OVERVIEW

The Committee on Academic Performance reviews petitions from students requesting exceptions to established academic policies and deadlines. Each petition must provide a clear, concise explanation of the student's request and corroborating statements of support from MIT personnel. The Committee takes individual circumstances into account while striving to uphold equity for students across departments and classes.

The following procedures apply to all petitions:

1. Visit Types of Petitions to find the specific petition you need. Follow the link to a page with a downloadable form and additional information.

2. After downloading and printing the petition form, complete the sections identifying you, your advisor, and the subject(s) involved. Write or print your statement, explaining your request, in the space provided or on an attached sheet. Your statement should not exceed one page. Sign the petition.

3. Bring the petition to your academic advisor and other Institute personnel as needed. Be certain to obtain statements, not just signatures, covering the questions asked on the petition form.

4. Make two copies of the original petition, one for yourself and one for your academic advisor. Give your advisor his or her copy.

5. Submit the original petition, complete with signatures and supporting materials, to the CAP Staff Associate in the Office of Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming (UAAP) in 7-104.

You must submit a separate petition form for each request you want to make. The Committee considers each request individually, and may choose to approve one petition while denying another, based on the merits of each case.

You must obtain separate signatures and statements on each petition you submit. You must fill out each petition completely and not merely refer to another petition form. You may not substitute advisor and instructor signatures obtained on a previous Add/Drop/Change Form: advisors and instructors must write their statements on the petition form or email them to cap-help@mit.edu.

The Committee will not review a petition until it is complete. The CAP Staff Associate will hold your incomplete petition in 7-104 and notify you via email of any missing information.

A $40 processing fee will be charged to your MIT term-bill account by the Registrar's Office for each petition that is approved. (No fee is charged for petitions that are denied.) Several petition requests approved at the same time will be charged only one processing fee.

NOTE on Late Adds for UROPS: In the absence of compelling, extraordinary circumstances, the CAP will not approve petitions to late add UROP subjects. You can add UROP subjects to your registration up until Drop Date each term. See the Late Add section for additional details

For more information about the petition process, contact the CAP.

Comments and questions to cap-help@mit.edu

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