Grades and Academic Standing

Your instructors may enter your quizzes, assignments, project and exam marks in mySAIT.ca or Brightspace (D2L). If they decide not to enter your marks along the way, you will not see the current term in your mySAIT account until your Final Grade is entered. After it's entered, the current term will be available in your mySAIT account.

Your instructor will enter your final grade within three business days of the course end date. It will be visible to you in mySAIT the day after it was entered.

Your grade in each course will be calculated as specified in your course outline. Most credit courses are assigned a letter grade and are used to calculate your Grade Point Average (GPA).  

Some grades are not used in calculating your GPA. This includes auditing a course or receiving transfer credit. Find out more.

The grading system for courses with grade points and letter grades

Grade Point	Letter Grade	Grade Points
90-100	A+	4.0
85-89	A	4.0
80-84	A-	3.7
77-79	B+	3.3
73-76	B	3.0
70-72	B-	2.7
67-69	C+	2.3
63-66	C	2.0
60-62	C-	1.7
55-59	D+	1.3
50-54	D	1.0
0-49	F	0.0

Knowing your grades is important for monitoring your academic success. Use our interactive grade calculator to track your progress.

You must complete all of the steps within 30 calendar days of your course end date to be considered for a grade appeal.

Step one: Discuss the grade with your instructor. If you are disputing your final grade, speak with your instructor immediately after your grade has been entered. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the discussion or are unable to contact your instructor, proceed to step two.

Step two: Contact your academic chair or program coordinator. Within 20 calendar days of your course end date, speak with the academic chair or program coordinator responsible for delivering the course. If you're not satisfied with the outcome, proceed to step three.

Step three: Request a formal grade appeal

• Within 30 calendar days of your course end date, complete the formal grade appeal form, submit it to the Office of the Registrar, and pay the applicable fee.
• Make sure to include the course and grade you're appealing to, and provide rationale and/or supporting documentation for the appeal.
• If your appeal results in a higher final grade, you will receive a refund for the grade appeal fee.

Find out more about grade appeals, timelines, and expectations by referring to the Formal Grade Appeal Process (Grading and Progression Procedure AC.3.1.1).

If you are within 5% of passing your course, you may be eligible to remedy your deficient grade based on the successful completion of a special assignment or by writing a supplemental exam.

You are eligible to remedy a course deficiency if:

• the deficient grade is within 5% of the passing grade; and
• the failure is not due to academic misconduct; and
• the course is one for which a course deficiency remedy is available, as determined by the school delivering that course.

You must complete the Remedy (clearance) of Deficiency form and submit it to your academic chair or program coordinator within 10 business days of the end of the course. If your request is approved, you'll have 10 business days to attempt the clearance of deficiency.

If you successfully clear the deficiency, the highest grade you'll achieve is a "D" and you will not be able to request a grade appeal.

Find out more about timelines and expectations by referring to the Course Deficiencies Procedure AC.3.2.1.

If you withdraw from a course, you'll receive a "W" grade and it won't be calculated in your GPA.  You must complete the Course Withdrawal form and submit it to Student Services (Office of the Registrar) prior to 70% of your course's duration.

For example, if your course started Sept. 5, 2017, and is 15-weeks long, your withdrawal deadline is Nov. 15, 2017.

If you do not officially withdraw from the course, your grade will be calculated based on the work you've submitted. If you don't officially withdraw before the deadline and decide not to attend the class, you'll be issued an "F" grade.

If you withdraw from a course before the add/drop deadline, you may be eligible for a refund.

If you are withdrawing from your program, refer to Academic and Institute Regulations.

You can check your graduation status through mySAIT by clicking on the myStudent tab, selecting Student Records and clicking Degree Evaluation. The results will show you what courses have been used and/or not used, and what courses are missing for graduation purposes.

If you are interested in completing a different program, you can also do the 'What-if Analysis' to see your standing. If you have questions or need help, review the graduation compliance audit instructions to see if the answer is there. If you have a question that is not addressed by the instructions, please contact the Office of the Registrar.

Find out the timeline to complete graduation requirements and how to order your credential or transcript.

If you meet the following requirements, you will receive an Honours designation on your SAIT credential:

• you must have a cumulative program grade point average of 3.8; and,
• pass all courses on your first attempt; and, complete the graduation requirements of the program within the specified time restriction; and,
• meet the residency requirement and use a maximum of 50% transfer credit towards a SAIT credential; transfer credit does not include any SAIT course previously used to obtain another SAIT credential; and, 
• the program you are enrolled in is approved by the Alberta government.

After completing a course, your grade will be calculated based on the components listed in your course outline. Credit courses assigned a letter grade will be used to calculate your GPA which follows a four-point scale grading system.

Degree awarded GPA: The weighted grade point average for all courses you complete that are used to award your credential.

Term GPA (TGPA): The weighted GPA for all credit courses you complete in a term regardless of whether they are part of your program or not. This is identified on your official transcripts as the Current Term GPA.

