Letter from the commanding officer of a Personnel Support Activity or someone of comparable authority.
• Certificate of completion from military training school.
• Discharge certificate showing character of service.
• Copy of extracts from payroll documents showing periods of service.
• Letter from National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Team Leader or Administrative Officer verifying dates and times of NDMS training or Federal activation.

If the student is readmitted to the same degree program, the student will be assessed for the first academic year only the same tuition and fee charges that the student was or would have been assessed for the academic year during which the student left the institution.

If the student is admitted to a different degree program and for subsequent academic years for a student admitted to the same program, the student will be assessed no more than the tuition and fee charges that other students in the program are assessed for that academic year.

Reentry

A reentry student is an individual who returns to their original Chicago School degree program 364 or fewer days after the date of withdrawal. Reentry is not guaranteed.

A reentry student must meet admission requirements that were in effect for the degree program in the Academic Catalog under which they were originally admitted. The reentry student will be required to complete all degree program requirements in effect at the time of withdrawal. A former student may request reentry through the Student Support Counselor.

A former student who returns to the school 365 or more days after the date of withdrawal or who aims to return but in a different degree program should refer to the Readmission policy.

A reentry student must submit the Reentry Petition, including the Reentry Letter of Intent. The Academic Program Lead will review the Reentry Petition and Reentry Letter of Intent and consider previous performance in the degree program to make a decision on the request.

A student in temporary withdrawal status due to course unavailability will be reentered automatically. A student in temporary withdrawal status due to a significant change in their life should contact their Student Support Counselor regarding return.

If approved, the student will return to the same Satisfactory Academic Progress status in effect on the date of withdrawal. This policy applies to all degree programs in all instructional delivery modalities. All holds must be resolved prior to registering for courses. See the Registration policy for more information.

California Graduate Institute of The Chicago School

The Chicago School acquired the assets of the California Graduate Institute in 2008 and acts as the custodian of all CGI Westwood and CGI Irvine student records for any student who received a degree or became inactive prior to October 7, 2008.

Effective June 1, 2011, a former student of CGI who has not been actively enrolled at The Chicago School is eligible to apply only to programs being offered to new students. Details on current program offerings are available through the Office of Admissions.

Should a currently active CGI of TCS student be withdrawn from The Chicago School for any reason, the student may apply to reenter the enrolled degree program at the time of withdrawal once following the procedure outlined under Reentry above. If approved for reentry, stipulations will be placed upon the resumed enrollment which may include but are not limited to assignment of an Academic Development Plan, a mandatory completion timeframe, and the requirement of maintaining continuous enrollment through degree completion while remaining in academic and programmatic good standing.

Failure to meet any stipulation determined at the point of reentry will result in dismissal from the institution. This policy may not be excepted.

International Students

Per U.S. immigration regulations, a former F-1 or J-1 international student has five (5) months from the SEVIS termination date to reenter a degree program and, thereby, reactivate their original immigration record. A former international student who wishes to return to The Chicago School after 5 months must reapply through the Office of International Admissions.

A former international student who wishes to return to The Chicago School after 5 months must meet all admission and Academic Catalog requirements in effect at the time of reapplication. If accepted, the international student must complete all degree requirements in effect at the time of readmission. All holds must be resolved prior to registering for courses. See the Registration policy for more information.

Note that returning to study in a new enrollment may delay an international student’s eligibility for work authorization (CPT or OPT).

Satisfactory Academic Progress

A student is required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward the completion of a degree or certificate. It is measured to ensure that a student is making satisfactory academic progress toward program completion. A student who meets SAP is considered to be in Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing.

A student enrolled in a Dual Degree program will be subject to the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements for terms/semesters attended.

This SAP policy meets federal and accrediting agency regulations governing student eligibility for financial aid. This requirement applies to all students regardless of method of payment or enrollment status. Failure to meet SAP standards may result in the loss of financial aid eligibility.

SAP is measured qualitatively (grade-based) and quantitatively (time-based). The qualitative measure is cumulative grade point average.  The quantitative measure is the percentage of attempted credit hours that are successfully completed which is rate of progress (ROP).  A student must complete the required credit hours for the program of study within the maximum allowable credit hours attempted (150% of the required credit hours), referred to as the maximum time frame (MTF).

SAP Standards

Qualitative Standards

Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

The CGPA, the qualitative standard, includes all undergraduate and graduate level coursework attempted at The Chicago School except grades of Audit (AU), Credit (CR), Credit by Exam (CE), Course Waiver (WA), In Progress (IP), Incomplete (I), No Credit (NC), Transfer Credit (TR), Withdrawal (W), and Withdrawal No Credit (WNC), where applicable per the Grading Policies. Only the latter grade is counted in the CGPA for any repeated course.

• An undergraduate student must maintain a CGPA of 2.00 or above.
• A graduate student must maintain a CGPA of 3.00 or above.

Quantitative Standards

Rate of Progress (ROP)

ROP is the minimum percentage of attempted credit hours a student must successfully complete to remain in Academic & Financial Aid Good Standing. A student successfully completes a course and earns the credit hours attempted when the student’s performance merits a passing grade. ROP is calculated by dividing the number of credit hours earned by the number of credit hours attempted.

Rate of Progress = Cumulative number of credit hours successfully completed / Cumulative number of credit hours attempted

Attempted credit hours is defined as all courses attempted at The Chicago School and recorded in the student’s record including course repeats, withdrawals, and incompletes. Credits accepted and applied in transfer count as both credit hours attempted and credit hours completed in the ROP calculation. Grades that negatively impact ROP are Fail (F), Incomplete (I), No Credit (NC), Withdrawal (W), Withdrawal Fail (WF), and Withdrawal No Credit (WNC). Repeated courses negatively impact ROP since the original and repeated credit hours are counted as attempted credit hours. Grades included in the ROP calculation appear in the Grading Policies.

