Managing Out of the Ordinary Circumstances 

UCF graduate education is governed by policies and procedures to ensure that degrees are awarded fairly and within the set standards. These policies are not meant to punish or keep you from earning your degree.  

This area is about how to get help when your circumstance is outside the established policy and may require an exception. No exception is guaranteed.  


Petitions 

Petitions are reviewed by the Graduate Appeals Committee, which will review the submitted information and decide whether the student’s circumstances warrant an exception. Review the descriptions of the different kinds of petitions. Usually, the approved circumstances demonstrate that there was a situation outside of a student’s control, as opposed to a policy being an inconvenience toward earning the degree.  

For example, many students may petition that, because they transferred or changed degree programs, more than the allotted number of transfer credits should be allowed. However, the inconvenience of having to take more classes because of what should have been an informed decision does not warrant an exception to policy.  

To initiate a graduate petition, you should fill out the Graduate Petition Form, found on the College of Graduate Studies Forms and References page.

Types of Petitions 

Petition TypeDescriptionPolicy Link
Doctoral – Transfer Hours Petition more than 50% into a doctoral programTransfer of Credit (ucf.edu) 
Masters – Transfer Hours Petition more than 50% into a master’s programTransfer of Credit (ucf.edu) 
Catalog Years Reverting to an old catalog year Catalog Year (ucf.edu)
Grad Certificates Exception to graduate certificate policy2. General Policies Relevant to All Graduate Certificate Programs (ucf.edu) 
Doctoral – Late TransferAny hours past the approved time frameTransfer of Credit (ucf.edu)  
Masters – Late TransferAny hours past the approved time frameTransfer of Credit (ucf.edu) 
OtherAny policy in the graduate catalog that a student wishes to have an exception to Any policy from the catalog

Petition Submission Process 

  1. Access the Graduate Petition form on the College of Graduate Studies website.
  2. Select the Petition Option you’re pursuing. Review the types of petition requests to make sure you’re selecting the correct one.  
  3. Submit all documents, including a letter requesting your appeal. *Letter requesting your appeal (use the Student Letter Template).
  4. Please reference the submission deadlines on the Graduate Appeals Committee website.


Supporting Your Petitions and Appeal 

Prepare and
Collect Your
Documentation

  • Include a personal Statement/Reason for the appeal and desired resolution (not guaranteed to be awarded)  
    • Provide documentation and evidence to support you claim 
    • More is not always better 
    • Tailor your documentation to focus only on the reason for your appeal
  • You will submit these documents when completing the respective appeal form. Recommended documentation formats:  
    • PDF (preferred), JPEG, PNG 

Follow the Timeline and Submission Process

  • You are only provided with a certain number of days to submit your appeal. Submissions after the deadline or missed deadlines are automatically denied. If you choose to stop proceeding with your petition, email CGS at gradappeals@ucf.edu to inform us of your decision.  
  • Check your ucf.edu email regularly. All decisions will be sent in writing.  
  • Look for emails from gradappeals@ucf.edu 

Tips for Submitting an Appeal

  • Do:
    •  Provide a proposed resolution for your situation 
    • Be honest and factual in your presentation of your situation.  
    • Be clear and specific. You may or may not get to speak with someone, so be sure to present your case clearly in writing.  
    • Proofread your appeal. Have a trusted individual review it for clarity and errors.  
    • Provide appropriate documentation for your situation:  
      • Copy of the syllabus and grading policy 
      • Copy of your posted graded assignments 
      • Written feedback or communication indicating a purposeful negative impact on the grade 
  • Keep in Mind:
    • An appeal is concluded when the student receives the final decision and reason. 
    • Final grade appeals can retroactively change a student’s standing. 

Student Petition and Appeal Checklist