S/NS to Numeric or Numeric to S/NS
Undergraduate and graduate students may amend their numeric or S/NS original grading options for courses under two very different circumstances related to whether the grading is taking place in Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters (ECQ) or not. Professional students should check with their program registrar to verify if they are eligible for either process.
Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters
EC Quarters versus Non-EC Quarters
| Regular Quarters | Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters | |
|---|---|---|
| Applicable Quarters | Quarters prior to Spring 2020, and all future quarters NOT designated as extraordinary circumstances quarters. | Spring 2020 | Summer 2020 | Autumn 2020 | Winter 2021 | Spring 2021 | Summer 2021 | Winter 2022 |
| Changes via MyUW | You can make the grading change to S/NS via the MyUW Register with SLN page by selecting the S/NS grading option next to the course and clicking on “Update Schedule.” | You can make the grading change to S/NS via the MyUW Register with SLN page by selecting the S/NS grading option next to the course and clicking on “Update Schedule.” |
| Deadline (MyUW) | Changes must be made in MyUW by the last day of the quarter (the last day of finals). Specific deadlines are indicated in the particular year’s Academic Calendar under the “Adding/Dropping/Withdrawing Courses” section. | Changes using MyUW must be made by the last day of the quarter (the last day of finals), otherwise you must wait for the ECG Late Grading Option form the day after grades are due each quarter to make changes to your grading option. Specific deadlines are indicated in the 2021-2022 Academic Calendar under the “Adding/Dropping/Withdrawing Courses” section. |
| Changes via ECQ Form | N/A | The ECQ form becomes available the day after the faculty grade submission deadline at the end of each quarter. Specific dates are indicated in the 2021-2022 Academic Calendar under the “Grade Deadlines” section. |
| Limits to Changes | Late changes (after the last day of the quarter) to the S/NS grading option are not allowed. Late changes (after the last day of the quarter) from the S/NS grading option to numeric are allowed if the course must have a numeric grade to meet a degree requirement. Students must submit a Late Grading Option Change Petition | Once the Extraordinary Circumstances Quarter Late Grading Option form is available the day after the grading deadline each Extraordinary Circumstances Quarter, you may continue to move between numeric to S/NS grading or from S/NS to numeric for grades earned only in Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters (ECQ) until your degree has been posted. |
| Change Fee | Change of Registration fee of $20 is assessed for each change of grading option you make. Based on your overall financial situation, if incurring the grade change fee creates a hardship you may want to contact the Office of Student Financial Aid. | Change of Registration fee of $20 is assessed for each change of grading option you make, except for changes to Spring 2020 courses. Based on your overall financial situation, if incurring the grade change fee creates a hardship you may want to contact the Office of Student Financial Aid. |
| Graduation Requirements | S grades DO NOT COUNT for undergraduate degree or graduation requirements other than the minimum total credits required for a bachelor’s degree. Graduate students may use an S grade for degree requirements with the approval of their Graduate Program Coordinator or Supervisory Committee Chairperson. |
S grades DO COUNT for degree or graduation requirements. |
Undergraduate and Graduate Students
S/NS Grades
| Undergrad | Graduate | |
|---|---|---|
| S Grade | 2.0 or higher | 2.7 or higher |
| NS Grade | 1.9 or below | 2.6 or below |
ECQ Grade Change Request Form
The request form is currently available for Spring, Summer, Autumn 2020, Winter, Spring, Summer 2021, and Winter 2022 grading option changes.
Extraordinary Circumstances Quarter Late Grading Option Change Request
ECQ Form – UW-Bothell students
Extraordinary Circumstances | S/NS Grading FAQs
The Provost’s Office has not designated Autumn 2021 as an Extraordinary Circumstances Quarter as we have returned to campus for in-person instruction.
NO. This request form is to be submitted only if you want to change a grading mode from S/NS to numerical or numerical to S/NS.
It applies to undergraduate and graduate students. Professional school students should confer with their school registrar to understand how the policy applies to their programs.
The global pandemic’s impact on course delivery mode caused the University to move from in-person to 100% remote delivery courses on March 9, 2020, and enough of the quarter had been completed that students had an option to finish out their coursework. Students entered Spring 2020 knowing that all classes would be delivered 100% remote delivery and had the option to change to S/NS grading from numeric or from numeric to S/NS in MyUW by the end of the seventh week.
