Academic Progression
Academic Year
Nexford University’s catalog year aligns with its academic year, both running from January 1 to December 31. Enrollment occurs on the first day of each month.
Add/Drop
Learners may add or drop a course within the first 5 days of the term, in accordance with the requirements of their academic program and the academic policies outlined in this catalog.
Day 1- 5: Learners may add or drop a course
Day 6 - 30: Learners may withdraw from a course; a grade of W will be recorded on their transcript.
Day 31 onwards: Learners who withdraw at this stage, will receive a grade of F, which will be recorded on their transcript.
Change of Program
Learners who elect to change their academic program must contact the Learner Success Team at success@nexford.edu to request the change and discuss its potential impact on academic progress and goals. Program changes are governed by the requirements of the catalog year in effect at the time the change is officially approved.
Course Load
Learners start their program by taking one course in the first term. Thereafter, they may enroll in a maximum of two courses per month. However, they cannot enroll in two courses simultaneously if one is a prerequisite for the other. Additionally, capstone courses must be taken individually.
Course Participation and Inactivity
All Nexford courses start on the first day of the month. All enrolled learners must show evidence of course participation by the 10th day of the course (the 10th day of the month). Failure to submit an assignment within this period will result in automatic dismissal from the program. The Late Work Submission policy does not apply to module 1 assignments due within the first 10 days of the course, as learners are expected to participate by the 10th day of the month for each course.
Learners who are dismissed from the program must follow the readmission process (see Reconsideration for Admissions and Readmission section).
Drop or Withdrawal from Course or Program
There are two types of withdrawals from courses and programs: learner-initiated withdrawals (self) and university-initiated withdrawals (administrative). Learner-initiated withdrawals occur when learners notify Nexford University of their intent to cease taking a particular course or to opt out of their programs altogether. Administrative withdrawals occur when the University takes action to remove a learner from a particular course or from their program.
Learners who (self-)withdraw from a course or program are said to “Withdraw” from course or program. Learners whom the University withdraws from a course or program are said to be either:
“Dismissed” from course or program. This applies specifically to withdrawals on account of a learner’s failure to meet minimum academic standards; failure to meet the University’s course or program participation requirement; or failure to make required tuition payments
“Administratively Withdrawn” from course. This applies to withdrawals for reasons other than the ones noted above.
An administratively withdrawn course is recorded as a W on the transcript.
Learners can drop a course from day 1 to day 5, and it will not show up on the transcript.
Learners who wish to self-withdraw from either a course or their program should send an email to success@nexord.edu to make that request.
Financial Aid
Nexford University does not receive Federal Financial Aid but does provide learners with advising services to learners, helping them explore the best available options for financing their education. This includes information on available scholarships and programs offering tuition discounts.
To support learners who are academically prepared for college but lack the financial means to attend, Nexford University created the Nexford Financial Need Scholarship.
The Nexford Financial Need Scholarship was created to support learners who meet specific criteria assessing their financial needs. The criteria include, among other items, the employment status and the number of financially dependent family members. Each application is evaluated by the Scholarship Committee, after detailed information is provided by the applicant. Once a scholarship decision is made, the recipient must complete their enrollment by the end of the month to avoid forfeiting the scholarship. Scholarship decisions are final and appeals will not be considered.
There is a limited quantity of scholarship slots available — discuss with a Nexford Application Specialist or contact help@nexford.edu to learn more.
Master of Science in Entrepreneurship – scholarships for learners in this program is merit-based.
Leave of Absence
Learners may need to interrupt their studies for various reasons, such as financial, academic, or personal challenges. Those planning to resume their studies can request a leave of absence (LOA) by discussing their situation, academic standing, and return plans with a Success Advisor (SA). In extreme cases, learners may choose to withdraw from the program without returning, in which case they must follow the advisor's guidance.