All undergraduate, graduate, and certificate students (excluding VN students) must maintain a minimum of 66.67% ROP for all attempted credit hours. A VN student is evaluated based on the progress tiers in the table below.

VN: Rate of Progress Tiers 

Maximum Timeframe (MTF)

MTF requires the successful completion of all program requirements within 150% of the published program length as measured in credit hours attempted for the program of study. Credit hours accepted and applied in transfer toward a current enrollment are included as attempted and earned credit hours in determining the MTF. A student’s progress must ensure program completion within the MTF.

The number of credit hours required for program completion appear in the programs of study descriptions.

• Program length is measured based on required credit hours; therefore, a student may not attempt more than 150% of the number of required credit hours in the degree program. 
  • For example, a degree program that requires 60 credit hours for completion may not extend beyond 90 attempted credit hours (60 credit hours X 150% = 90 credit hours). In order for the degree program to be completed within the MTF, the student must complete a minimum of 66.67% of all credit hours attempted (60 credit hours ÷ 90 credit hours = 66.67%).

A student who exceeds the 150% MTF for a program of study or who cannot mathematically complete the program within the MTF will be dismissed from the institution.

SAP Evaluation Period

SAP is evaluated at the end of the payment period after all final grades are posted.  A payment period is defined as one semester for semester-based students and two consecutive terms for term-based students. After evaluation, a student who does not meet SAP standards will be notified in writing by the Office of the Registrar.  It is important for a student to check their school email frequently to respond to any communication regarding SAP status.

A student who wishes to transfer to a new campus or program must be in Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing. A degree program change may impact the SAP evaluation period. The SAP review will include only Chicago School coursework that is applicable to the new degree program.

Veteran Affairs (VA) benefit recipients are responsible for complying with the SAP requirements established by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs for benefit eligibility. When a recipient is placed on Academic and Financial Aid Probation, the school will report this status to the VA.

A student must meet SAP in order to be eligible for degree conferral.

Academic and Financial Aid Warning: SAP Not Met

A student who does not meet SAP will be placed in Academic and Financial Aid Warning. A student in this status has two terms or one semester to meet SAP. A student is eligible for financial aid while in Academic and Financial Aid Warning.

A student in Academic and Financial Aid Warning must:

1. Meet with their faculty advisor and/or Academic Program Lead to discuss academic implications.
2. Repeat as soon as possible the course(s) in which a grade of “C” and below for graduate students or “F” for undergraduate students was earned.

At the conclusion of the Academic and Financial Aid Warning period, a student who meets SAP will be returned to Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing. A student who does not meet SAP will lose their financial aid eligibility and must petition to have it reinstated and to remain enrolled on Academic and Financial Aid Probation.

Academic and Financial Aid Probation: SAP Not Met 2

In order to be placed on Academic and Financial Aid Probation, a student must have their reinstatement appeal approved by their academic department. To appeal, a student must submit a Reinstatement Petition including supporting documentation indicating the circumstances that led to the student’s academic difficulty to the Office of the Registrar immediately following email notification. A student who fails to submit the Reinstatement Petition will be dismissed from the school by the Add/Drop deadline. 

Once received, the Reinstatement Petition will be reviewed by the student’s Academic Program Lead or designee within 3 business days. The petition will either be approved or denied by the reviewer. The Office of the Registrar will notify the student of the Academic Program Lead or designee’s decision.

Petition Approval

A student whose Reinstatement Petition is approved will be placed on Academic and Financial Aid Probation for a maximum six terms or three semesters, depending on delivery modality. Should a student need additional time to meet SAP, the student’s Academic Program Lead can grant a student a maximum of two terms or one semester on Academic and Financial Aid Probation.The Academic Program Lead must outline this extension on the student’s SAP Plan. 

If the petition is approved, the student will be placed on Academic and Financial Aid Probation and will be required to:

1. Adhere strictly to requirements set forth in their SAP Plan. The academic department may also institute additional Academic Development Plan requirements that the student must meet.
2. Meet regularly with their faculty advisor regarding their SAP status.
3. Repeat as soon as possible the course(s) in which a grade of “C” and below for graduate students or “F” for undergraduate students was earned.

Failure to adhere to the SAP Plan will result in dismissal from The Chicago School. The SAP Plan cannot be revised during the terms/semesters stipulated in the plan. 

At the conclusion of the Academic and Financial Aid Probation period, a student who meets SAP will be returned to Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing. A student who does not meet SAP will be dismissed from the institution as detailed in the Academic and Financial Aid Dismissal section below.

Petition Denial

A student whose Reinstatement Petition is denied will be dismissed from The Chicago School.

Academic and Financial Aid Dismissal: Dismissal

A student is academically dismissed if the student fails to meet the conditions of the SAP Plan or SAP standards at the end of an Academic and Financial Aid Probation period. Dismissal supersedes any other enrollment status. The dismissal will be noted permanently on the student’s official transcript.

A student who has been awarded financial aid or Veterans’ education benefits for the subsequent term/semester is advised that academic dismissal carries with it the cancellation of any financial aid or benefits. In-school loan deferment status ends as of the dismissal date. Financial aid previously received by a dismissed student may be returned to the lender by the institution depending on the date of dismissal. In such cases, the student may owe the institution for aid returned or outstanding charges.

