Undergraduate Admissions & Appeals Committee
The FIU Admissions and Appeals Committee is comprised of faculty, staff and administrators from across the university who take the time to review denied undergraduate applications on a case by case basis. Although GPA, test scores and academic performance are good measures of a student’s potential, we understand there are more subjective measures such as ambition, courage, perseverance and creativity that set you apart.
Appeal Process
The committee will do a holistic review of all appeal documents looking for the following qualities:
- Curriculum choice: Did you challenge yourself by taking more academic classes than electives? Or did you take advanced, honors, AP, IB, AICE or Dual Enrollment classes?
- Special talents, achievements or accomplishments: Is there any work you are especially proud of? Did you excel in art, sports, a leadership position or community service?
- Eloquence: Can you clearly and honestly explain what makes you a good candidate for FIU.
Denied Application Appeal Requirements
Denied undergraduate applicants are encouraged to appeal only if their test scores and/or grades have changed significantly or if they want to explain personal circumstances that may have affected their ability to meet admissions requirements. Appeal requests can only be submitted by the applicant using their FIU credentials via the Denied Admissions Appeal Form link.
Submit an appeal by logging in to the link below with your Panther ID. If you have issues logging in you can get help logging in here. The Office of University Admissions cannot assist with log-in issues, so applicant's may be required to work with the university's IT department to resolve their issues.
Personal Statement
Students requesting appeal or additional review of their admissions status must submit a written statement including:
- Your goals and educational or professional objectives
- A summary/explanation of past academic performance
- Information and/or circumstances that may have affected past academic performance
- Any other information the student wishes to have considered
Recommendation Letter
Students must also submit at least one signed letter of recommendation from individuals who know of and can attest to the student’s academic ability and/or potential such as teachers, counselors, mentors, tutors, advisors, former employers, etc. Such letter(s) should not be a “form” letter, but should demonstrate direct knowledge of the student's achievements and/or difficulties.
Supporting Documents
When submitting an appeal, we strongly recommend that you update your application file with the following:
- Any updated or new exam scores or transcripts missing from your file
- First year student only: Retake the SAT or ACT to improve your score. If your scores do not meet the standard scores, take the PERT exam.
You may also submit any additional documentation that you feel provides additional support for you to be admitted and/or explains any difficulties that may have caused you not to meet the requirement for admission.
Please note: Applicants who were admitted and want to be considered for admission to a different semester (Example: Applied for Fall, was admitted to Early Fall.) SHOULD NOT submit an appeal. Any appeals submitted for individuals that have been admitted, will not be reviewed by the committee.
Disability-related Appeal
Applicants whose education has been negatively impacted due to disability can disclose documentation to the Disability Resource Center. The Disability Resource Center will review documentation and notify the Admissions and Appeals Committee of the student's eligibility status, as well as potential accommodations that the student may be eligible to receive. This eligibility report will be used in conjunction with the appeal documentation provided by the applicant in order to make a decision regarding their appeal.
Disability Eligibility Review Form
Email documents for review along with the disability eligibility review form to drcereview@fiu.edu. Allow 7-14 business days for the Disability Resource Center to review documentation and an additional 2-3 weeks for an admissions review. After the DRC completes their intitial review and provides a written evaluation, the applicant's appeal will be reviewed by committee at the next meeting.
Graduate Admissions Appeal
An applicant whose application for a graduate program is denied but who meets published graduate program minimum admission standards is allowed to seek the reason for the rejection in writing and request that it be reconsidered for admission. The applicant may request reconsideration by written petition to the University within thirty (30) days of the date of denial. The route for reconsideration is first to the graduate program of interest, then to the dean of the appropriate School or College and finally to the Dean of the University Graduate School.