Student Records

Doctoral matriculants will be graded in all courses creditable toward the doctorate as follows:

• A (+ or -) Excellent
• B (+ or -) Good
• C (+ or -) Fair (lowest passing mark)
• SP = Satisfactory Progress (for dissertation supervision or certain research courses requiring more than one semester for completion)
• NRP = No Record of Progress. The grade may be assigned by dissertation supervisors only to students in 90000 courses (Dissertation Supervision), if the student has done little or no work on the dissertation over the course of the semester.
• W = Withdrew without academic penalty. This is a student-initiated grade, which may be requested from the fourth through the tenth week of the semester. Under no circumstances can a student withdraw and receive a “W” grade after the tenth week of the semester without the written permission of the course instructor and the Executive Officer and the approval of the Vice President for Student Affairs. This grade carries tuition liability.
• WA = Administrative withdrawal. This grade, which does not affect the grade point average, is administratively assigned.
• F = Failure
• P = Pass. Each program is authorized to use the grade of ‘’P’’ for such courses and under such conditions as the Executive Committee of the program deems appropriate.
• INC = Incomplete. See the Incomplete Grade Policy below.
• ABS = Absent from Final Examination. To be assigned only in those courses in which there is a final examination. The “ABS” grade is to be used when a student has completed all requirements for the course except the final examination. The “ABS” may be changed to a letter grade within the following calendar year, after which time the “ABS” is automatically changed to “ABP” (Permanent Absent).
• WN = Never Attended. This grade is to be assigned by faculty if a student never attended a class. The grade is calculated into the GPA in the same way an “F” grade is calculated.
• WU = Unofficial Withdrawal. To be assigned to students who participated in an academically related activity at least once, completely stopped attending at any time before the culminating academic experience of thee course i.e., final exam, final paper, etc., and did not officially withdraw.

New University Policy Effective Fall 2021:

Graduate Students who receive an Incomplete (INC grade) during the Fall 2021 semester or later must fulfill their academic obligation within one calendar year of the end of the semester in which the grade of Incomplete is given.  Incomplete grades unresolved in the above-mentioned time period will become FIN (Failure from Incomplete) grades in the student record and may not be changed thereafter.

For INC Grades Received Summer 2021 or Earlier:

To resolve incomplete grades, students must fulfill their obligations within one calendar year after completion of the course. After one year, an incomplete (“INC’’) will automatically become a permanent incomplete; extensions will be granted only in exceptional circumstances upon written application and with the permission of the faculty member, the Executive Officer, and the Vice President for Student Affairs. Permanent incompletes will accrue no credit. Incomplete grades cannot be changed to letter grades after a student has been advanced to candidacy and has been moved to Level III.

Students with more than two incomplete courses will be brought to the attention of their Executive Officer to determine whether or not they are making satisfactory progress. Students will not normally be regarded as making satisfactory progress toward their degrees if they have more than two “INC”s on their records. (Please refer to “Standards for Retention,” below, and to the section “Satisfactory Academic Progress” in this handbook.) Students should be aware that continued registration and most financial aid awards are conditional upon satisfactory progress. Students should also note that credits for which they have an “INC” as of the end of the third week of classes of a given semester are not counted toward advancement to the next level for that semester.

All credits with the following grades are counted in the total credits used to compute the grade point average/cumulative index: “A’’ (+ or -), “B’’ (+ or -), “C’’ (+ or -), and “F.’’ Credits for all other grades are not counted toward the average.

To compute the grade point average, complete the following steps:

1. Determine the total number of G.P.A. credits by adding all the credits with letter grades “A” through “F.”
2. For each course with a letter grade that counts toward the average, multiply the number of credits by the appropriate quality point value, as indicated below:
   Grade Quality Point Value
   A+ 4.00
   A 4.00
   A- 3.70
   B+ 3.30
   B 3.00
   B- 2.70
   C+ 2.30
   C 2.00
   C- 1.70
   F 0.00
   WN 0.00
   WU 0.00
   FIN 0.00
3. Add the quality point values for all the courses to determine the total quality points.
4. Divide the total quality points by the total number of credits (as computed in Step 1).  The resulting figure is the grade point average/cumulative index. Please note that the index is computed to two decimal points and the index is not rounded off.

Credits with grades of “P’’ or “SP’’ do not figure into the computation of the grade point average but do count toward the degree. Advanced standing transfer credits also count toward the degree but do not figure into the index. In some cases, credits earned at one of the senior colleges of The City University of New York may be calculated into the index. When a course for which a letter grade other than “F” was assigned is repeated, the credits for the course are counted toward the degree once, and the grade from the first attempt only is computed into the grade point average. Credits for undergraduate courses or for graduate-level courses taken for undergraduate credit are neither counted toward the degree nor computed into the average.

Any course designated by a program as not counting toward degree requirements also is not be computed into the grade point average.

Level I
Students who have completed fewer than 45 credits of graduate work (including approved transfer credit) or who have not passed the First Examination. At Level I only, students who are New York State residents and enrolled on a part-time basis (total of credits and weighted instructional units or WIUs do not exceed 6) are billed on a per-credit basis. In addition, at Level I, both full-time and part-time out-of-state and international students are billed at the per-credit rate for all credits/WIUs.

