Undergraduate Students
What is an incomplete grade?
The Incomplete grade is a temporary grade assigned by an instructor when all of the following are true:
- A student has carried a subject with a passing grade until near the end of the course;
- The student is unable to complete a small amount of coursework or take a final exam due to extenuating circumstances beyond their control (such as illness); AND
- The student has the ability to pass the course.
Considerations for incomplete grades
Although assigning a grade of Incomplete (I) outside of the restrictions in the policy might seem like a compassionate act, it often creates future difficulties for the student.
Students often must complete work for an Incomplete while enrolled in a new set of courses, increasing workloads and pressure. If students do not complete the work by the end of the eighth week of the next semester, unresolved Incompletes lapse to an F. This lapse can result in a sudden change to their academic standing and they may not have received additional support during the semester because it may not have been clear they were struggling due to Incomplete(s). Please contact CALS Academic Affairs if you have questions about specific situations.
Before you assign an Incomplete grade, please consider:
- Has the student completed the vast majority of the work?
- Is the student currently in good standing in the course?
- Can the student improve their grade and/or pass the course if provided the extra time for the remaining work?
- Can the work be completed in a specified amount of time, before the Incomplete deadline?
- As an instructor, are you willing to make a defined plan (with deadlines) and provide the student with the necessary materials/support/guidance to complete the work? (This does not include re-taking the course – it must be limited to the work the student missed)
- Are you willing to make this exception for other students in similar situations? Is this reasonable?
If the answer is “no” for any of these questions, an Incomplete grade may not be appropriate.
When can I assign an incomplete grade?
We ask you to ensure the grade of Incomplete is ONLY assigned to students who:
(a) have class engagement and circumstances that meet the criteria in the policy and
(b) have been in communication with the instructor and agreed upon a plan to complete coursework.
We recommend putting the plan to complete coursework in writing. Here is a template that you can use.
Questions about incomplete grades?
Instructors with questions can reach out to Assistant Dean of Academic Programs and Policies, Megan Ackerman-Yost at megan.ackermanyost@wisc.edu.
Graduate Students
Please refer to the Graduate School Incomplete Grades policy.