Total institutional GPA (TIGPA): The weighted GPA for all credit courses you complete at SAIT regardless of whether they are part of your program or not. This is identified on your official transcript as your Cumulative GPA.

Your TGPA and TIGPA are what we use to determine your academic standing. If either of these falls below 2.0 after attempting your first nine credits or after any of your subsequent terms at SAIT, you will be placed on Academic Probation or Academic Withdrawal.

If either your TGPA or TIGPA fall below 2.0 for the first time, you will be placed on Academic Probation.

• This will be reflected on your official transcripts.
• You will still be able to take courses at SAIT while you are on probation.
• You will remain on Academic Probation until both your TGPA and TIGPA are above 2.0 at the end of the term.
• If both fall below 2.0 you will be academically withdrawn.

If you are on academic probation, it is important to understand how this may have happened and how to ensure you return to good academic standing. Our academic coaches have many resources available to you including their Back on Track workshop.

If you’re placed on Academic Probation and both your TGPA and TIGPA are below 2.0, you will be academically withdrawn from SAIT.

• This will be reflected on your official transcripts.
• You will be unable to take any credit courses or programs for 8 calendar months.
• Applications submitted while you’re academically withdrawn will not be processed and your application fee will not be refunded.
• You will be placed on Academic Probation when you first return.
• If your TGPA and TIGPA drop below 2.0 after returning you will be withdrawn again and must wait five years to take any credit courses or programs at SAIT.

Returning from academic withdrawal

You must submit an intent to return form if you wish to return to your previous program after your first academic withdrawal. You should also meet with your academic chair or program coordinator to ensure there is space for you to return. You will have to submit a new application if you wish to start a new program after your eight month waiting period. 

Please note the following if returning from a subsequent academic withdrawal. 

• Submit an intent to return and speak with your academic chair or program coordinator after a full five-year waiting period if you wish to return to your previous program.
• If you plan to study a different program, you can apply for a reduced waiting period by emailing inquiry@sait.ca.
  • Your waiting period may be reduced to two years if you apply for a program closely related to what you previously took at SAIT.
  • Your waiting period may be reduced to one year if you apply to a completely different program than what you previously took at SAIT.
• Submit a new application if your reduction request is approved.

Any applications submitted for a SAIT credit program during your waiting period or before a reduction is approved will be cancelled and application fees will not be refunded. Review Grading and Progression Procedure (AC.3.1.1) for the full policy.

If you feel there were extenuating circumstances leading to your academic withdrawal, you have a very limited time to appeal this decision by applying for an academic continuance.

What is Continuance?

• Continuance allows you to continue your studies without a sit-out period or a reduced sit-out period.
• This does not remove the academic withdrawal standing from your records.
• A subsequent academic withdrawal will result in a five-year waiting period before you can take any additional SAIT credit courses or programs.

Use the Academic Appeal Continuance form and email your appeal to inquiry@sait.ca along with all supporting documents within 10 business days of receiving the academic withdrawal notice. An appeal fee of $100 will be assessed and is only refundable if your appeal to continue your classes with no waiting period is successful.

A strong appeal will clearly address and articulate the specific extenuating circumstances that led to your academic struggles. Normal life circumstances will not be considered extenuating circumstances.

When writing your detailed response in the form, you may want to focus on what you will or have done differently to set yourself up for success. Where relevant, your plan should answer the following questions:

• Do you have a schedule you will follow?
• What will you do differently to allow yourself more time to dedicate to your studies?
• What resources will you or have you accessed to support your studies?
• If financial struggles impacted your ability to learn, what has changed?
• If mental health impacted your ability to study, what has changed?
• What steps have you already taken? For example, have you participated in the online Back on Track workshop?

Strengthen your appeal

To authenticate your reflection and commitment to continue your studies, we recommend,

• gaining reference letters from instructors, academic advisors or your academic chair, who supports your plan for success;
• including supporting documents such as medical letters, a death certificate, etc.

Continuance Committee decision

The Committee will consider the written information you have provided and your academic records when making a decision. The final decision will be based on factors such as:

• your academic performance at SAIT and whether there has been a semester-by-semester improvement or decline.
• whether your appeal shows that you fully understand and take responsibility for the factors and barriers that lead to your academic withdrawal;
• whether you have an academic learning or success plan in place and your attendance in class;
• the supports you have outlined and whether they are realistic for your success (for example, your involvement with Learning Skills Services).

Learn more about the appeal process by reviewing the Academic Continuance Committee Process (AC.3.1.1 Schedule A).

If you’re on academic probation or have been academically withdrawn, it is important to understand how this may have happened and how to ensure you return to good academic standing. Learn more about the resources available to help you get back on the road to success.

• Connect with our learning strategists for support and to register for the Back on Track workshop.
• Speak with your Academic Chair or program advisor to create a plan for success.
• Contact the Office of the Ombudsperson for a better understanding of the Grading and Progression Procedure (AC.3.1.1).