Repeating Courses

With certain restrictions that are noted below, undergraduate students may retake a course with the intention of earning a higher grade. When a course is repeated, the GPA is computed by using the most recent grade received. If “W” is the “repeat” grade, the initial grade will be used to compute the GPA. If “F” is the “repeat” grade and the initial grade was "D" or higher, students will retroactively lose the credits that they previously earned. Grades from both initial and repeat attempts remain a part of the student’s permanent academic record.

Students may not enroll in a course and receive a grade (including “W”) more than three times, except in those courses identified in the Catalog as repeatable.

The only courses a student may repeat with a Credit/No Credit option are those in which the student previously received a grade of “NC” (No Credit). A course for which a student has already received credit may not be repeated through credit by institutional examination. Courses initially taken at UH Hilo must be repeated at UH Hilo in order for the repeat grade to be calculated in the GPA. Grades from other institutions will not be used to calculate the GPA.

A repeated course is not removed from the student's record. All grades earned are shown on the transcript. Any repeated courses taken after graduation will impact the student's cumulative GPA, but not their graduation GPA.

Many graduate and professional schools recalculate the grade point average using grades from all classes taken, including repeats, in determining eligibility for admission. This fact should be carefully considered by students who are attempting to increase their grade point average by repeating courses in which they have received a passing grade.

Repeatable Courses

Only certain courses that are identified in the Catalog as repeatable can be taken more than once for additional credit. Their course descriptions include the phrase “may be repeated for credit.”