Frequently Asked Questions

University Senate Document 83-8, March 26, 1984; revised by University Senate Document 97-7, April 27, 1998, and University Senate Document 00-5, March 19, 2001: For Incomplete Work: A grade of incomplete is a record of work that was interrupted by unavoidable absence or other causes beyond a student's control.

When an instructor reports a grade of incomplete, he/she shall file in the departmental office Registrar's Form 60 stating the reasons for the grade and what is required of the student to achieve a permanent grade. The instructor shall also indicate the grade the student has earned on the work completed, and the weight to be given to the remainder of the work in computing a final, permanent grade.

The student must achieve a permanent grade in the course no later than one year after the incomplete is given, or the incomplete grade will revert to a failing grade. A student will not be permitted to enroll in a course in a future semester for a course in which they have a current I, PI or SI grade.

Students have the opportunity to show proficiency in a subject that they do not already have credit in by taking Advanced Credit or CLEP exams. Many departments will award credit for successfully passing these exams; however, you will want to check with each department to confirm this. For more information about Advanced Credit exams visit the  Purdue Testing Center website . Information on CLEP exams can be found  here .

• International students may not use more than three credits of online learning toward the minimum required for a full course of study. Flipped courses do not count as online learning since these courses require the student's physical presence.
• An international student who begins his or her program in the summer session must enroll in and complete six credit hours during the first summer session.
• International students are not required to enroll in 12 credit hours in their final semester; they are only required to enroll in classes that are required to complete their degree. At least one of the classes in the final semester must require their physical presence on campus. In other words, they can’t do all online coursework in their final semester.
• Generally, international students may not pursue a semester-based Study Abroad experience in their final semester.
• Incomplete grades must be completed in order to be considered a part of the full course of study. Retaking a course is not considered completing the original course.

There are not many "standard" overrides. Check the  Office of the Registrar advisors Web page for common student registration errors and solutions.

To contact the department in which an override is desired, consult the  Override Contact Guide, located on the Office of the Registrar website.

Holds are placed on a student's account to restrict access/use of an academic function (e.g., registration). Holds are placed on a student's account for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: non-payment of fines, bills or parking tickets, disciplinary action taken by the Office of the Dean of Students, or failure to meet immunization requirements.

Holds can be viewed by the student in myPurdue and clicking "View Holds." Visit the  Registrar's student hold website for more information pertaining to holds.

Consider the student’s learning style. Can the student:

• Manage time effectively?
• Be disciplined to set aside time for studying?
• Be self-motivated and a self-learner?

It is suggested a student plan to spend three hours minimum per week for every credit hour of class. For example: for a 3.0 cr. hr. class, it is suggested that study time be approximately nine hours per week minimum. "Study time" is considered the time spent after initial retrieval of information.

For online learning, consider the following:

• Limited interaction with the instructor.
• Limited social interaction.
• Appropriate access to technology that meets the course requirements.
• Some courses require a proctor for taking exams.
• Transferability of the course to Purdue University.
• Depending on the course, the cost may not be included in the student's Purdue fees/tuition or covered by financial aid.

Criteria for a continuing student application:

• Have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA. The following must be included with the application:
  • A pdf copy of your current transcript, your Purdue ID (PUID) and a list of scholarships granted to you by Purdue (if applicable).
  • A personal statement that answers: What are you passionate about and why? What are your life goals and how will your Purdue degree help you accomplish them?
  • A projected plan of study that shows how you will incorporate the Honors College curriculum into your remaining semesters.
  • Students must have at least four semesters of study remaining at the Purdue West Lafayette campus.
  • Students must agree to complete the  Honors College curriculum.
• Student must complete the Honors College  transfer/continuing student application during the open application period. 
• The application must be completed at one time. It is not possible to save it and return to it later.

An organizational chart is available from  Enrollment Management .

You may find information on the  Student Regulations website.

Deans of schools may refuse to accept as credit toward graduation any course that was completed 10 or more years previously. Former students shall be notified immediately of all such decisions upon re-entering. Substitutions of courses required for graduation may be made by the dean of the school conferring the degree.

Your department or unit may have a program specifically for parents and families. Check with your advising unit.  

Purdue University's Parent & Family Programs is a resource for helping parents and families understand the goals of the University community, serving as a central point of contact, and creating positive, long-term relationships between parents, families and the University.

When a student finds it is necessary to miss a class, it is the student's responsibility to let the professor(s) know he/she will be absent and to turn in assignment(s). If it's known in advance that it's necessary to miss a day of class, advise the student to communicate with each professor as soon as possible to discuss how they will make up assignments and/or turn in homework. If the student is gone unexpectedly, some professors require proper documentation of an absence before they will let the student make up assignments; examples of documentation include a doctor's note, court papers, etc. It is the professor's discretion to allow makeup work that is missed. If the work is missing more than three days, it's advisable to contact the  Office of the Dean of Students  as soon as possible. Remind the student to be aware of dates the University is in session and when breaks take place. The academic calendar can be found on the Registrar's website.

Information can be found at:

• Transfer Credit Course Equivalency Guide.
• Indiana college students — Core Transfer Library.
• Purdue System Course Replacement List for Degree Progression/Audit.
• You can also find information on the  Admissions website.