A student who is re-admitted may be reconsidered for financial aid at that time. However, reinstatement does not necessarily mean that financial aid will be available for that term/semester or any future term/semester. A student who loses financial aid eligibility may be readmitted by improving their academic standing to meet the minimum standards of the SAP policy. Refer to the Re-admission Policy and Financial Aid and Student Account Policies   for more information.

Service Learning

Service learning is a teaching methodology which promotes learning outside of the classroom and in the community. Local non-profit organizations and schools serve as co-educators and provide real world learning situations for students that meet a community need. Service learning activities inform, clarify, illustrate, and stimulate additional thought about academic topics covered in the classroom, as well as encourage students to develop or strengthen a habit of service and social responsibility to the community.

Student Classification

A student enrolled in a doctoral (PhD, PsyD, EdD), master or specialist (MA, MS, EdS) or graduate certificate programs is classified as a graduate-level student. A student enrolled in an associate (AAS-N) or bachelor (BA, BS) degree program or undergraduate certificate program is considered an undergraduate-level student.

Dual Degree and Dual Enrollment

When a student enrolls in Dual Degree Programs, they are admitted to two separate degree programs at two collaborating academic institutions. The Dual Degree Programs at the collaborating institutions will share some coursework, through previously agreed upon transfer credit, so that a student may pursue both degrees simultaneously and in an expeditious manner. Upon successful completion of each program, a student will be awarded separate degrees from the participating institutions. See the Programs of Study pages for active Dual Degree Programs.

When a student enrolls in Dual Enrollment Programs, they are admitted to two separate degree programs in two different Chicago School academic departments. Similar to the Dual Degree Programs, Dual Enrollment Programs will share some coursework, so that a student may pursue both degrees simultaneously and in an expeditious manner. Upon successful completion of each program, a student will be awarded two distinct degrees. See the Programs of Study pages for active Dual Enrollment Programs.

Undergraduate Grade Level

An undergraduate student is classified based on the number of semester credit hours earned, as follows:

Enrollment Status

The Chicago School has established minimum credit hour thresholds for determining less than half-time (LHT), half-time (HT), 3/4 time (QT), and fulltime (FT) enrollment status per semester.

These enrollment standards are used for the following purposes:

• To determine eligibility for financial aid
• To provide enrollment verification

One semester is equivalent to two online terms. A term-based student must be enrolled for two consecutive terms to be eligible for financial aid in the first of the two terms. A term-based student must be enrolled for the specified credit hours listed in the table above in two consecutive terms combined.                    

The financial aid cost of attendance is determined based on actual enrolled credit hours. For example, a one credit hour course that is classified at auto fulltime qualifies a student for fulltime enrollment status. In this example, the financial aid cost of attendance budget will include funding for one credit hour plus living and personal expenses. Taking two auto half-time courses does not qualify for fulltime enrollment status.

Auto fulltime courses qualify a student for immediate fulltime status for the purpose of determining financial aid and loan deferment eligibility. Auto half-time courses qualify a student for immediate half-time status for the purpose of determining financial aid and loan deferment eligibility. Courses are designated as auto full or half time on each program of study page.

The minimum credit hour threshold does not supersede degree program requirements regarding the pace at which a student must move through a degree program. A degree program may require a student to take more credit hours per term/semester in order to maintain adequate progress toward degree completion.

International students in F-1 or J-1 status must be enrolled fulltime each semester per immigration requirements, unless otherwise authorized.

An undergraduate student taking a 0 credit hour course that does not carry the auto fulltime or auto half-time designation (e.g. GEN010) must be enrolled in at least one other credit-bearing course to remain in active status.

A graduate student who is taking a 0 credit hour course that does not carry the auto fulltime or auto half-time designation (e.g. AS1, AS2) must be enrolled in at least one other credit-bearing course to remain in active status.

Reporting Enrollment Status

The Chicago School has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to provide enrollment and degree verification for students and alumni. A current student may obtain enrollment verification through Student Self Service​. A third party may obtain verification at www.degreeverify.org or by writing:

National Student Clearinghouse
2300 Dulles Station Boulevard, Suite 300
Herndon, VA 20171

The services provided by the National Student Clearinghouse are in full compliance with all applicable privacy laws including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). A student who is enrolled in a Dual Degree program will be reported to the National Student Clearinghouse based on their enrollment in both programs and institutions, where applicable.

The school does not provide degree or enrollment verification by email, telephone, or fax without with written consent of the student.

Training Courses

A student participating in practicum, internship, or fieldwork (hereafter referred to as training) must be enrolled in an associated training course, where applicable. A student trainee must receive a passing evaluation from the training placement supervisor and must pass the associated seminar to progress on to the next training experience. Training hours accumulated during a term or semester are counted toward a student trainee’s total training hour requirement only if the student passes the associated training course.  

Repeating a Training Course 

Should a student trainee fail any component of the training experience (training placement supervisor evaluation, seminar leader evaluation, and/or training course grade), they will be required to repeat either a portion of or the entire training experience depending on program requirements. This may include repeating training course(s) and/or training hours. A student is not permitted to count accrued training hours from a failed training experience unless extenuating circumstances are present as determined via policy exception. 

Reasons that a student trainee may be required to repeat a training experience include, but are not limited to:  

• Dismissal from a training site after unsuccessful remediation;  

• Dismissal from a training site due to a serious, irremediable infraction;  

• Lack of expected training competency including professional judgment;   

• Transfer from another graduate program;  

• Failure of the student trainee to submit required training documentation;  

• Failure of the student trainee to successfully complete all requirements of the training seminar course sequence; and/or   

• Leaving a training site without permission from the Director of Clinical Training.  

A student who is displaced from training and must subsequently repeat a passed training course may be eligible to petition for policy exception related to tuition expense. Displacement is defined as being forced to cease training due to circumstances beyond the student’s control. Dismissal from training does not qualify as displacement. 

