University of the People

Academic Waiver Policy 
Students may petition for a waiver of an academic policy when they have extenuating circumstances or 
experiences.  Petitions must be made 45 days prior to the term start when it will be effective.  Students 
must file a written petition to the Student Affairs Committee including a clear description of the basis 
of the petition and any documentation to support their request or mitigating circumstances. 
All petitions should be sent to the student’s Program Advisor, who will forward it to the Office of 
Student Services at [e-mail] for the English programs and 
[e-mail] for the Arabic Division, and will then be directed to the Vice 
Provost for Academic Affairs who will decide if the petition is valid and has merit.  If so, he/she will 
forward it to the Student Affairs Committee. Once the appeal is submitted, students will receive a 
confirmation email within one week from the Office of Student Services and a final decision about the 
appeal within six weeks of the submission of their petition. Decisions rendered by the Committee are 
final and binding.  
If the petition is granted, the Office of Student Services will process the appropriate action. 

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UoPeople Catalog  |  September 1, 2020 – August 31, 2021 
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