Academic Standing

Satisfactory Standing

When your term GPA is a minimum of 2.000, you are considered to be making satisfactory progress towards your degree.

Warning

When your term GPA is lower than 2.00, after a previous semester of Satisfactory Standing (2.00 or higher), you will be placed on Academic Warning. You may be required to participate in programs designed to help you return to Satisfactory Standing. Failure to comply with the conditions of Academic Warning may result in further restrictions on registration or Academic Suspension or Dismissal.

Restrictions:

A course and credit limit not to exceed 16 credits.
ONLY graduating Seniors and students with extenuating circumstances relating to Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress may petition for exemption. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you believe this applies to you.

Conditions:

You must earn a 2.00 term average or higher to be removed from Warning.
You may be subject to mandatory advising requirements. Information on how to schedule an appointment is here.

Note: Academic Suspension or Dismissal is possible, if your cumulative GPA is below 2.00.

Suspension and Dismissal

Academic Suspension and Academic Dismissal are based on the cumulative grade point average (GPA) measured against a graduated standard of increasing expectations determined by the student's recorded year of anticipated graduation and the number of completed semesters of enrollment. The Cumulative GPA of every student is reviewed each year at the end of the Spring semester to ensure that all students are making consistent and realistic progress towards graduation standards.

You will be subject to Academic Suspension or Academic Dismissal from the SAS when your cumulative GPA is less than the figure below:

Graduated GPA Standard
Semester	Class Year	Cumulative GPA
2nd	First-Year	1.5
4th	Sophomore	1.7
6th	Junior	1.9
8th or higher	Senior	2.0

You are responsible for monitoring your graduation date and academic record – failure to receive or acknowledge Suspension or Dismissal notification does not void the academic standing action. In addition, your are encouraged to seek assistance early if you are in difficulty. Speak to an SAS Academic Advisor.

Note: It is not possible to change your graduation year after notification of Suspension or Dismissal.

Exceptions: First-Year and Transfer Students enrolled in their first semester at Rutgers during a Spring term are not subject to Suspension or Dismissal, even when the cumulative GPA is below the specified standard for their class year.

*Academic Suspension occurs the first time you fall below this standard – or if you “remediated” a previous Suspension but fail again to meet the required cumulative GPA. An Academic Suspension must be addressed in the Rutgers – New Brunswick Summer Session, but you have the option of doing so in a future year. Unlike Academic Dismissal which must be addressed in the Summer immediately following notification of status. Students with an Academic Suspension are guaranteed one attempt at completing Summer coursework. Please see Reinstatement for more information.

*Academic Dismissals unless successfully addressed are final. This status is applied when you have a sustained Suspension noted on your record, and again fall below the required Cumulative GPA standards. Academic Dismissal students must successfully remediate their Cumulative GPA – to the standard required for their class year - with Summer coursework in the Rutgers – New Brunswick Summer Session immediately following notification of status. Otherwise, it is not possible to return in a future term without a successful Academic Appeal.

*As of Spring 2015, there has been a change in terminology relating to the SAS Dismissal Policy, but the policy itself has not changed. What was formerly termed "First Dismissal" is now called "Suspension". What was formerly termed "Second Dismissal" is now called a "Dismissal".

Probation

When you have two or more consecutive semesters with a term GPA lower than 2.00, you will be placed on Academic Probation. You will also be placed on Academic Probation if you are reenrolled following an Academic Suspension, either in this academic year or a previous one. This Probation category typically carries additional conditions that have to be met in order for you to progress to the Spring term. You may be required to participate in programs designed to help you return to Satisfactory Standing. Failure to comply with the conditions of Probation may result in further restrictions on registration or Academic Suspension or Dismissal.

Restrictions:

A course and credit limit not to exceed 16 credits. We strongly advise meeting with an SAS Academic Advisor, before registering for classes, to discuss whether a lighter course load is a better option.
Only graduating Seniors and students with extenuating circumstances relating to financial aid standards of satisfactory progress may petition for exemption. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you believe this applies to you.

Conditions:

You must earn a 2.00 or higher term average to be removed from Probation.
You may be subject to mandatory advising requirements. Information on how to schedule an appointment is here.
If reenrolled on probation after suspension or dismissal, you may be required to achieve a term average of at least 2.00 or re-mediate your cumulative GPA to that of your Graduated GPA Standard to progress to the Spring. If you fail to do this, SAS reserves the right to rescind your reenrollment and to sustain your previous Suspension. You would then have to sit out the Spring Term and apply for Conditional Reenrollment in the Summer.
Note: Reenrollment is not guaranteed. Each application will be determined based on academic history and the viability of successful degree completion.
Reenrolled students will be required to complete either the Academic Success Seminar, group advising sessions, or another item of retention programming. Details will be given in your Probation notice letter.

