Academic Appeals & Petitions

The purpose of this page is to provide clarity on the appeals and petition processes for undergraduate students within the School of Engineering and Applied Science (GW Engineering).

Petition for Exception to Academic Policies

The purpose of this process is to resolve requests for exceptions to academic policies for undergraduate students within GW Engineering. Exception requests are not guaranteed and typically require supporting documentation to complement the extenuating circumstances that need to be considered. All exceptions must be signed by your faculty advisor (or department chair) in order to be considered by the Associate Dean’s Office. A copy of this form can be found on our Undergraduate Form webpage.

Grade Grievance Process Guidelines

The purpose of this process is to resolve student assertions of “cases of Alleged Arbitrary or Capricious Academic Evaluation” in the form of a course grade for courses offered within the School of Engineering and Applied Science in accordance with the GW Code of Student Conduct.

Undergraduate students would begin this process by discussing their concerns with the instructor/faculty member for the course. If there is no resolution, the formal appeal process would begin, and documentation must be submitted to the department chair. For a comprehensive explanation of the GW Engineering Grade Grievance Process, review the guidelines and form by downloading the following document:

Download GW Engineering Grade Grievance Process Guidelines

Please note, that this appeal process would only apply for courses offered through GW Engineering as each individual school has its own Grade Grievance process. Therefore, an undergraduate student taking a course outside of GW Engineering, should email the respective advising office for more detailed information about that school’s process:

College of Arts and Sciences: ccasuggwu [dot] edu (ccasug[at]gwu[dot]edu)
Elliott School for International Affairs: advisinggwu [dot] edu (advising[at]gwu[dot]edu)
School of Business: gwsbadvgwu [dot] edu (gwsbadv[at]gwu[dot]edu)
Milken Institute School of Public Health: sphundergradgwu [dot] edu (sphundergrad[at]gwu[dot]edu)

Academic Suspension Appeal Process

At the end of every fall and spring term, the University conducts a comprehensive Academic Standing review for undergraduate students. GW Engineering students who are eligible for suspension are notified via email and given an opportunity to submit an appeal for consideration. The purpose of this process is to allow students who have been suspended to appeal the decisions due to extenuating circumstance. These petitions are reviewed by the GW Engineering Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. More details, including deadlines, will be outlined in the student’s “eligible for suspension” letter. However, the overall process and form can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

Download GW Engineering Academic Suspension Appeal Form - Undergraduate

Late Withdrawal Request Process/Form

Undergraduate students in GW Engineering can use this appeal form to request consideration to withdraw from one or more courses, after the published deadline, which could include courses from a prior semester. The undergraduate student would need to provide a narrative of extenuating circumstances with any supporting documentation for the appeal to be considered. This petition is reviewed and considered by a university-wide committee and decision is typically received with 10 business days. More information about this process can be found on the Office of the Registrar -Withdrawal and Refund webpage.

Appeals for Satisfactory Academic Progress

GW Engineering students who fail to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) criteria after a Financial Aid Warning, may appeal the denial of financial aid by writing to the Office of Financial Assistance Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeals Committee. Appeals are considered in cases where there has been a death of a relative, injury, illness of the student, or other special circumstances. The committee may consult with deans, professors, or physicians (as appropriate) to determine if a Financial Aid Probationary semester should be approved. This appeal is reviewed by a committee through the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

More information about this process can be found on the Financial Aid website. For questions about the process, please email: finaidgwu [dot] edu

UW 1020 and WID Exemptions

Eligible students may apply for an exemption of a First Year Writing (UW 1020) or Writing in the Disciplines (WID) course via the University Writing Program. This may include students who study abroad, transfer to GW, or complete college-level credit at another institution while enrolled at GW. Please carefully follow the exemption request instructions. Incomplete requests or requests submitted using a Transfer Credit Approval Form will be rejected.

Financial Aid Appeals

Various forms, including appeals, are arranged by aid year and student level. Based on your circumstances you may be required to submit all or only some of the listed forms or documents. To review all financial aid forms, please select the respective financial aid year (ie. 2022-2023 Financial Aid Year) in the left-side navigation on the Forms and Documents page. For questions email: finaidgwu [dot] edu (finaid[at]gwu[dot]edu)