These changes also do not apply to Winter 2020 because making changes to the Scholastic Regulations required a legislative process that began in Spring Quarter that required a full vote of the faculty. The Faculty Senate proposed and voted on Class B legislation during Spring Quarter and the Scholastic Regulations Chapter 110, Section 6, e was added on May 29, 2020, allowing for students to follow the new policy for any extraordinary circumstances quarter.
An extraordinary circumstances quarter is one that has had extenuating circumstances that globally or by individual campus have had an impact on grading and student success.
According to Scholastic Regulations Chapter 110, Section 6, e
- f. Under campus-wide extraordinary circumstances, the campus registrar, in consultation with the appropriate campus faculty body, may waive the restrictions in Sections a through c above so that undergraduates students may opt for S/NS grading for elective or required courses without a maximum credit limitation. S/NS grading for campus-wide extraordinary circumstances deemed quarters will meet graduation and degree requirements. Temporary modifications to the S/NS policies will be clearly communicated to the campus community by the campus registrar.
The University has deemed Spring, Summer, Autumn 2020 and Winter, Spring, Summer 2021, and Winter 2022 as extraordinary circumstances quarters. If additional quarters are added, that information will be posted on this webpage.
No, there is no limit. Students may request changes to their grading option for an extraordinary circumstances quarter as many times as they like until their degree has been posted.
When you take a course S/NS, your grade is converted to an S if you earn at least a 2.0 (undergraduate students) or a 2.7 (graduate students). Your grade is converted to an NS if your grade is below 2.0 (undergraduate students) or below a 2.7 (graduate students). If you earn an NS, you do not receive credit for the course
Yes.
Yes. If you do not want it to count toward your graduation and major requirements you may request that your advisers work with the Office of the University Registrar to not have it count toward your degree or major requirements.
No.
Students may only register for up to 20 credits of S/NS through Personal Services on MyUW. Exceptions may be granted by sending a request to petition@uw.edu.
S and NS grades do not affect your grade-point average. Your GPA will be calculated on the basis of numerically graded courses only.
The S/NS policy, whether for extraordinary circumstances or non-circumstances quarter is related to graduation and degree requirements. There is no connection to this policy and departmental admissions policies. Check with departmental staff to verify how a grade of S/NS will impact your admissibility to a UW academic program/major.
Yes, if you earn an S which is the same as a 2.0. It is also safest to consult with the department offering the course to verify how choosing the S/NS option will impact the pre-requisite applicability for a specific course.
It shouldn’t, but it is best to check with your adviser for your major.
Switching from numeric grading to S/NS could have a positive impact on your academic standing. If you have been dropped for low scholarship or placed on academic probation, and you switch to S/NS, your academic standing can be manually reassessed.
Yes. There have not been any changes to the 60 numerically graded credit requirement for baccalaureate honors, so you would still need 60 numerically graded credits to qualify for baccalaureate honors according to Scholastic Regulations Chapter 110, Section 3. Honors Awards.
Yes. There have not been any changes to the 12 numerically graded credit requirements for Quarterly Dean’s List honors. Likewise, the requirements for Annual Dean’s List have not changed. Details are available at Scholastic Regulations Chapter 110, Section 3. Honors Awards.
Each student’s financial aid situation is unique, please check with your Office of Student Financial Aid advising team for this answer for you.
Yes.
The transcript comment of Global Public Health Emergency Impacted Enrollment is posted on the transcript every quarter between Winter 2020 and Summer 2021, and between Winter 2022 and Summer 2022, but it does not mean these are the Extraordinary Circumstances’ quarters (Spring 2020-Summer 2021, Winter 2022). The reason for this comment is for people in the future to remember when the pandemic had its greatest impact on students and the UW, as a whole.
Contact the corresponding campus registrar team.
| UW Seattle | UW Tacoma | UW Bothell |
|---|---|---|
| Helen B. Garrett, Ed.D. University Registrar regoff@uw.edu |
Andrea Coker-Anderson, MPA Registrar reguwt@uw.edu |
Pamela H. Lundquist, M.Ed. Registrar uwbreg@uw.edu |