A student who must repeat a passed training course for a reason other than displacement will be responsible for repeating the training experience including retaking the training course and paying associated course costs.

Training Course Extension

A student may extend their time in practicum or internship, to meet program or licensure requirements, by a maximum of two semesters or four terms. To engage in a training course extension, students’ request must be approved by their Director of Clinical Training, Department Chair and College Director of Training. Students are eligible to request the extension if they have accrued 75% of programmatically required hours, including both their indirect and direct training hours, calculated separately, for the training experience that is to be extended. Total training hours depend on a student’s program of study and applicable state licensure regulations. Students who do not meet the 75% threshold may submit a petition to the University Committee on Policy Exception, to be considered for a training course extension.

Students must meet all the requirements for the preceding training seminar course to successfully complete the extension.

A student who has not successfully completed the training requirements of the program, after completing these additional two semesters or four terms of an extension course(s), will receive a No Credit (NC) and may be required to repeat the training sequence in its entirety, repeat the associated course work, and pay the associated course costs.

A student may petition the University Committee on Policy Exception for one additional semester or two additional terms. To qualify for an extension, the student must be deemed to have been making satisfactory progress to the point of the request for extension. A student who does not complete practicum or internship requirements by the end of the additional extension course, will receive a No Credit (NC) and may be required to repeat the entire training sequence, repeat the associated course work, and pay the associated course costs.

Where a program has both practicum and internship, this policy applies separately for each type of training requirement (e.g., a student may extend two semesters or four terms to complete a practicum sequence before a petition is required but remain eligible for an extension to the internship sequence).

Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hours

Articulation Agreements         

An internal articulation agreement allows a qualified student to begin study at a level above the enrolled degree program such as taking courses toward a master’s degree while completing a bachelor’s degree. An external articulation agreement identifies specific coursework completed at a collaborating institution that may be recognized as equivalent to Chicago School coursework. Click here for a list of entities with which the school has established articulation agreements.

All transfer credit will be based on an individual evaluation of a student’s official transcripts and syllabi. Courses may vary depending upon the degree programs and how credits are applied toward degree completion. A student who enters a degree program via an articulation agreement will be held to the requirements stated in the agreement. Typically, a student who enrolls in a program under the terms and conditions of any articulation agreement is subject to the requirements outlined by the articulation agreement and all policies in the Academic Catalog & Student Handbook. In some cases, an articulation agreement may waive or amend the application of certain Chicago School admission policies or procedures. 

For an internal articulation agreement, a student must consult with the home Academic Program Lead four terms/two semesters prior to the completion of the enrolled degree program.

Course Association

Course association occurs when credit hours earned in one Chicago School enrollment are applied to a different Chicago School enrollment. Typically, this occurs when a student transfers from one academic program to another at the same degree level. Credit hours applied to the conferral of a previous degree may not be counted toward a subsequent enrollment unless the programs have an articulation agreement or dual credit for master’s level courses described below.

A student who transfers to the same degree program at another Chicago School campus will have all applicable courses associated. A student who transfers to a new degree program within the school before completion of their current enrollment will have all applicable courses associated. The Academic Program Lead of the new program determines courses to be associated.

Courses associated are subject to the following conditions:

1. Course is at or above the equivalent degree level. For doctoral programs that offer a nested master’s degree, master-level courses as published in the Program of Study may be considered for course association.
2. Credit hours earned must be equivalent or higher.
3. Credit hours that duplicate an equivalent course/exam or similar course cannot be associated and those earned via an equivalent course or exam will not be accepted.
4. Course association may be subject to time limits depending on the course content and accreditation requirements

Courses associated to fulfill the requirements of the new degree program will count toward rate of progress as both credits attempted and credits earned. Course grades will be calculated into the student’s cumulative grade point average when evaluating Satisfactory Academic Progress. The Academic Program Lead will consult with the Office of the Registrar to determine impact on the student’s academic standing.  

Dual Credit for Master’s Level Courses offered in Undergraduate Degrees

Master’s degree courses taken by a student enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program that includes master’s level courses as part of their curriculum may count toward the graduation requirements of both programs (bachelor’s and master’s) provided the grade received for the master’s level course is a B- or higher (as required by the Academic Grade Policy for graduate courses) and provided that the course counts towards their degree specific course requirements (depending on a program’s track and state licensure requirement, degree requirements may vary). A student who earns a grade below B- on a master’s degree course that meets the school requirements of the Academic Grade Policy for a passing grade in an undergraduate course will have the course counted toward the bachelor’s degree. For courses with a grade lower than B-, the student will be required to retake the course for master’s degree level credit once enrolled in the master’s degree program.  Master’s degree courses are graded according to the graduate-level grading policy. 

Students completing a bachelor’s degree within which master’s level coursework is offered and who meet the master’s degree admission requirements (including additional background check, if indicated by policy) may matriculate into the master’s degree with no additional application fee or tuition deposit and may qualify for the Alumni Tuition Rate for the graduate program. 

Exceptions to Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hour Limits

The Chicago School may allow an exception to the Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hour Limits for students negatively impacted by: 

1. Loss of regional accreditation status at the previous institution.   
2. Campus closure provided the previous institution was Institutionally accredited at the time of closing.  

All credit hours to be transferred are subject to the conditions outlined in this policy. A student may be eligible to transfer up to 75% of the total credit hours required for the degree program. The decision to impose a credit hour limit below the 75% institutional threshold lies with the Academic Program Lead and must be documented with the Office of the Chief Academic Officer and archived appropriately. This limit must be applied consistently across locations and modalities.  

