Academic Standing
Academic standing is calculated at the end of each semester. Students in degree-granting programs must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher to be in satisfactory (good) academic standing. Students must maintain satisfactory academic standing to remain enrolled at Finlandia University.
Academic Warning
Students who fail to maintain a 2.0 or above are placed on academic warning. In the following semester of attendance, students may register for no more than 14 credits and are required to meet the guidelines outlined in an Individual Plan of Academic Success set up with Academic Support Services.
Academic Probation
At the end of a semester on academic warning, students who fail to raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0 or above are placed on academic probation. During the following semester of attendance, students may register for no more than 14 credits and are required to meet the guidelines outlined in an Individual Plan of Academic Success set up with Academic Support Services.
Academic Suspension
At the end of a semester on academic probation, students who fail to raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0 or above are suspended from the university and are not eligible to take classes during the next fall/spring/summer semester. Students who fail all courses automatically receive an academic suspension. Students who have been academically suspended and desire to return to Finlandia University after an absence of at least one semester must apply through the Office of Admissions and file a formal appeal form with the University Registrar. Students should not expect automatic readmission after serving a period of suspension. The University Registrar, in consultation with the Dean of Students, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, and the student’s academic advisor (if available) will review the academic appeals and accept or deny the requests. If an appeal is granted, during the semester of readmission, students may register for no more than 14 credits and are required to meet the guidelines outlined in an Individual Plan of Academic Success set up with Academic Support Services.
Academic Dismissal
Students who are readmitted to Finlandia University after serving a period of suspension and fail to raise their GPA to a 2.0 or above in the first semester following academic suspension will be academically dismissed and ineligible to return to Finlandia University until they earn a grade of “C” or better in at least 12 credits of college-level courses at another college or university.
STUDENT CONDUCT HOLD – RECORDS AND REGISTRATION
The University may place a Student Conduct hold on the records and registration of any student who has a pending Student Conduct matter, including any outstanding sanctions or unresolved cases. Charged students may not be allowed to graduate, receive grades or have transcripts released until pending matter(s), including any outstanding sanctions, are resolved. Designations of “suspension” are recorded on the academic transcript during the period of suspension. If a student has been expelled, the designation remains on the transcript indefinitely. The designation does not prohibit the student from transferring credits to another institution.
Athletics Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to participate in varsity athletics at Finlandia University, a student-athlete must meet eligibility requirements set forth by athletic conferences, national governing bodies, and Finlandia University. For further information, contact the Athletics Department. Students who participate in intercollegiate athletics must meet the following eligibility requirements.
- Student-athletes must be in good academic standing and maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a recognized degree. Students on academic warning or probation are ineligible to participate in the athletics program.
- Incoming freshmen must have achieved a minimum high school GPA of 2.0 to be immediately eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics at Finlandia.
- Student-athletes must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester at Finlandia. If the course load of a student-athlete drops below 12 credits at any time during a semester, they are immediately ineligible.
- Student-athletes are ineligible if they earn less than 12 credits in a semester. An incomplete (I) grade in a class does not count toward earned credits. The student-athlete remains ineligible until the incomplete grade is completed.
- Student-athletes may participate in intercollegiate athletics only in eight of the first ten (10) full-time semesters of enrollment at any college or university.
- Transfer student-athletes must be in academic good standing to be immediately eligible for athletic participation at Finlandia University. Further, students who have previously participated in intercollegiate athletics must have been academically and athletically eligible had they remained at the previous institution.
- Credit Hour Requirements. To be eligible to compete in the second season and subsequent seasons in any sport, a student-athlete must earn the following credit hours:
- After the completion of the first season of participation: 24 credit hours
- After the completion of the second season of participation: 48 credit hours
- After completion of the third season of participation: 72 credit hours
Semester Academic Honors
Students who complete 12 or more credits, and earn a semester GPA of 3.75 or above, with no grade below a “C,” are placed on the Dean’s List for that semester. Students who complete 12 or more credits and earn a semester GPA of 3.50 to 3.749, with no grade below a “C,” are placed on the Honors List for that semester.
Semester academic honors are not granted to students with an incomplete (“I”) or incomplete in progress (“IP”) grade on their transcript that semester. During each spring semester, Finlandia faculty members select students for the special honor of membership in the Sampo Society, which recognizes the value of lifetime learning, and for the Sisu Award, which recognizes achievement despite difficult circumstances. Both awards reflect Finlandia’s Finnish heritage: the Sampo is a tool from Finnish mythology, and sisu is Finnish for “persistent effort.”
Academic Amnesty
Former Finlandia University students who wish to return to the university after a five-year absence may request academic amnesty. If granted, the returning student’s cumulative GPA and credits earned will include only courses taken since returning to the university. Students wishing to return to Finlandia University under academic amnesty must present a written request to the University Registrar. The historical courses and grades remain on the transcript but are not counted toward graduation or calculated in the GPA.
Office of Registrar Staff
