The University of Ghana has directed undergraduate students whose Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) fell below 1.00 at the end of the 2025/2026 academic year to withdraw from their programmes of study, enforcing a long-standing regulation that allows no room for academic probation.
The directive, issued by the Academic Affairs Directorate in a notice shared on the university’s official Facebook page on Thursday, October 22, 2026, cites Section 9.26 of the University Regulations for Junior Members (2017), which governs academic progression for all undergraduate programmes .
No Probation, No Exceptions
Under the regulation, students must obtain a minimum CGPA of 1.00 and satisfy their respective school or departmental requirements to advance to the next academic level. The university emphasised that its rules contain no provision for probation, meaning students who fall below the threshold after all grades for their registered courses are released are “not in good academic standing” and must withdraw .
“Accordingly, students whose CGPAs fall below 1.00 upon receipt of all grades for their registered courses at the end of the 2025/2026 Academic Year are not in good academic standing and are required to withdraw from their programmes of study,” the notice stated .
How Affected Students Should Proceed
Affected students have been instructed to check their CGPAs on the university’s Management Information System (MIS) Web, then log in to the Student and Staff Portal (STS) at sts.ug.edu.gh/services using their Student ID and PIN, and select “Withdrawal Request” to initiate the process .
The university noted that for certain programmes, the relevant school or department will initiate the withdrawal on behalf of affected students. Students requiring clarification have been advised to contact their respective College Academic Offices .
The Careers and Counselling Directorate has been made available to provide support and guidance to affected students .
Policy Not New, But Consequences Severe
While the directive has drawn fresh attention, the CGPA threshold is not a new policy. The university has applied the same academic standard in previous years, including notices issued in 2023 and 2025 . The latest enforcement follows the release of grades for the 2025/2026 academic year.
The regulation’s prohibition of probation distinguishes the University of Ghana from some other institutions, where students with weak academic performance may be granted a limited period to improve their grades while continuing their studies. At UG, students who do not meet the progression requirements are withdrawn outright .
Backlash From Student Advocate
The decision has drawn criticism from student leaders. Benjamin Akyena Brantuo, former Junior Common Room (JCR) President of Commonwealth Hall, issued a statement on Friday, October 23, calling on the university to reverse the directive and remove the provision underpinning it from the regulations.
Brantuo argued that the decision undermines students’ right to education under Article 25(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which recognises the right of all persons to equal educational opportunities and facilities .
“A university does not exist merely to train students who are already academically accomplished. It should also provide opportunities for learning, growth and transformation,” he said. “It is a place where people are equipped to become something more than they were when they arrived.”
He questioned whether the university had considered circumstances that might have contributed to poor performance, including bereavement, financial hardship, or inadequate access to learning materials. He also challenged the university’s full-fee-paying admission policy, noting that some students admitted with weaker entry grades later succeeded academically.
“If the University can recognise that students with comparatively weak entry grades may succeed when given a chance, why should it be so quick to abandon students who struggle after admission?” he asked .
Brantuo urged management to either reverse the decision immediately or resign, arguing that it had failed to understand its mandate in the spirit of the Constitution regarding education .
The university has not publicly responded to the criticism.