Certificate programs and programs actively seeking or holding accreditation by the APA will not permit exceptions to the Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hour Limits above. Applicants to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling or Counselor Education and Supervision programs must come from a CACREP-accredited program for the credit hour limit exception to apply. Additionally, the Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Counselor Education and Supervision programs will not accept practicum and internship courses as transfer credit. 

International Transcript Requirements

A student with transcripts from an international degree-granting institution (bachelors, masters or doctoral) who is seeking to apply for transfer credit must have their credentials officially evaluated by a NACES or AICE-approved service recognized by the US Department of Education. The evaluation must include the degree level, name of degree, conferral date (if applicable), and U.S. equivalency. A course-by-course evaluation of the official transcript may be required. Any NACES or AICE-approved service can perform credential evaluations; however, an applicant may choose International Education Evaluations (IEE) to receive a preferred rate.  

Undergraduate Programs

Transfer Credit

Transfer Credit is defined as the application of credit hours earned at an institutionally accredited institution other than The Chicago School that are counted toward Chicago School degree program requirements. Credit hours earned from an institution that is not institutionally accredited are not eligible for transfer.

Credit hours may be awarded for college-level courses either in progress or completed prior to matriculation into The Chicago School. Transfer credit will be calculated into rate of progress as both credit hours attempted and earned but will not be calculated into The Chicago School cumulative grade point average. All requests for transfer credit must be submitted prior to the start of the first term/semester of enrollment.

The student is responsible for ensuring that all transfer credit requests and required documentation including official transcripts are submitted for evaluation prior to the end of the second term/first semester of enrollment unless using the Post-Matriculation Transfer Credit procedure detailed below. An unofficial transcript may be used for review of transfer credit prior to matriculation. However, for transfer credit to be processed, an official transcript must be received. An official transcript is delivered in a sealed envelope with the Registrar’s signature stamped across the seal. An official transcript can also be sent electronically directly from a transcript vendor. Requests for transfer credit are evaluated by the Office of the Registrar and the academic department, and the decision to accept transfer credit rests solely with the academic department. Transfer credit will be posted to the student’s record upon final approval from the academic department.

Approved transfer credit will not be factored into a new student’s registration time. All new students register during the same designated period regardless of transfer credit. Transfer credit may affect registration eligibility in subsequent terms.

Transfer credit is subject to the following conditions:

1. Course is at the undergraduate level, degree applicable and not designated as developmental or remedial. Graduate-level credit hours cannot be applied to an undergraduate degree, and remedial or developmental credit hours are not transferable.
2. Credit hours must be earned from an institutionally accredited institution or from an international institution that is fully accredited by a country’s Ministry of Education or by the United States Department of Education. International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES or AICE-approved transcript evaluation agency. See the International Transcript Requirements policy.
3. Credit hours that duplicate those earned via an equivalent course or exam will not be accepted. Credit hours will not be accepted for selected courses that must be completed at The Chicago School. The student is fully responsible for all charges incurred for duplicate coursework taken at The Chicago School.
4. Upper-division courses will not be considered equivalent or duplicative of lower-division courses.
5. Course content is substantially equivalent to the requested course.
6. Course grade is “C” or higher. Pass/Fail courses are eligible only if the pass grade is equivalent to a “C” or higher. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory and Credit/No Credit grades are not eligible.*
7. Number of semester credit hours earned matches or exceeds the number of semester credit hours for the requested course. Two or more courses may be combined to meet the credit hour requirement if the combined course content is substantially equivalent to the requested course.

*COVID-19 Transfer Credit Exception: In response to COVID-19, courses in which a student earned a Pass, Satisfactory, Credit, or equivalent grade in the spring and summer 2020 academic periods may be considered for transfer. A grade of Pass, Satisfactory, Credit, or equivalent meets the grade threshold for transfer credit in spring and summer 2020 only. All other transfer credit requirements listed above must be met for a course to be considered for transfer. This policy will not apply to courses that require a specific letter grade for licensure/certification or accreditation purposes.

Post-Matriculation Transfer Credit

A student may be permitted to transfer in general education credit hours completed after matriculation at Chicago School with the written permission of their Academic Program Lead or designee. A student must submit the Undergraduate Transfer Credit Petition, general education course description, and general education course syllabus, if available, to their Academic Program Lead for review and approval PRIOR to enrolling in a course outside of The Chicago School. If the request is approved and the student successfully completes the course, they must arrange to send an official transcript to the school. Transfer credit will not be posted to a student’s record without an official transcript on file.

A request for transfer credit for a course taken AFTER matriculation at Chicago School is subject to the following conditions:

1. Only one course attempt per approved request is permitted. If the student fails to successfully complete the approved course, they will be required to retake the course at The Chicago School.
2. Only applied to general education courses.

Nontraditional Credit Hours

Nontraditional Credit Hours are credit hours earned by means other than through traditional coursework. These means include testing programs, military credit, and others outlined below.

National Testing Programs

Some undergraduate programs may award nontraditional credit hours for successful completion of national testing programs. An official score report must be submitted for evaluation. A score lower than the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendation will not be considered for transfer credit. National testing program scores are not factored into the Chicago School cumulative grade point average.

• AP Exams: A student who earned a score of 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement (AP) exam may have that score considered for college-level credit.
• CLEP Exams: A student who successfully passed a College‐Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam may have that score considered for college-level credit. Information specific to the AAS-N Program appears below.
• DSST/DANTES Credit: A student who has successfully passed the DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) exam may have that score considered for college-level credit.
• IB Exams: A student who earned a score of 5 or higher on the International Baccalaureate (IB) exams may have that score considered for college-level credit.

