Incomplete Grade Process for Undergraduate Engineering Students

Incomplete (I) Grade Request for Engineering Students – Undergraduates

What is an Incomplete (I) grade?

If a student is unable to complete the final examination or other requirements at the end of the semester due to illness or other extenuating life circumstances, a temporary time extension may be granted to complete the small amount of outstanding coursework in the form of an Incomplete (I) grade*. A “Request for an Incomplete (I) Grade” form initiated by the College dean/advisor will be used to complete this process.

What students and instructors should know before starting the process for Incomplete (I) grade request?

Instructors play an important role in the Incomplete (I) grade process for undergraduates, but they do not approve or grant Incomplete (I) grades. Only the student’s college may authorize such extension of time in individual cases, per the Student Code*.

The dean/advisor in the Grainger College of Engineering (GCOE) office approves Incomplete (I) grades that involve:

  • A reasonably small amount of outstanding coursework remaining (Instructor will document this on the form.)
  • Extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control (GCOE will collect these details, not the instructor.) Incomplete (I) grades are not granted to students who had the opportunity to complete the work, but did not.

What steps are taken to request the incomplete (I) grade?

  1. The student is encouraged to communicate with their instructor(s) of the possible need for an Incomplete (I) grade and discuss a plan for completing the outstanding work in the course(s).
  2. The student meets with a dean/advisor in the Grainger Academic Advising Center. Alternatively, the student discusses the situation over email/phone if incapacitated (e.g. hospitalized). Students should provide extenuating circumstances documentation (e.g., letter from McKinley, Office of Dean of Students, etc.) to the dean/advisor at this time, if available.
  3. The dean/advisor fills out an incomplete online request form(s), using one form for each course.
  4. A digital copy of the form(s) is then sent via email to the instructor(s).
  5. The instructor fills out their section of the form where they indicate the amount of work missing, overall performance in the class, and document the completion plan**. Upon submission of the form by the instructor, email is sent back to the dean/advisor for review.
  6. The dean/advisor will collect any additional information regarding the extenuating circumstances, if necessary, and make a decision. In making the decision, the dean/advisor will also consider the following factors:
    1. The number of classes for which the student is requesting an Incomplete (I) grade.
    1. The overall situation and/or academic performance of the student.
    1. The amount of work remaining.
  7. The student will be notified of the decision via email (granted or denied).

If the Incomplete (I) grade is approved, what needs to happen to complete the outstanding course work?

**Incomplete work needs to be complete by the end of the 8th week of the following semester (not including summer), any outstanding work must be completed by the student and a final grade must be submitted by the instructor using a change of grade form. Any Incomplete (I) grade that is not resolved by the end of the 8th week of the following semester turns into a Failing (F) grade per the Student Code*.

*See http://studentcode.illinois.edu/article3/part1/3‐104/ for additional information about Incomplete (I) grades from the Student Code ($ 3‐104).

Revised 7/17/2023

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