Grade Replacement Policy

Effective: February 11, 2022 

Approved by: Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano 

Policy owner: Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs 

Responsible office: Office of the Registrar 

Policy contact: Office of the Registrar, registrar@colorado.edu 

Applies to: Students 

I. Introduction 

The purpose of this policy is to promote student learning and student success at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) through the automatic application of grade replacement when a student earns a grade in a repeated course that is higher than an eligible grade earned in the prior attempt. This policy also ensures equity for students by establishing uniform standards for grade replacement eligibility and a standardized, automated process for GPA calculation after grade replacement is applied. 

II. Definitions 

Academic unit: For the purposes of this policy, a school, college, department or program responsible for delivering academic curricula and for-credit courses and establishing academic rules related to course enrollment, degree requirements or program completion. 

Direct equivalent course: A course that replaces or renumbers a previously offered course while maintaining substantially the same academic content and learning outcomes as the previously offered course. 

Opt-out request: A student request submitted to the Office of the Registrar asking that a specific repeated course not be included in the grade replacement process. 

Grade replacement: The process by which the most recent grade earned in a repeated course is used to calculate a student’s cumulative GPA, replacing the original grade in the GPA calculation. The original grade remains visible on the transcript but is excluded from the GPA. 

Eligible grade: A final letter course grade that qualifies for replacement under the policy. Typically, this includes grades of C-, D+, D, D-, or Fail (F), unless otherwise specified. Some circumstances may also allow replacement of C or C+ grades; check policy details for specific criteria. 

Cumulative GPA: The average of grade points earned across all courses taken in a degree path (e.g., bachelor’s master’s, doctoral) at the institution, factoring in any officially replaced grades per the grade replacement policy. 

Repeated course: A course that a student has taken more than once, with the same course number and with both the original and repeated attempts recorded on the transcript.  

III. Roles and Responsibilities  

Academic units (schools, colleges, departments and programs): Establish and communicate any limits on course repetition or the number of attempts that may count toward degree applicability within their academic programs; and coordinate with the Office of the Registrar to determine whether grade replacement eligibility applies in special cases, such as when a course numbering change occurs or when a special topics course is converted to a permanent course. 

Law School administration: Administers grading and course repetition policies for Colorado Law students, who are excluded from this policy. 

Office of the Registrar: Administers and implements the Grade Replacement policy, including running the automated grade replacement process after final grading each academic term, maintaining official academic records and processing student opt-out requests. 

Students (undergraduate, graduate and non-degree seeking students enrolled in credit-bearing courses): Repeat courses and, if desired, request opt-out from grade replacement in accordance with the requirements and deadlines established by the Grade Replacement Policy. 

University Registrar (Policy Contact): Provides guidance regarding interpretation and implementation of the Grade Replacement policy. 

IV. Policy Statement 

  1. Student Eligibility 

    1. This policy applies to currently enrolled, degree-seeking CU Boulder undergraduate and graduate students and to non-degree students enrolled in credit-bearing CU Boulder courses.  

    2. Colorado Law students are subject to the academic and grading policies of the Law School and are excluded from this policy. 

    3. Students who have graduated are not eligible for grade replacement for courses taken prior to earning their degree. 

  2. Course and Term Eligibility 

    1. This policy applies only to undergraduate or graduate courses taken and repeated at CU Boulder. 

    2. Courses designated in the catalog as repeatable for credit (e.g., special topics courses, independent studies, field experience and thesis hours) are not eligible for grade replacement. 

    3. A class grade earned because of a student's academic dishonesty is not eligible for grade replacement via this policy. 

    4. Courses repeated for grade replacement must be taken for a letter grade (not audit, pass/fail or no credit). Courses graded as pass-fail only or as satisfactory-unsatisfactory are not eligible for grade replacement. A student who has opted to take a course pass-fail and who earns an F in the course may repeat the course for a letter grade for purposes of grade replacement. 

    5. No retroactive adjustments or transactions for prior terms will be performed as a result of repeating a course, including changes to academic standing or eligibility for honors, athletics or financial aid. 

    6. Grade replacement may be further subject to limits imposed by individual academic units. For example, academic units may limit the number of times a student may enroll in a given course or limit the number of attempts for degree applicability. 

  1. Grade Replacement Eligibility 
    1. In order to be eligible for grade replacement, a student must have received an eligible grade in a prior attempt of the same course or its direct equivalent. 
    2. Grades of C–, D+, D, D– or F are eligible for grade replacement for undergraduate students. Grades of C+, C, C–, D+, D, D– or F are eligible for grade replacement for graduate students. 

V. Procedures  

  1. Application of Grade Replacement 
    1. The Office of the Registrar will run a process to apply grade replacement to all eligible courses and students after final grading each term. When an eligible course is repeated and when the grade in the latest attempt is the same as or better than the most recent prior attempt of the course, grade replacement will automatically be applied. 
    2. The replaced grade is excluded from cumulative grade point average and credit totals in the official academic record. 
    3. If a lower grade is earned in the latest course repeat attempt, grade replacement is not applied, and the grades from both attempts will be used in computing cumulative and major grade point averages, total credits and academic standing. 
    4. Grades from all attempts of a course remain on a student’s transcript, with those attempts that have been replaced appropriately indicated. 
    5. If a student enrolls in a course previously taken and subsequently drops the course, the original grade stands and will be calculated in cumulative totals. 
  1. Opt-out and Special Topic Exceptions 
    1. The Office of the Registrar will provide an opt-out option and process for students who wish to have a repeated course excluded from the grade replacement process and calculations. Students must email registrar@colorado.edu to opt out of grade replacement in a specific class by the last published class day for a term. 
    2. If a Special Topics course becomes a permanent course and if a student repeats the course under the new catalog number, the Office of the Registrar will work with the student and the academic department to make grade replacement available upon student request and eligibility. 

VI. Related Policies, Forms, Guidelines, and Other Resources 

VII. History  

  1. Adopted: August 26, 2019 
  2. Revised: February 11, 2022 
  3. Last Reviewed: March 18, 2026