CLEP for AAS-N Program

1.    Course for consideration is within the student’s program of study and is considered equivalent to the CLEP exam. 

2.    Verification of a minimum score of 50 is indicated on the official copy of the CLEP scores.

The AAS-N program will accept the following CLEP tests for credit:
 

Military

A student who has completed military credits may request to have their military transcript reviewed for transfer. Official military transcripts can be obtained via the Joint Service Transcript (JST) website and must be submitted to the Office of Admissions. Coursework recommended for nontraditional credit hours at the lower or upper division level by ACE will be considered if the coursework is applicable to the student’s program of study. 

Other Sources of Acceptable Nontraditional Credit Hours

Propero, SOPHIA, or Straighterline Courses: For general education or lower division elective credit hours, a student must successfully complete an ACE-recommended course and then submit an official transcript to The Chicago School. A student who wishes to pursue this option should contact Admissions. 

Credit by Examination: The Chicago School awards credit by examination for selected bachelor’s-level courses. Examinations for credit are created and administered by faculty at the direction of Academic Program Lead. An examination for credit is comprehensive and measures all course learning outcomes. Credit by examination is not available if a student has either attempted or completed the requested course at The Chicago School.

To be eligible to request credit by examination, a student:

1. Must be an active, degree-seeking student
2. Must be in Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing per SAP
3. Must not have previously audited, attempted, or completed the course for credit

To request credit by examination, a student must complete a Credit by Examination form and attach evidence of knowledge of the course learning outcomes, e.g., relevant work experience, to support the request and submit the completed form and supporting documentation to the Academic Program Lead.

If the request is approved, the student must pay the associated fee. The fee is charged per credit hour. Refer to the Tuition and Fees Schedule for fee information. A denied Credit by Examination request cannot be appealed.

Credit by Examination Score Requirement

The student cannot appeal a non-passing examination grade. Credit earned by examination will be recorded as CE on the student’s permanent record and will be counted toward the total number of credit hours required for degree completion. The CE grade will not impact the student’s GPA or enrollment status but will count as credit hours earned and positively impact rate of progress. 

Combining credit by examination with other forms of nontraditional credit and transfer credit cannot exceed 65% of the total credit hours required by the degree program.

Portfolio Based Assessment: A student may earn up to 12 semester credit hours per portfolio completed and submitted through the Prior Learning Portfolio Development Course available as an elective course in a bachelor degree program.

Maximum Total Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hours for Undergraduate Programs

Maximum Total Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hours are the combination of credit hours accepted in traditional and nontraditional credit hours. A student may not exceed the Maximum Total Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hours listed below.

For all programs, a maximum of 25% of the total credit hours for the degree program may be earned in nontraditional credit hours. 

A BA Psychology student may earn a limited number of transfer credit hours toward their minor. A student minoring in health science, ABA, or addiction studies may earn a maximum of 6 transfer credit hours toward the minor.

Graduate Programs

A graduate student may request to transfer in credit hours earned at another institution and may earn nontraditional credit hours through credit by examination for selected master’s-level courses.

Transfer Credit

Transfer Credit is defined as the application of credit hours earned at an institutionally accredited institution other than The Chicago School that are counted toward Chicago School degree program requirements. To be eligible for transfer, credit hours must have been earned prior to matriculation into the Chicago School degree program. Credit hours earned from an institution that is not institutionally accredited are not eligible for transfer of credit.

A Graduate Transfer Credit Petition per course must be submitted by the end of the first semester of enrollment (semester-based students) or second term of enrollment (term-based students). This petition must include the course details along with a course syllabus and official transcript documenting the grade earned in the course. The student is responsible for ensuring that all required documentation noted on the petition is submitted. 

The Office of the Registrar evaluates each transfer credit request for eligibility using the criteria in this policy. If the transfer credit request meets all eligibility criteria, it is sent to the academic department for review. The academic department holds sole authority for accepting or denying transfer credit. An unofficial transcript may be used for review of transfer credit prior to matriculation. However, for transfer credit to be processed, an official transcript must be received. An official transcript is delivered in a sealed envelope with the Registrar’s signature stamped across the seal. An official transcript can also be sent electronically directly from a transcript vendor.

The institution reserves the right to require satisfactory performance on an examination before granting transfer credit. Credit hours accepted in transfer will be calculated into rate of progress as both credit hours attempted and earned but will not be calculated into the Chicago School cumulative grade point average.

A student enrolled in Dual Degree Programs may transfer in coursework from the collaborating institution after they have matriculated, but only up to the credit limit articulated in the agreement between The Chicago School and the collaborating institution. A student enrolled in Dual Degree Programs need not submit a Graduate Transfer Credit/Course Waiver Petition as transfer credit is pre-determined by the articulation agreement between The Chicago School and the collaborating institution. See the Programs of Study  listings for transfer credit hour limits. Certificate programs do not permit transfer credit except where indicated in the Program of Study.

Transfer credit and associated fees will be posted to the student’s record upon final approval from the academic department. A student who is granted transfer credit after the Add/Drop deadline due to late submittal that results in a schedule modification will be held to the refund schedule. The student will be charged a fee for each transfer credit hour awarded. The transfer credit fee is not charged for articulated courses in Dual Degree Programs. Please refer to the tuition and fees schedule for information.

Approved transfer credit will not be factored into a new student’s registration time. All new students register during the same designated period regardless of transfer credit. Transfer credit may affect registration eligibility in subsequent terms.

