Undergraduate FAQs for Missing Grades

Knowing that there are several questions about the effects of missing grades being replaced with “P” grades approximately 30 days after the grade submission deadline, here are answers to the most frequent questions we have seen. The FAQs below relate to the policies that apply to all undergraduates; if your questions are specifically about classes you’ve taken for major qualification or for major requirements, please refer to any information you have received from your major advising office or contact your major advisor. 

Q: What is a P grade?

A: P stands for “pass,” and is a notation that indicates a student has completed work that would have earned a C grade or higher if a letter grade had been reported. Classes in which P grades are reported satisfy general education requirements, earn credits, and serve as prerequisites. P grades are “silent” in the GPA. Some majors on campus require letter grades instead of P grades.

Q: When will missing grades be replaced with P grades?

A: About 30 days after the grading deadline for each quarter, any grades that your instructor has entered and saved in MyUCSC will be posted to your transcript and available to see on MyUCSC. After those grades are posted, any remaining missing grades will be posted to your transcript as P grades.

Q: If I have a P reported for a class in which I requested a letter grade, does that mean I will never get a letter grade?

A: Instructors have up to one year to change a grade, and we anticipate that most, but not all, P grades will be updated to letter grades. If you have questions about whether this will happen, you may contact the instructor for the class. The department offering the course can also be a resource.

Q: If a missing grade was replaced with a P grade, can I trust that I will definitely receive credit for the class?

A: Instructors have up to one year to change a grade. If your Pass grade is changed to a lower grade (No Pass or C- or below), it may affect your graduation progress. If you feel you did not do passing work for a class, contact your advisor about how this might affect your graduation progress. If you feel that your work was passing but your grade was replaced with a non-passing grade, you may file a Committee on Courses of Instruction (CCI) grade grievance (scroll to the bottom of the linked page for more information).

Q: Can academic advisors submit grades, or ask my instructor to submit grades?

A: Your advisors can advise you on your academic progress requirements and help you understand the implications of receiving P grades, but they are unable to facilitate your receiving a letter grade. Students in this situation should work with the faculty/department chair/division to ensure their final grade is submitted.

Q: What if I needed a letter grade in my class to declare or make progress in my major?

A: The academic senate has specified that any P grades that replace missing grades will not affect the student’s ability to progress in their major or graduate under letter grade requirements, and this includes progress through major declaration. If your planned major has a GPA threshold, a Pass (P) grade should be treated as meeting that threshold.

Q: Will a Pass (P) grade affect my GPA?

A: P/NP grades do not impact your university or major GPA. Only courses with a letter grade impact your GPA.

Q: Will a Pass (P) grade for a class in which I requested a letter grade affect my ability to graduate because of the 25% limit on P grades for graduation?

A: UCSC’s policies limit the portion of classes that students can take on a P/NP basis. A related policy, however, indicates that, "...any P grades that replace missing grades will not affect the student's ability to progress in their major or graduate under letter grade requirements." Based on this policy, P/NP grades that replace missing grades in classes for which you requested a letter grade will not be included in the calculation that requires no more than 25% of UCSC credits be graded on a P/NP basis. The complete 25% policy is available in the General Catalog.

Q: When will grading be completed?

A: The circumstances of each course are unique, and instructors are the best source of information regarding course grades.

Q: Will missing grades replaced with P grades have an impact specific to undergraduate students on F1 /J1 visas? 

A: No, this won't have a specific impact on international students as it relates to  your visa/immigration requirements. F-1 and J-1 undergraduate students must show that they attempted at least 12 units per quarter for a letter grade (ABCDF), or P/NP. Students with specific questions about their individual situations should consult with their International Student Advisor.

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