Home / Degree Requirements / Grade Requirements

Grade Requirements

In the 2020-21 academic year, UC Santa Cruz made some temporary changes to grading requirements to provide more flexibility for students.

The General Catalog includes the complete policy on grading requirements. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

  • A "C" (2.0) or higher is required to fulfill general education or major requirements, or to satisfy a prerequisite. Keep in mind that grades of C- or less won't count for these!
  • Some majors require grades above C/2.0 to satisfy major qualification requirements. Check your major's General Catalog program statement to be sure you understand what grades you need to qualify to declare.
  • You can repeat a course in which you earn a grade lower than C (2.0) for grade improvement, with some limitations. 
  • You earn credits toward your 180 credit requirement for classes in which you earn grades of D- or higher. No credit is awarded for F, NP, W, or I grades.
  • You must have a minimum 2.0 GPA to graduate.
  • There are limits on how many courses you can take on a P/NP basis.
  • For more extensive information, see the UCSC General Catalog and The Navigator