Transfer credit is subject to the following conditions:

1. Course is at or above the equivalent degree level. For doctoral programs that offer a nested master’s degree, master-level courses as published in the Program of Study may be considered for transfer credit.
2. Credit hours must be earned from an institutionally accredited institution or from an international institution that is fully accredited by a country’s Ministry of Education or by the U. S. Department of Education. International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES or AICE-approved transcript evaluation agency. See the International Transcript Requirements policy.
3. Credit hours that duplicate those earned via an equivalent course or exam will not be accepted. Credit hours will not be accepted for selected courses that must be completed at The Chicago School. The student is fully responsible for all charges incurred for duplicate coursework taken at the school.
4. No regression. A student may not earn transfer credit for a course that represents a regression from previously completed coursework. In other words, a student may not transfer in or take Chicago School courses in an area in which they have already completed a course that is more advanced in content.
5. Course content is substantially equivalent to the requested course. This is generally defined as greater than 80 percent equivalent. To be considered for transfer into programs that hold programmatic accreditation or recognition, the course must meet the accreditation guidelines as determined by the academic department. For licensure programs with or without programmatic accreditation, the transfer course (and/or letter grade) must meet or exceed requirements to apply for licensure.
6. Course grade is a “B-” or higher. Courses which carry Pass/Fail, Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, or Credit/No Credit grades are not eligible.*
7. Credit not granted for practicum, internship, thesis, or dissertation courses.
8. Number of semester credit hours earned matches or exceeds the number of semester credit hours for the requested course. Two or more courses may be combined to meet the Chicago School credit hour requirement if the combined course content is substantially equivalent to the requested course.
9. No credit hours will be transferred for coursework that is more than 7 calendar years old. The PsyD in School Psychology program at Chicago and the PsyD in Clinical Psychology programs at Chicago, Anaheim, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C. do not permit transfer credit for coursework that is more than 5 calendar years old.

A Chicago School study abroad course may be used to satisfy a degree requirement if listed in the published program of study OR if approved for inclusion by the Academic Program Lead. To ensure that a study abroad course will satisfy a degree requirement, a student must obtain written approval from the Academic Program Lead prior to registration in the course. The student must submit the approved Course Substitution Petition to the Student Support Counselor.

*COVID-19 Transfer Credit Exception: In response to COVID-19, courses in which a student earned a Pass, Satisfactory, Credit, or equivalent grade in the spring and summer 2020 academic periods may be considered for transfer. A grade of Pass, Satisfactory, Credit, or equivalent meets the grade threshold for transfer credit in spring and summer 2020 only. All other transfer credit requirements listed above must be met for the course to be considered for transfer. This policy will not apply to courses that require a specific letter grade for licensure/certification or accreditation purposes.

Nontraditional Credit Hours

Credit by Examination: The Chicago School awards credit by examination for selected master’s-level courses. Examinations for credit are created and administered by faculty at the direction of the Academic Program Lead.

Examinations for credit are comprehensive and measure all course learning outcomes. In cases where credit by examination is not compatible with the standards of accreditation for any program seeking or holding programmatic accreditation (e.g., APA, CACREP), the standards of the accrediting agency prevail.

To be eligible to request credit by examination, a student must:

1. Must be an active, degree-seeking student
2. Must be in Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing per SAP
3. Must not have previously audited, attempted, or completed the course for credit

To request credit by examination, a student must complete a Credit by Examination form and attach evidence of knowledge of the course learning outcomes, e.g., relevant work experience, to support the request and submit the completed form and supporting documentation to the Academic Program Lead.

If the request is approved, the student must pay the associated fee. The fee is charged per credit hour. Refer to the Tuition and Fees Schedule for fee information. A denied Credit by Examination request cannot be appealed.

Credit by Examination Score Requirements

The student cannot appeal a non-passing examination grade. Credit hours earned by examination will be recorded as CE on the student’s permanent record and will be counted toward the total number of credit hours required for degree completion. The CE grade will not impact the student’s GPA or enrollment status but will count as credit hours earned and positively impact rate of progress. 

Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hour Limits

A student may not exceed the Transfer and Nontraditional Credit Hour Limits listed below.  

Withdrawal

A student is required to maintain continuous enrollment as defined in the Continuous Enrollment policy. Withdrawal from The Chicago School during any period of enrollment has financial consequences and may necessitate the return of financial aid. All withdrawals are subject to the Refund Policies . 

A student should refer to the Grading policies to understand the impact a withdrawal will have on their grades. Prior to submitting an official request, a student is strongly encouraged to take the following steps:

• Consult with the Academic Program Lead or Faculty Advisor
• Consult with the Office of Placement and Training (OPT) and the practicum or internship site, if applicable
• Consult with the Office of Financial Aid and complete the exit interview
• Consult with Student Accounts regarding any financial obligations

An international student must consult with the Designated School Official (DSO) prior to making a withdrawal request as a change in enrollment status will impact immigration status. A student who wishes to return to school after withdrawal should refer to the Returning Students policy.

When a student withdraws, the Office of the Registrar will remove the student from their course(s) and assign appropriate administrative grades per the Drop/Withdrawal Schedule.  After grades are assigned, SAP is evaluated. If the student is placed in SAP Dismissal status, their enrollment status will be changed to dismissal. Dismissal supersedes any other enrollment status. See the Refund Policies  for information on tuition and fees.

Official Withdrawal

A student must submit a Withdrawal Request to their Student Support Counselor or make a request via the student portal to officially withdrawal from The Chicago School. A student’s withdrawal date will be:

1. The date on which the Withdrawal Request form or student portal activity is submitted; or
2. Any earlier or later date that the institution documents as the last date of academic-related activity.

Unofficial Withdrawal

A student will be unofficially withdrawn from the school if the following conditions are not met by the Add/Drop deadline:

• A student does not resolve a registration hold;
• A student does not register for courses and/or attend classes; or
• A student does not return from an approved Leave of Absence as scheduled.

