Policy

The Graduate Fresh Start Policy is designed to provide a pathway through which graduate students who meet specific criteria can re-enroll at Miami University and return to good academic standing in a graduate program up to one time. A graduate student who has been academically dismissed or who voluntarily left the University with a cumulative graduate GPA below 3.00 is eligible for Graduate Fresh Start if the following criteria are met:

• The student can apply immediately if applying for Graduate Fresh Start in a different program. The student must wait two years if applying for Graduate Fresh Start in the same program, although petitions to waive part or all of the two year wait period will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• The student must apply to the Graduate Fresh Start pathway and be accepted per normal admissions procedures (e.g., they must meet all other university admissions requirements and the program must recommend them for admission).
• It must be the student’s first time applying to the Graduate Fresh Start pathway. Students are only permitted to enter the Graduate Fresh Start pathway one time and any further applications will be denied.
• The student cannot apply to the Fresh Start pathway if they have been awarded a prior graduate degree at Miami University.

If readmitted through the Graduate Fresh Start pathway, no prior graduate credit from Miami University would apply toward the student’s new or restarted program. The student would enter with Conditional admission status. To remove Conditional status, the student’s record will be reviewed at the end of the first term in which they have a total of 9 newly earned credit hours taken for a letter grade. If they have not earned a 3.00 or better with those 9 graded credit hours, the student will be dismissed from the program (non-reversible). If they have earned a 3.00 or better with those 9 graded credit hours, they can continue in the program with Conditional status removed.

After Graduate Fresh Start status is approved and conditional status is removed, a notation will be added to the student’s academic record indicating that all Miami University graduate level credit hours earned prior to re-enrollment will be subject to the following conditions:

• Graduate courses taken at Miami University prior to Graduate Fresh Start remain on the transcript (marked with a notation) but are excluded from the cumulative grade point average calculation, and the student starts with a new cumulative grade point average.
• Earned credit hours in courses taken at Miami University prior to Graduate Fresh Start continue to count as earned credit hours at the graduate level but will be excluded from the new or restarted program.
• Grades from all graduate level coursework taken at Miami University after Graduate Fresh Start will be used in determining academic action and calculating eligibility for graduation.
• Graduate courses taken at Miami University which have been applied toward an awarded undergraduate degree are not eligible for Graduate Fresh Start.
• Fresh Start Graduate courses taken at Miami University which are being applied toward an unawarded undergraduate degree will not count toward the undergraduate degree.

Students choosing to re-enroll under the Graduate Fresh Start policy are subject to the academic regulations and degree requirements in effect at the time of their re-entry. Graduate Fresh Start status may be granted only one time. Graduate Fresh Start status will be recorded on the student’s academic record as follows: “(Date) Graduate Fresh Start Approved. New Grade Point Average Established.” Catalog year is changed to reflect the first term of re-enrollment after the term of Graduate Fresh Start is established.

Related Form(s)

Not Applicable.

Additional Resources and Procedures

Websites

• BannerWeb
• One Stop
• Your Records

FAQ

Not Applicable.

Policy Administration

Next Review Date

7/1/2025

Responsible Officer

Associate Provost

Legal Authority

Not Applicable.

Compliance Policy

No

Revision History

New July 2022

Reference ID

Reviewing Bodies

• University Sentate
• Administrative