Admissions and Records

Academic Renewal

Academic Renewal allows students to improve their GPA by removing past low grades—such as D, F, NC, or NP—that no longer reflect their current academic ability. This process is based on the Academic Renewal Procedure (51318, California Administrative Code), which recognizes that students can grow and perform better over time.

At Fullerton College, eligible students may have certain substandard grades excluded from their cumulative GPA, helping their transcript better reflect their present level of performance and not permanently penalizing them for earlier academic struggles.

Complete the form online

How to Apply

To apply, complete the form. Make sure your transcripts from all schools are already on file with the Admissions and Records Office.

How It Appears on Your Record

The grades are not deleted or replaced. They are marked and removed from your GPA, but they still show up on your transcript, so your academic record stays complete. Other schools may not treat them the same way.

Rules for Academic Renewal

  • You can remove up to 24 units of low grades, but only from classes taken at Fullerton College—not other schools.
  • Only grades of D, F, NC, or NP can be removed.
  • Since the most recent semester you are trying to remove low grades, you must have completed at least 12 new college units and have a GPA of 2.5 or higher in all classes since that semester. These units can be from any accredited college or university.
  • At least one full academic year must have passed since your most recent low grade.
  • You must submit transcripts (official school records) from every college or university you’ve attended, even if you took those classes before you started attending Fullerton College. If any transcripts are missing, your request will be denied.
  • If a course can be removed from your GPA because it was repeated, it may not qualify for Academic Renewal.
  • Classes that were used to earn an Associate Degree or General Education Certification cannot be removed.
  • Fullerton College cannot guarantee that other institutions outside the district will honor changes to your GPA done via Academic Renewal.
  • You can only use Academic Renewal once. Once it’s on your transcript, it can’t be changed.