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The Separation Appeal Process

Undergraduate students experiencing academic separation from Ball State University can appeal to return to Ball State for the next consecutive fall or spring semester. If you are also failing Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid, you do not need to submit an additional SAP appeal. By following the procedure below, your appeal will automatically be submitted as a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeal to be considered for continued access to financial aid. 

Tips for Making a Separation Appeal

  • Be thoughtful, detailed, and specific when answering all questions
  • Provide official documentation to support your appeal. Examples include but are not limited to: Personal or immediate family member's medical or mental health records such as hospital visits, medication, or doctor’s notes confirming treatment and/or death notice of immediate family member
  • View these sample responses to the written questions you will be asked to complete in your appeal

Fill out Separation Appeal Form

Navigating the Separation Appeal Process

Watch this video for a more in-depth explanation of completing the separation appeal form.

Timeline for the Separation appeal process

1. December 17, 2025: Deadline for instructors to submit final grades
2. December 18, 2025: Students are notified of academic separation standing via BSU email
3. December 18-29, 2025: Students can submit appeal and documentation
4. December 23, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.: University closes
5. December 24, 2025 – January 4: University closed
6. December 29, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.: Deadline for students to appeal academic separation
7. December 30, 2025-Januray 1, 2026: Committee convenes
8. January 2, 2026: Students are notified of appeal decision

*All materials must be submitted by the deadline. 

Common Questions
No. Information from the academic separation appeal will automatically create a SAP appeal.  
No. SAP appeals are only submitted for students who were receiving financial aid in their most recent semester of attendance and are not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress. If neither of those are true for you, a SAP Appeal will not be submitted.
No. Appeal decisions are final. Inquiries can be directed to University College.
We recommend you go ahead and submit an appeal in the case that the grade is not changed prior to the start of the next semester.
Students who are enrolled in summer classes prior to being academically separated as a result of the spring term will be invited to “opt-in” and keep their summer classes. This will provide them the opportunity to continue progress towards graduation and potentially avoid academic separation if they meet university scholastic standards.  
The committee consists of Ball State professional staff representing numerous units across campus selected specifically for their knowledge related to college student success. Units represented include the Registrar’s Office, University College, Cardinal Central, BSU Online, the Dean of Students’ Office, and Housing and Residence Life. The committee considers information from the student’s written appeal, documentation the student has provided to support their appeal, historical academic and institutional information that includes but is not limited to course grades, GPA, credits completed, and interactions with academic and other student service units on campus. The goal of the committee is to use all official student information available to them to determine whether the student is more likely than not to meet University Scholastic Standards during the semester they are returning to appeal and beyond. 
This does not change the appeal process for you. However, if your separation appeal is denied for a second time you will be required to step away from Ball State University for three (3) years following the second separation.  

The Office of Housing and Residential Life will contact students through their Ball State email address once academic standing has been updated with detailed information about next steps. If a student successfully completes a separation appeal, their housing contract will remain in place. If the student’s separation appeal is denied or they choose not to appeal, their housing contract will be canceled, and they will be given a move out date before the beginning of the upcoming semester.  

Graduate Students Seeking to Appeal

If you are a graduate student seeking to appeal your academic separation, contact the associate dean of the Graduate School. You can also learn about Retention in Master's Degree Programs for additional assistance.

Have More Questions?

If you have more questions in regards to Academic Separation, you can reach out to the following offices: