Graduate Student Academic Fresh Start

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Frequently Asked Questions About Graduate Academic Fresh Start  

WHAT IS GRADUATE ACADEMIC FRESH START?

Graduate Academic Fresh Start is a process by which a former TSU graduate student with poor academic performance can petition to enter/reenter graduate study and avoid having their previous low grades adversely affect the GPA calculation for newly taken coursework. A previously-enrolled TSU master’s, doctoral, graduate certificate, or non-degree seeking graduate student who has not been enrolled at TSU for at least 2 academic years can petition for admission/readmission under the Graduate Academic Fresh Start policy. Graduate Academic Fresh Start can be used for admission into a new graduate program or for readmission into the prior program; the latter could be for the same or for a different concentration. Students who were dismissed for academic misconduct are not eligible for Graduate Academic Fresh Start. 

HOW DO I APPLY FOR ACADEMIC FRESH START?

Students applying for admission under Graduate Academic Fresh Start must complete the following:

  1. Apply for Readmissions through the School of Graduate Studies.
  2. Complete the Academic Fresh Start Application for Graduate Students and upload into the TSU Application Portal.
  3. File a Petition for Graduate Academic Fresh Start and upload into the TSU Application Portal. This petition will include a personal statement from the student that addresses professional and/or personal growth during the time absent from TSU Graduate Studies as well as information that will inform the program of current potential for academic success.

Once the application for admission is complete and if materials meet standards of initial review by the School of Graduate Studies, the application and the Graduate Academic Fresh Start petition will be referred to the program admission committee for recommendation. Programs will make the final admission decision after the Fresh Start referral and application.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I AM ADMITTED UNDER THE ACADEMIC FRESH START POLICY?

Once a student is admitted under this policy, the transcript will show all courses taken and grades received; however, previous graduate courses will be excluded from the GPA and earned credits calculations. The transcript also will contain the note “Admitted Under Graduate Academic Fresh Start.”  Changes to the academic record are final and immutable. The student’s catalog of record will be the catalog for the year of Graduate Academic Fresh Start admission/readmission. A student can be granted admission into the Graduate Academic Fresh Start only one time. 

CAN PREVIOUS CREDIT HOURS BE APPLIED TO MY NEW PROGRAM OF STUDY?

Up to (9) previous graduate credits for a degree program may be applied to the student’s new program of study at the discretion of the program Department Chair or Coordinator and will be treated as transfer credits. The student must have earned a “B” or better in these courses. Transfer courses must be identified at the time of application and they will be excluded from GPA calculations. Note that these transferred courses will affect matriculation limits and that these courses cannot be considered for revalidation if they exceed matriculation time limits. Thus, a student may need to retake a course if the degree is not completed within the course’s matriculation limits (i.e., 6 years for Master’s and Ed.S. degrees; 10 years for doctoral degrees).

AM I ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCIAL AID UNDER THE GRADUATE ACADEMIC FRESH START POLICY?

This policy is independent of financial aid regulations. Financial aid requirements at the time of application will apply. Therefore, a Graduate Academic Fresh Start applicant should check with his/her financial aid counselor for guidance.