Students exercising the repeat option must consult with their advisor.
Undergraduate Students
General Rule on Course Repeats: Students may repeat a course in which they previously earned a grade of “D,” “F” or any passing grade, including if they seek to improve performance or meet program-specific requirements (e.g., minimum grade of C).
All attempts remain on the transcript. However, only the highest grade earned in repeated attempts will be used in calculating the cumulative GPA and degree applicability. This policy applies to nonrepeatable courses. Courses designated as “repeatable for credit” (e.g., special topics) are excluded.
The repeat option shall not be exercised for any course in which the grade of “XE” or “XF” was received.
- A cheating grade of “E” or “XE” is not prohibited in a repeat option exercise to apply in place of a regular “E” that was conferred the first time the course was taken.
- Any course taken by an undergraduate student prior to an awarded degree cannot be changed by the repeat option process after the award of the degree; however, that student may in a subsequent non-degree status use the repeat option on a course that was taken after the prior degree was awarded.
- The repeat option does not allow for the original grade of a repeated course to be removed from the transcript, but rather only allows for removal of that original grade from the calculation of the GPA.
- When a student is concurrently enrolled in two (2) undergraduate degree programs and then graduates from one (1) of the programs, any course taken prior to that graduation cannot later have the repeat option applied to that course, even if that course was not applied to that first degree.
Limits and Eligibility: Undergraduate students may apply this grade replacement rule for up to four (4) distinct courses, with a maximum of one replacement per course. The repeated course must be taken at the University of Kentucky, and all grades (original and repeated) will remain visible on the transcript.
Effect on Academic Standing and Financial Aid: The most recent attempt that results in a higher grade will be used to determine:
- GPA-based academic standing;
- Eligibility for honors; and
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) calculations for federal aid.
In accordance with Title IV regulations, students may only receive financial aid for one repeat of a previously passed course (defined as any grade of D or higher).
Failing Grades After Passing: If a student earns a failing grade (F) a er a previously passing attempt, the highest passing grade will count in the GPA. The failing grade(s) from subsequent attempts will not be included in GPA calculation once credit has been earned but will remain on the transcript.
Course Credit Rules: A student may only earn credit once for a non-repeatable course. Once a course is passed, additional passing attempts will not earn new credit, though they may affect GPA under the guidelines above.
Appeals: Students who wish to request exceptions to the grade replacement limit or have extenuating circumstances (e.g., medical, Title IX-related disruptions) may submit an appeal to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies in their college or designee.
Graduate Students
Eligibility to Repeat a Course: A graduate student may repeat a course only once. Any additional course repetition requires approval of the DGS and the Provost and is granted only under exceptional circumstances.
Each enrollment in a repeated course shall be recorded separately on the student’s official academic transcript. All grades earned for the course, including the original and repeated attempt(s), shall remain permanently on the academic record.
All grades earned in repeated graduate courses shall be included in the calculation of the cumulative graduate GPA. Repeating a course does not remove or expunge a prior grade from the academic record.
Credit for a repeated course may be applied toward degree requirements only once, unless the course is explicitly approved as repeatable for credit in the Graduate Catalog. Repeated enrollments beyond the first application of credit do not result in additional degree credit.
Program Requirements and Minimum Grades: Programs may establish minimum grade requirements for required courses. If a course is repeated to meet a minimum grade requirement, the program may specify whether successful completion of the repeat satisfies the requirement for progression or degree eligibility; however, all grades earned remain part of the academic record and GPA.
Limitations: Repeating a course may not be used to replace, nullify or otherwise remove an unsatisfactory grade from the transcript. Course repetition is intended to address deficiencies in preparation or mastery of material, not to permit grade improvement beyond program or Graduate School standards.