The Leave of Absence policy applies to all degree program learners, but not to those in single courses or certificate programs. Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) learners are allowed up to eight months of LOA, and learners in other degree programs up to four months. Instead of a maximum allowable LOA period, learners are permitted to draw on a personal LOA ‘bank’. LOA is tracked in month-long increments, with no partial months. For example, a BBA learner can take multiple LOAs (e.g., one month in year one, three months in year two), if the total duration does not exceed eight months.
A learner’s LOA ‘bank’ is the maximum allowable time over the course of their entire academic program that they may spend on leave(s) of absence, subject to the following restrictions:
Learners can take as many separate LOAs over the course of their programs as they wish, as long as the total number of months taken does not exceed their total ‘bank’.
Individual leaves are counted in full-month increments. For example, a BBA learner with an eight-month LOA allowance could take a one-month LOA in their first year, a three-month LOA in their second year, and another two-month LOA later that year. However, LOAs cannot be taken in partial months (e.g., 2.5 months is not allowed). The start date of an LOA determines when the deduction begins:
If the LOA starts on or before the 15th of the month (e.g., April 12), that entire month (April) is deducted from the learner’s LOA allowance.
If the LOA starts after the 15th (e.g., April 20), the deduction begins the following month (May).
The remitted tuition payments of learners on LOA freeze during the period of their LOA, and their tuition balance is credited towards future study.
Learners’ access to Canvas is also blocked. Learners on financial or AEP suspension cannot take an LOA.
The Leave of Absence (LOA) process is as follows:
Learners discuss the reasons for their LOA and their plans with a Success Advisor (SA).
SAs inform learners of the remaining months in their LOA 'bank'.
Learners notify SAs of the start and end dates for their LOA.
Learners may choose to return earlier than planned. To do so, they must discuss their early return with a Success Advisor, who will then take the necessary steps to reactivate Canvas access, enroll the learner in courses, and unfreeze tuition funds on the agreed return date.
To remind learners of their upcoming return, email notifications are sent 25, 15, 10, and 5 days before the return date, with instructions on how to access Canvas. Learners are expected to log in to Canvas on their return date.
If learners do not respond to these reminders by the end of the month prior to their planned return, they will be dismissed from the University.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Nexford University closely monitors the academic performance of every learner to support them in mastering the competencies they need to complete their courses successfully and to progress in their academic programs. For learners in undergraduate programs, the University defines successful academic performance — at both the course and program levels — as performance that earns a minimum C-grade; for learners in graduate programs, a minimum B-grade.
Nexford University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy requires that learners progress through their academic program according to the following measures:
the learner’s cumulative grade point average (CGPA)
rate of progression (PACE) or the number of credits earned in relation to those attempted
SAP Calculation
CGPA
The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) is determined by averaging the grades earned, with only the highest grade being considered in the calculation for repeated classes.
Pace
All course attempts are calculated toward the rate of completion including failed and withdrawn courses. Courses that are dropped are not calculated into the Pace requirements.
Learners who fall below minimum thresholds are subject to an escalating series of academic sanctions, beginning with an academic warning and culminating in dismissal from Nexford University.
A learner who fails to meet SAP for CGPA or Pace for the first time will be placed on warning. If they do not meet SAP in the following term, they will be placed on probation. If they still fail to meet SAP in the subsequent term, they will be dismissed from the University. Learners in all programs who receive a failing grade in a course must repeat the course. The grade earned upon retaking the course will be used in the CGPA calculation. The original failing grade will appear on the transcript alongside the new grade but will not be included in the GPA calculation. Learners who have not met SAP due to failing a course three times may take an equivalent course at an approved institution, with the possibility of transferring the credits to Nexford University to replace the failed course. Upon approval of the transfer credit, learners may re-enroll in the program at the University. Learners who have been dismissed from the University due to not meeting academic requirements may reapply when those requirements are met.
Learners who no longer meet academic requirements will be permanently dismissed from the program. However, learners may be considered for enrollment into a different program.
If a learner fails an elective course and opts to take a different elective course, the grades for both courses will be included in the CGPA calculation.