Program Policies

Students placed in AWP 3 will have up to three consecutive quarters to complete the ELWR. Each quarter in which students are enrolled in classes, whether they enroll in AWP or not, counts as a quarter of ELWR eligibility. Students who do not successfully complete AWP 3 within the first three quarters will be disqualified.

Students placed in AWP 4A-4B will have up to five consecutive quarters to complete the ELWR, whether they enroll in AWP or not. Students who take AWP 4A and AWP 4B in the first two quarters and do not pass can enroll in AWP 3 for up to three subsequent quarters. 

Students who pass AWP 4A but do not enroll in AWP 4B in the subsequent quarter must enroll in AWP 3 (or in some cases in AWP 4B) in the following quarter or in the first quarter in which they return to campus. Students in this situation must contact the AWP office for appropriate pre-authorization.

Students who do not successfully complete 4A within the first three quarters will be disqualified. Exceptions for one additional quarter may be made for students who were deferred, have taken 4A at least once, and have extenuating circumstances.

In May 2020, UC San Diego’s Academic Senate approved a change that allows UC San Diego to offer full baccalaureate credit for courses that fulfill the Entry Level Writing Requirement. Unlike AWP 1, 2A, and 2B, students will receive full credit for AWP 3, 4A, and 4B that will count towards their GPA and their graduation units. This change brings UC San Diego in line with the other UC campuses, supports student progress towards degree completion, and recognizes the meaningful writing instruction that students encounter in these courses.

Students placed in AWP 3 will earn a total of four credits when they pass AWP 3, regardless of how many times they attempted the course.

Students placed in AWP 4A-4B will earn a total of eight credits when they pass AWP 4B or AWP 3, regardless of how many times they attempted AWP 4A or AWP 3.

To fulfill the UC Entry Level Writing Requirement, AWP 3 and AWP 4B can only be taken for a letter grade. AWP 4A is Pass/No Pass. 

Students must receive a C or higher in AWP 3 or 4B to fulfill ELWR as per University of California Senate Regulation 636 C.1. Students are not allowed to repeat AWP 4B once they have completed it. If they do not pass AWP 4B with a C or higher, they must enroll in AWP 3. If they do not pass AWP 3 with a C or higher, they must repeat AWP 3. Generally, students are not allowed to repeat a course if they receive a C-. However, because the University of California requires students to earn a C or higher to fulfill ELWR, they must repeat AWP 3 if they receive a C- or lower. They can take AWP 3 a maximum of 3 times. Courses completed by students to satisfy ELWR are exempt from the general rule for repeating coursework. Repeating AWP 3 and 4A will not count against the 16 units of allowable repeats.

Once they receive a C or higher in either AWP 3 or AWP 4B, that course will fulfill ELWR and that grade will override previous attempts at AWP 3 and AWP 4B in GPA calculation. In other words, while the course will affect their GPA until they retake it, the final course that they pass with a C or higher will be the only one that is calculated into the final GPA. That being said, the passing grade will not replace the previous non-passing grade on the transcript. All grades received will appear on the transcript. 

The only exception is that if a student is found responsible for academic dishonesty, both the grade from the initial course in which they are found responsible for academic dishonesty and the repeated course grade will be calculated into the GPA.

Attendance is mandatory. We do not differentiate excused and unexcused absences. We expect students to attend all classes and conferences, starting from the first day of instructions. Students should plan to arrive on campus on time for their first fall quarter and the new quarter after winter and spring breaks. Students may not be allowed to continue in the course if they miss more than two classes. 

All assignments should be turned in on time. Students will not be allowed to submit their final portfolio for assessment if any assignment is missing or incomplete. 

We understand that life happens, and circumstances beyond one's control might cause students to miss a class or turn in an assignment late. Therefore, we have built in grace in our attendance and assignment policy to account for these events. Please refer to AWP course syllabus for details.

WPP and AWP portfolio results cannot be appealed except in the rare case that a student has been discriminated against. Any appeal regarding the portfolio assessment must follow the regulations as articulated by the university. For more information, see how to appeal a grade.

Students who take the remote WPP and believe they are placed in the wrong course can request to take a Writing Placement Challenge Exam.

Students who receive a non-passing grade (C-, D, F) on their AWP portfolio and would like to understand the reason must first contact their AWP instructor. After that, those who still want more clarification may contact awp@ucsd.edu to speak with a senior faculty member. 

Disqualification for not satisfying the ELWR in the allotted time can be appealed if students have extenuating circumstances with appropriate documentation. Students will receive instructions on the appeal process in the VAC from their College. Students who do not submit an appeal or whose appeal has been denied will have an ELW hold on their account. In rare cases where students' appeals are approved, they will be granted an extra ELWR quarter of eligibility. Students who are ELWR disqualified may return to UC San Diego after being away for one academic year and after their Re-enrollment Challenge Portfolio passes. 

Students who are disqualified for not satisfying the ELWR in the allotted time may return to UC San Diego after being away for at least one academic year and after completing a COPE-approved composition course with a C or better.

To find ELWR-fulfilling COPE-approved courses at your local community colleges, please visit ASSIST.org. Once you are on the homepage, go to "Search below for transferable courses" on the right, select a community college, and click UC Transfer Admission Eligibility Courses → View Transferability Lists  → UC Transfer Eligibility Area → UC-E English Composition. 

If you are ELWR-disqualified, you would be in one of the following scenarios. 

If you are ELWR-disqualified with an ELW hold:

Returning is available one academic year after the quarter you are disqualified. For example, if you are disqualified at the end of Winter 2026, you can request to return in Spring 2027. 

• You must complete a COPE-approved composition course with a C or better at least two months prior to the quarter you intend to return to. 
• You must send the unofficial transcript with COPE-approved course to the Analytical Writing Program at awp@ucsd.edu as well as submitting the official transcript with with COPE-approved course to UC San Diego. 
• You also must submit the Request to Return form online (Step 3) during the Submission Periods.
• When the AWP office verifies that your official transcript has been received and posted to your record, your ELW hold will be lifted. You will have fulfilled the ELWR. 

If you are both ELWR-disqualified and academically-disqualified with an ELW and an MNR* holds: 

Returning is available only for Fall Quarter after at least one academic year away. For example, if you are disqualified at the end of Winter 2026, you can request to return in Fall 2027. 

• If you have both the ELW and MNR* hold, you will need to complete the Return to UC San Diego process for both ELWR-Disqualification and Academic Disqualification.
• Students can work concurrently on 1) sending the unofficial transcript with COPE-approved course to the Analytical Writing Program at awp@ucsd.edu as well as submitting the official transcript with COPE-approved course to UC San Diego, and 2) submitting a Return to UC San Diego After Disqualification Proposal (PDF) to their college. The deadline to complete this process is July 15. If you miss the July 15 deadline, you will need to wait another year to initiate the process. 
• When the AWP office verifies that your official transcript has been received and posted to your record, your ELW holds will be lifted. You will have fulfilled the ELWR.
• When the college approves your proposal, your MNR* hold will be lifted. You will then be eligible to submit the Request to Return form online (Step 3) during the Submission Periods of Fall Quarter.

Note: COPE refers to the UC San Diego Academic Senate Committee on Preparatory Education.