Colleges and universities use Academic Standing as a way of tracking students’ progress towards a degree.  Academic Standing is based on a student’s cumulative and term/semester grade point average (GPA).   

NAU wants every student to be successful, and Academic Standing informs the university of a student’s academic progress.  In some cases, Academic Standing shows a need for the student to take action to improve their academics and avoid academic consequences.  

  Possible actions for a student:  

• Revisit their choice of major.  
• Connect with academic support.  
• Additional self-reflections for the student in evaluating their success.  

   Not being in Good Academic Standing may lead to the following restrictions from NAU:  

• Not being able to graduate until cumulative GPA is 2.0.  
• Temporary or permanent loss of financial aid.  
• Temporary loss of the ability to attend NAU. 

You can click on the hyperlink attached to the Academic Standing Policy or go to Catalog.nau.edu and enter policy # 200346.

NAU has a variety of resources and support available.  To start, every student is assigned an Academic Advisor who can help guide and support you as you navigate your academic career.  The Office of the Dean of Students has links to mentoring opportunities, Academic Success Centers , and more. Student and Departmental Accounts Services can help you understand your tuition, fees, and how to make payments.  The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid can help you understand your financial aid and available aid options.

Standing is completed and notification emails are sent after each semester is over and grading processes are finalized (2-3 weeks after the term is over) term/semester).

No, this is only for students earning a bachelor’s degree or certificate.  

Students earning a master’s degree, master’s certificate, and/or doctoral degree are referred to as graduate students and have different academic standing classifications and requirements to be eligible to enroll and graduate and may have slightly different milestones for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Graduate students should follow policy 100319.   

This policy and webpage apply to all students pursuing a bachelor’s degree or certificate, which is commonly referred to as an undergraduate student.   

Good Academic Standing, Academic Caution, Academic Warning and Academic Pause. 

Good Academic Standing, Academic Caution, and Academic Warning.  

You must be in Good Academic Standing (cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher) to earn a degree or certificate.  

Academic Caution is the first of two notifications to review your academic performance.  Academic Warning is the final notification that you may enter Academic Pause if your term GPA does not improve.  Academic Pause occurs if the cumulative and term/semester GPA are below 2.0 while on Academic Warning. 

 A student can continue in an Academic Caution status if their cum GPA is less than 2.0 and their term GPA is at least 2.0.  A student can also return to Academic Caution after being on Academic Warning if their term GPA is at least 2.0. 

Academic Pause – If you are in this standing, you are no longer allowed to enroll at NAU. This standing is assigned after two consecutive terms of both a term and a cumulative GPA below 2.0.  This progression is linear starting with an Academic Standing of Academic Caution, then Academic Warning, and then Academic Pause.  

No, to be on Academic Pause you must have the following standings in order; Academic Caution/Academic Probation to Academic Warning to Academic Pause. 

The end of the following fall term/semester.  All students will have at minimum three consecutive major (fall/spring) term/semesters before they are eligible for Academic Pause. 

*A student may return to a status of Academic Caution from Academic Warning with term GPA of at least 2.0 and a CUM GPA less than 2.0.

The end of the following spring term/semester.  All students will have at minimum three consecutive major (fall/spring) term/semesters before they are eligible for Academic Pause. 

*A student may return to a status of Academic Caution from Academic Warning with term GPA of at least 2.0 and a CUM GPA less than 2.0.

Yes, you can go directly to Good Academic Standing from any Academic Standing status as long as your cumulative GPA is at least 2.0. 

You may return to NAU upon filing a successful appeal for reinstatement.  

  Below are the guidelines to submit a reinstatement appeal:  

• 12 units of transferable academic or developmental coursework.  

• A 2.5 cumulative grade point average or higher.  
• In-progress coursework must be completed prior to the start date of the term you return.  

• A documented explanation of extenuating circumstances that resulted in past poor academic performance and evidence that those circumstances have been resolved.  
• Meets the conditions of Academic Renewal. 

Academic Standing defines the conditions to remain academically eligible to enroll at the university.  

 Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) are conditions to receive federal aid and scholarships. The SAP requirements are set forth by the U.S. Department of Education and implemented by NAU; you must:  

  Maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA.  

• Complete your degree in certain number of units/credits referred to as “max time frame”.  
• Complete 67% of attempted classes. Completed classes (A,B,C,D, and P)/not completed classes (F, I, IP, and W).  

If one of the conditions above is not met at the end of each spring term/semester, your financial aid may be suspended.  The SAP appeal process allows students to request financial aid after it was suspended.   

Your status will be Academic Caution.  

No, standings will not be converted from the old policy to the new policy on a transcript; students who attend under both policies may have each standing on their transcript.   

Yes, Academic Probation has the same conditions as Academic Caution but has a different title. You can be placed on Academic Warning after you have been on Academic Caution or Academic Probation beginning Spring 2024.  

Fall 2023 is the transition term/semester. No students will be placed on a standing other than Academic Caution or Good Academic Standing at the end of Fall 2023.  

You will return on Academic Probation. Academic Probation is the same as Academic Caution on your transcript beginning Spring 2024.  This means that you may go from Academic Probation or Academic Caution to Academic Warning.

Academic Continuation Comparison Chart vs Academic Standing

New Academic Standing statuses will be posted on transcripts following the Fall 2023 term.  However, you may see the new status titles in places like the Academic Advisement Report after the new policy takes effect on August 28, 2023.