Academic Fresh Start
In accordance with Texas Education Code, Section 51.931, Texas residents may choose to have academic coursework completed five (5) or more academic years prior to enrollment disregarded for admission purposes through Academic Fresh Start. Students applying for Academic Fresh Start must begin under this option in the fall term.
An applicant must be a Texas resident at the time of application and must elect Academic Fresh Start at that time, regardless of where the prior credits were earned. Credits do not need to be exclusively from Texas institutions. Academic credits and degrees earned five or more academic years ago are not expunged or rescinded; rather, they are excluded from GPA calculations to allow students to establish a new academic record. Academic Fresh Start is an “all-or-nothing” option. Students may not choose individual courses to exclude. All coursework completed during the applicable time period is removed from GPA calculations. Credits earned five or more academic years ago may not be used to satisfy degree requirements at UT Tyler.
Academic Fresh Start is irreversible and may only be used once within the State of Texas. Electing Academic Fresh Start does not increase financial aid eligibility. While prior coursework is excluded from academic GPA calculations, all previously attempted credit hours are still considered for financial aid purposes. If a student completes a new degree under Academic Fresh Start, only the GPA earned after invoking the program will be considered for admission to postgraduate or professional programs.