The decision to grant an Incomplete is solely that of the instructor teaching the course.
Students should request Incompletes rarely if at all. It is far better to plan ahead and use advising and academic support resources to ensure that coursework is finished on time.
Incomplete Policies
- Students with one Incomplete must finish the work by the fourth week of the next semester.
- Students who accumulate two or more Incompletes will be expected to meet with their instructor(s) to discuss plans and timelines to complete each course and share these plans with their advisor.
- Unfinished coursework may result in an F grade. If the work for a course is incomplete as a result of the student’s unexplained failure to hand in assigned work or to take the final examination at the regularly scheduled time, the instructor may issue a grade of F for the course. If an Incomplete is unresolved by the deadline below, it will automatically become an F.
- If a grade is converted to an F, the instructor may choose to change it up to two full semesters (excluding summer) after the term in which the course was taken. The instructor who gives an evaluation, exam or course grade has sole authority for changing the evaluation, exam or course grade, provided the instructor remains on the faculty (or emeritus faculty) of the University of Pennsylvania.
Consequences of Incompletes
- Incompletes affect the number of credits earned in the short term and can have an impact on financial aid, athletic eligibility or visa status for international students.
- Students who receive an Incomplete are possibly rendered ineligible for honors, even if their academic qualifications would have otherwise been sufficient.
- Students with two or more Incompletes may be subject to further academic action, including probation or academic drop.