Credit or No Credit Option

The credit/no credit option allows students to complete a course with a grade of credit (CR) or no credit (NC) instead of a letter grade. Courses completed with a grade of CR apply toward degree hours and do not affect the grade point average. Grades of CR and NC are final and cannot be changed to A, B, C, D, or F letter grades.

Students must request to take a course as credit/no credit with an LAS academic advisor in an appointment or online drop-in advising no later than the tenth day of the term (first Wednesday of Summer Session 1 or first Friday of Summer Session 2). After that date, students may not request courses on a credit/no credit basis nor may they change a credit/no credit request previously submitted. Requests to take a course under the credit/no credit option will be approved only if they fall within the following restrictions:

  1. Only students in good academic standing may elect to take a course under the credit/no credit option. Students on academic probation and those whose status is undetermined (meaning no prior UIC GPA) at the time at which they request the option are not eligible.
  2. A student may request only one course per term as credit/no credit.
  3. No more than two courses in a single discipline may be taken as credit/no credit.
  4. Only elective courses may be taken on a credit/no credit basis; courses being used to meet any graduation course requirements must be taken for letter grades.
  5. A student may earn no more than 21 semester hours of credit at UIC under the credit/no credit option.
  6. Students are responsible for determining their eligibility for the credit/no credit option under the regulations. If students have questions concerning their eligibility for the credit/no credit option, they should meet with an LAS academic advisor.

Note: Instructors are not informed that a student has elected this option; the final grade assigned by the instructor is converted to CR/NC. If the final grade awarded is a D or higher, the grade will be converted to CR. If the final grade awarded is an F, the grade will be converted to NC and no hours will be earned for the course.

Further details on the credit/no credit option can be found in the UIC Undergraduate Catalog.