Scholarships

PR scholars 1

Alumni, parents and friends often support scholarships in the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) in appreciation for the educational experience that Rutgers provides and to express gratitude for financial assistance they may themselves have received. Scholarships awarded based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of both are available to students who have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Nearly 175 of the over 250 scholarships in SAS are endowed funds, which provide support for students today and for generations to come.

Scholarship and funding resources available for SAS students include:

SAS Excellence Award
Financial Aid
Departmental Awards
External Sources of Funding

Incoming Students

Continuing Students

Scholarships for continuing SAS students are awarded through the School of Arts and Sciences Scholarship Office. Students are invited to apply based on a minimum cumulative GPA. The invitation and application process begins at the end of each academic year, when an invitation email is sent to eligible students.

The basic amount for a School of Arts and Sciences Excellence Award is $1000; some awards in a larger amount. The selection process will be rigorous. To receive an award, an applicant must have not only an excellent academic record, but recipients must have a strong record of service to the university and/or the community, and must submit outstanding essays.

To be eligible for an invitation to apply, a student must meet the following criteria:

Enrollment in School of Arts and Sciences in Fall and Spring semesters;
Meet the minimum cumulative GPA (determined by the scholarship committee) established at the end of the Spring semester. The minimum cumulative GPA for the academic year is currently 3.700 and is subject to change during the academic year.

Students are invited to apply for the SAS Excellence Award program based on the established minimum GPA. Invitations are emailed to eligible students by late May/early June.

For additional assistance, please contact the SAS Scholarship Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 848-932-2274.

Featured Scholarships

These special awards have been created by donors who wish to foster a culture of philanthropy among recipients by helping to further their academic careers through financial assistance.

Hope and Victory Scholarship: four-year partial tuition scholarship ($5,000 per year) awarded annually to two full-time, in-state incoming students at SAS, based on financial need, academic merit, and commitment to service, and established by the family foundation of a grateful Rutgers University graduate.
Vanessa and Bennet Lopez Scholarship: awarded to students based on academic merit and financial need with preference to students from Red Bank Regional High School or any other high school in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
Harry J. Riskin Scholarship: awarded to students who show a commitment to community service who also demonstrate academic merit and financial need.

Partial-Tuition Endowed Scholarships

Endowed Scholarships are permanent funds that open doors of educational opportunity for generations. These special awards support bright, deserving students, enabling them to achieve the level of success a Rutgers degree inspires.

Jerome and Lorraine Aresty Undergraduate Research Scholarship: enables outstanding seniors to pursue original, graduate-level research on a topic of their choice within their major.
Harriett and Robert Druskin Scholarship: awarded to incoming and continuing students based on merit and financial need.
Dr. Norman and Syril Reitman Pre-Med Scholarship: awarded to pre-med students based on financial need and academic merit.
Kenneth W. Carlson Memorial Scholarship: created to honor the spirit and legacy of a Rutgers philosophy graduate by several of his Alpha Chi Rho fraternity brothers, this scholarship supports undergraduate students with financial need.
George O. Scott Scholarship: established by family and friends, this scholarship honors the career of a geologist and successful family business owner, this fund provides financial assistance to defray the cost of summer field camp for students studying Geology and/or Earth and Planetary Sciences.
Juliana Ratych Memorial Scholarship: established in memory of a Rutgers graduate who was an officer in Delta Phi Alpha, this scholarship supports students studying German, including tuition and/or study abroad.
Scott Schertzer Memorial Scholarship: established by family members to honor the life of a Rutgers graduate who lost his life on September 11, 2011, this scholarship is awarded to junior and senior students planning a career in business.
Enrico P. Veltri Scholarship: for students studying the life sciences who have an athletic background and an understanding of the balance and commitment to be a scholar athlete.
Theodore C. Maraviglia Scholarship: awarded to chemistry students and established to honor the accomplishments of a first-generation American who majored in chemistry at Rutgers and enjoyed a 40-year career with the Food and Drug Administration.
John and Velma Mowbray Scholarship: established to support female economics students by a Rutgers graduate in honor of her parents, both of whom, although unable to attend college, instilled in their daughters a passion for higher education.

Office of Financial Aid

Academic Departments

External Sources of Funding

Information about funding sources outside of Rutgers University can be found at the following sites:

hesaa.org/Pages/StudentsParents.aspx (HESAA: Higher Education Student Assistance Authority)
finaid.org (a free comprehensive source of student financial aid information)
Listed below are just a few of the online databases containing a search engine of scholarships:

A useful book is The Scholarship Book, Daniel Cassidy.

Please note: This listing of external resources is provided as a courtesy for incoming and current students. These websites are not affiliated with Rutgers University.

To learn more about donating to scholarships for SAS students, please contact Lytisha “Tee” Williams, Associate Vice President for Advancement, at 848-932-6453, or email Tee at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

SAS Scholarship Office:

Office of Undergraduate Education
Ruth Adams Building, Room 108E
131 George St.
Douglass Campus
ph: 848-932-2274
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Advising and Academic Services