Whether it’s being put on academic probation or academic suspension, it’s not the end of the world. At Chu & Huang Law, we have successfully represented students in academic appeal cases and can help you too.
University was never meant to be easy and students are constantly reminded that “in the real world”, most jobs require at least a post-secondary education. With that in the back of their minds, students are pressured to do well and when they do not, or worse case, are put on academic suspension, students panic.
The number of university students continue to increase year after year. Currently, there are over 500,000 university students in Ontario alone and 60,000 of these students are international students.
University was never meant to be easy and students are constantly reminded that “in the real world”, most jobs require at least a post-secondary education. With that in the back of their minds, students are pressured to do well and when they do not, or worse case, are put on academic suspension, students panic.
University Process
Students who are struggling academically are first placed on academic probation. The student can continue their studies under certain terms – limited course load, minimum course GPA/grades, and minimum CGPA/cumulative grade. Most students are able to meet these requirements and continue their studies, off probation, in the following term. For some students, however, they may continue to struggle, failing to satisfy the probation requirements.
If a student fails to meet the probation requirements, universities first implement a one-year suspension. If, upon their return, they continue to fall below the probation requirements, a three-year suspension would be issued.
This can be devastating for both the student and their families psychologically and financially, especially foreign students whose family spends hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to send their children overseas in hopes of them receiving better education.
Purpose of a Suspension
The purpose of an academic suspension is to allow students an opportunity to prepare themselves for the semester following the suspension and to resolve any prior existing issues that impeded their ability to succeed academically.
This could mean getting tutoring or studying fundamental learning skills while suspended from university. For example, as a foreign student coming from a country that does not speak English, you might have the knowledge but find it difficult to communicate it either verbally or on written exams.
It may also allow the student to mentally prepare for the challenge of university. For instance, if your parents are getting a divorce, you may need this time off to collect yourself before returning to continue your studies.
It could also be a chance for the student to take care of his/her physical health. Students are humans too and are not immune to getting sick or injured. If your sickness or injury was severe enough to affect your performance, it might help to take some time off to fully recover.
For some students, however, they may simply want to continue their studies and stay on track.
What you can do
If you unfortunately have been put on academic suspension but want to keep going with your studies, don’t panic, there may be a way to help you.
As long as you have a reasonable explanation for your academic deviation, you can appeal the suspension. What’s important is that you act fast, especially if you want to remain in school without break to your studies and taking a year off.
Speaking to someone who has experience with university appeal processes can help guide and prepare you for what is necessary to getting your education back on track.
Disclaimer: Information made available on this website in any form is for information purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to replace, legal advice. Contact Chu & Huang Law to discuss a specific legal issue and please note that contacting Chu & Huang Law, on its own, does not create a lawyer-client relationship.
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