Readmission: Reinstatement of Former Students
Students with a break in their enrollment studies of less than six (6) years are governed by the catalog of initial enrollment to the University.
Students with a break in their enrollment studies of more than six (6) years are governed by the catalog year of readmittance to the University.
Students wishing to return to the University after voluntary or involuntary absence must apply for readmission and complete one of the following processes:
Category A
Students who have had a break in their education studies of less than two (2) years, with no additional college course work since their last date of attendance at ECSU, should:
- Report to the Registrar's Office and complete a re-admit form.
- See an academic advisor to review course curriculum requirements.
Category B
Students who have had a break in their education studies of more than two (2) years and/or attended another institution since attending ECSU should:
- Report to the Admissions Office;
- Complete an application and pay the admissions fee;
- Evaluate all new course work, if needed; and
- See an Academic Advisor to review course curriculum requirements.
Students seeking readmission should apply for financial aid at least 30 days prior to the start of the semester of enrollment. Students who do not apply for aid as stipulated will be required to pay the full cost of attendance at enrollment. Students with an outstanding account will not be readmitted until their balance is paid in full.
Academic Forgiveness Policy
Elizabeth City State University recognizes that some potentially good students enroll in curricula for which they may not be suited or properly prepared, resulting in poor grades. Although these students may become academically successful after changing curricula or becoming better prepared for their course work, they often are unable to overcome a previously poor academic record, a problem that can lead to academic probation. To address this concern, the University has a policy by which students may petition the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for “forgiveness.” Appeals in relation to this policy may be directed to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, who will chair an ad-hoc committee, comprised of a representative from the Academic Administrative Council and a representative from the Division of Student Affairs. This committee will determine the student’s qualification for forgiveness.
I. Eligibility
Academic work attempted prior to acceptance under the Forgiveness Policy is reviewed at this time. Only the credit hours (not the grades) associated with courses in which the student earned a grade of C or better are applied to the academic program. Neither the hours, nor the grades for courses in which a student earned a D or F are applied towards graduation. Once academic forgiveness is granted, it may not be reversed.
A student may qualify for academic forgiveness provided the following conditions are met:
- Must submit Academic Forgiveness Request Form;
- Have a break in enrollment for a minimum period of two (2) consecutive academic years (four semesters, summer sessions excluded); or
- Have attempted at least 12 letter-graded hours during the first semester the student is readmitted with a minimum GPA of 2.5, and a 100% satisfactory completion rate (grade C or better) after being re-admitted to the University;
- Students who have been enrolled at another college/university since their last enrollment at ECSU must submit to the Office of Admissions official transcripts indicating that a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale has been earned in all transferable courses attempted; and
- Only transfer courses taken in which a student received a grade of C or better will be accepted for transfer credit at ECSU. The sole exception is that students may attend ECSU during summer sessions for credit, during the two academic years of non-attendance necessary for the policy to be applied.
Failure to meet the above requirements will result in a student’s ineligibility, except for summer school, until such a time as a cumulative GPA of a 2.5 is achieved.
II. Effects
Once a student’s eligibility for Academic Forgiveness is confirmed, the following adjustments will be made to the student’s academic record:
- All grades earned at ECSU prior to re-entry will be excluded from the calculation of the GPA (i.e., forgiven);
- The course title and grade for the first completion will be shown on the official transcript but will be noted as “forgiven”. The first grade, however, will be removed from the calculation of the cumulative grade point average. A statement on transcripts will explain which grades have been excluded from the program GPA calculation; and
- Only credit hours earned for courses prior to re-entry with the grade of at least “C” will be retained.
A student who has been granted Academic Forgiveness must earn a minimum of 30 credit hours from the point of readmission to be eligible to receive a baccalaureate degree. A student is only eligible for academic forgiveness once during matriculation at ECSU.
Residence Status for Tuition Purposes
The Admissions Office determines the residence status of all new and returning students for the purpose of paying tuition. Responses on the application for admission, the North Carolina Residence and Tuition Status Application, and other evidence furnished by the students are used in making this determination. Students who fail to submit adequate information to establish a right to be classified as a resident of North Carolina will be classified as a non-resident.
It is the student’s responsibility to verify his or her residency status before applying to the University. Students paying incorrect fees will be billed for the difference in the tuition rates.
To qualify as a resident for tuition purposes, a person must become a legal resident and remain a legal resident for at least 12 months immediately prior to classification. The burden for establishing facts justifying classification as a resident entitled to in-state tuition rates is on the applicant, who must show his or her entitlement by the preponderance of the residential information.
Being classified as a resident for tuition purposes is contingent on the student’s seeking such status and providing all information that the institution may require in making the determination.