Note: For billing purposes, courses taken by Level I students on an audit basis will be treated the same as courses taken for credit and will be included in the assessment of tuition charges.

Level II
From the semester following the completion of 45 credits (fully earned and evaluated and including approved transfer credits) and passing of the First Examination, to advancement to candidacy.

Note: Level II requirements must be met by the end of the third week of classes in order to be assessed tuition at the level II rate for that semester.

Level III
From the semester following advancement to candidacy. Level III students registering for courses for credit other than 90000 will be charged additional tuition on a percredit basis. Level III students do not incur additional tuition charges for courses audited.

Students are responsible for ascertaining that their tuition level has been properly established. Students questioning their level for billing purposes must petition the Office of the Registrar and the Vice President for Student Affairs in writing by the end of the third week of the term in question. Unless a written petition is filed with the Registrar by the deadline and the Vice President for Student Affairs is notified in writing of the pending petition, no retroactive changes in level can be made.

Students may edit their Home, Mailing, Billing address using Self Service in CUNYfirst. Changes to the Permanent Address Type must be done by the Registrar's Office (Email: registrar@gc.cuny.edu for details). If you have been declared a New York State Resident and you change your permanent address to an out-of-state address, you will be charged the Non-Resident tuition rate for the next semester.

In addition, matriculated students changing their address should also inform their Program, Payroll Office at (212) 817-8105 (if you are paid by The Graduate Center), Student Affairs at (212) 817-7301 (if you receive NYSHIP), or International Student Office at (212) 817-7200 (if applicable).

The Change of Address does not impact a student’s residency status if the student is already an out-of-state status student. Students requesting a change of residency status must file a City University Residence Evaluation Application (PDF) along with sufficient supporting documentation (PDF) with the Office of the Registrar no later than the end of the third week of classes of the term for which the change is to be effective.

The Application for Change of Name form (PDF). When submitting in person, students must bring along original supporting documentation such as (Birth Certificate, Court Order, Divorce Decree, Marriage Certificate, Naturalization, or Government Issued Photo ID) for inspection.

Review the Preferred Name policy and procedure.

Current and Former Students with CUNYfirst Login Credentials

1. Login to CUNYfirst.
2. After login, go to Student Center and select the Official Transcript Ordering link.

Alumni and Former Students Without CUNYfirst Access

Option 1: Click on this link to go directly to the Parchment order site.

You can check your online order status here (order number required).

Option 2: For those without internet access or who prefer a hard-copy form, download the Transcript Request Form or email us at registrar@gc.cuny.edu to request that we mail you a copy. Hard-copy forms can be returned to us with a check or money order for $7.

1. Login to CUNYfirst.
2. After login, go to Student Center, and click My Academics.
3. On the My Academics page, you can access copies of your unofficial transcript. There is no charge. Be sure to turn off all ad-blockers which prevent pop-ups.

Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism students can find information to Request an Official Transcript here.

Enrollment Verifications requests can be made through CUNYfirst:

1. Login to CUNYfirst.
2. After login, go to Student Center, click My Academics.
3. Select “Request Enrollment Verification” and then, “Allow To Print From My Browser.”

Current students may also request an electronic copy of their enrollment verification letter by writing from their GC email account to registrar@gc.cuny.edu. There is no fee for the enrollment verification letter.

Certification should only be done if the organization receiving the document requires you to provide an Apostille or Authentication. Visit https://dos.ny.gov/apostille-or-certificate-authentication for further details.

Fall 2020 & Spring 2021:
Please contact the Registrar's Office at registrar@gc.cuny.edu for Apostille Certification information. Notary service (first step of the Apostille process) is currently offered on a limited basis.

After GC Offices are reopen: (In-person appointments resume)
Step 1: Contact the Registrar's Office at registrar@gc.cuny.edu or (212) 817-7500 for an Apostille Certification appointment. Appointments are only available during regular scheduled business hours.

Step 2: Diplomas and official transcripts are generally the most common documents submitted to the Registrar's Office for Apostille Certification. Please obtain these documents ahead of time if you need to do so.

a. Diploma: Registrar's Office
b. Transcript, Official Verification Letter: Registrar's Office.

Step 3: The Registrar's Office will certify the document(s) as an official record or true copy of the original before a Notary Public. There is normally no charge for the notary service.

Step 4: You then take the notarized document(s) to the County Clerk’s Office to certify the signature of the notary public. Remember, the County Clerk must reside in the same county of the Notary Public. The County Clerk Office has a per document fee.

County of New York (Manhattan)
60 Centre Street, Room 141B
New York, NY 10007

Afterward, you must present the document(s) to the New York Department of State to affix the Apostille. The New York Department of State also has a per document fee.

New York Secretary of State
Division of Licensing Services
123 William Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10038
Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

If the foreign country is a signatory to the Hague Convention or will accept the Apostille, the document is now certified for use.

The following documents are eligible for an Apostille or Authentication.

• Original diploma
• A copy of your original diploma (must present original diploma for copies to be made in-person at the Office of the Registrar)
• Official transcript (must request a new copy at time of inquiry)
• Enrollment Verification Letter