A student’s withdrawal date will be:

1. The last day of the last term/semester attended; or
2. Any earlier or later date that the institution documents as the last date of academic-related activity.

Temporary Withdrawal

A temporary withdrawal may be considered if one of the following conditions is met:

• A student faces an unforeseeable and unexpected circumstance (significant change in their health, financial situation, employment, or an urgent personal matter); or
• A student does not have a course to take as determined by the institution.

In addition to meeting one of the above conditions, the student must have an expected date of return. A student is limited to two terms/one semester of temporary withdrawal in any 12-month period. A term-based student who desires an additional term of temporary withdrawal must contact the Student Support Counselor for eligibility. A student in Pending Probation status who wishes to apply for temporary withdrawal must have their Reinstatement Petition approved by the Academic Program Lead first. Once the approved petition is on file, the student will be returned to Academic & Financial Aid Probation status before having their temporary withdrawal request processed.

A student granted temporary withdrawal is not required to petition to return to school. Rather, they will be advanced through the reentry process automatically. See the Returning Students policy for details. A student who faces an unforeseeable and unexpected circumstance that leads to a significant change in their life and subsequent withdrawal from the school after the Add/Drop deadline may appeal for financial relief using the institutional policy exception process. See Policy Exception  for details.

Illinois Hardship Withdrawal

The Illinois Hardship Withdrawal policy may be applied when a student seeks to withdraw based on one of the hardship reasons listed below and when the student’s withdrawal occurs after the 100% tuition refund date has passed. A student who lives in Illinois or who attends an academic program on-ground in Illinois who faces a severe financial or physical hardship may be considered for hardship withdrawal. Types of hardship are: 

• serious injury or illness of the student; 
• chronic illness of the student; 
• a serious medical issue of a family member (spouse or partner, child, parent or guardian, grandparent, or sibling) for which the student is a part-time or full-time caretaker of that family member; 
• a mental health condition of the student; 
• a sudden or consistent lack of transportation that prohibits student presence in class; and 
• a significant, non-elective cost of living increase for the student.

A student who believes they may qualify for hardship withdrawal must contact their Student Support Counselor. Relevant, detailed supporting documentation proving the severe financial or physical hardship must be presented.

A student who withdraws pursuant to this policy should contact their Student Support Counselor regarding how the school may be able to assist if the student chooses to return to school. This policy does not address the impact of a hardship withdrawal on the student’s academic record or ability to complete their degree program.    

Military Policies

Iowa Military Withdrawal

A student who lives in Iowa who is a member of the Iowa National Guard or reserve forces of the United States who is ordered to National Guard duty or federal active duty may be eligible for Iowa Military Withdrawal. A student who lives in Iowa who is the spouse of a member with whom they have a dependent child may also be covered.  

Upon verification of orders by Student Support, a qualified student may:

1. Withdraw from the entire registration and receive a full refund of tuition and fees. The student will be assigned a Withdrawal (W) grade in all courses.
2. Arrange for temporary or final grades in all courses. In this case, the student’s schedule of classes for the impacted term/semester will remain unchanged, and tuition and fees will be assessed. For courses in which a temporary grade is assigned, it will remain until the course is completed. 
3. Arrange for temporary or final grades in select courses. In this case, dropped courses will be assigned a W grade, and the student will be refunded tuition and fees for dropped courses. For courses in which a temporary grade is assigned, it will remain until the course is completed.  

These rules comply with Iowa Code 261.9(1)9g). 

Military Temporary Withdrawal

Military Temporary Withdrawal (MTW) provides a no-penalty, time-unrestricted period of temporary withdrawal for affected individuals and their spouses and dependents. MTW provides relief of student charges based upon deployment notification and financial aid sources. 

Affected individuals including spouses and dependents are: 

• Active-duty military personnel serving during a war, military operation, or state or national emergency. 
• Members of the National Guard performing a qualifying duty (e.g., called to active service by the Governor, President, or Secretary of Defense for a period of more than 30 consecutive days) during a war, military operation, or state or national emergency). 
• Service Members who suffer economic hardship as a result of a war, military operation, or state or national emergency. 

A student who is called to active military duty should promptly notify Student Support in writing via the Withdrawal form, including submitting the military orders with departure date. If military orders are classified and cannot be shared, a letter from the commanding officer regarding the date of deployment and confidentiality status will be accepted. MTW does not count against the program’s time to completion; however, repayment of federal financial aid may be required after 180 days have expired. MTW is available to a student who is deployed regardless of the student’s SAP status. 

Military Withdrawal

A student or a student’s spouse or dependent who meets one or more of the criteria below may be eligible to withdrawal under this policy:

• Active-duty military personnel serving during a war, military operation, or state or national emergency.
• Members of the National Guard performing a qualifying duty (e.g., called to active service by the Governor, President, or Secretary of Defense for a period of more than 30 consecutive days during a war, military operation, or state or national emergency).
• Service Members who suffer economic hardship as a result of a war, military operation, or state or national emergency.

A qualified student who withdraws from current courses on or before week five of an eight-week term or on or before week 10 of a 15-week semester will receive a full refund of tuition and fees and will be removed from all courses in progress, thereby removing the courses from the student’s record. If the student withdraws from current courses on or after week six of an eight-week term or on or after week 11 of a 15-week semester, the student will receive full credit with grades earned at the time of withdrawal. If a course relies on a final project and/or examination to determine satisfactory performance, no credit will be granted until all required work is completed.

A student taking online courses may remain enrolled in those courses, if possible. A student wanting to complete their courses via independent study may do so with the consent of the instructor of record for the course(s).