REGISTRATION

A. INFORMATION WHICH APPLIES TO ALL STUDENTS

1. REGISTER AT LEAST ONCE EVERY YEAR

   Students who do not register in the Graduate School at least once per year are considered to have withdrawn; their Graduate School records are deactivated. Deactivated students may not register for courses, take examinations, submit degree program or thesis proposal forms, file for graduation, or otherwise participate in the University community as Graduate School students. Those who wish to resume graduate work must request readmission to the Graduate School and, if readmitted, must register in the Graduate School for the term of readmission to regain their active status.

2. DEADLINES FOR DROPPING OR ADDING A COURSE OR CHANGES IN REGISTRATION ARE PRINTED IN THE CLASS SCHEDULE BOOK.

3. LATE ENROLLMENT—TO AVOID LATE ENROLLMENT FEES, STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE AN INITIAL REGISTRATION BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF CLASSES.

4. THE GRADING OPTION MAY NOT BE CHANGED AFTER THE SECOND WEEK OF CLASSES

5. CANCEL/ADD IN ONE ACTION

   If you must make cancel/add adjustments to your enrollment, you should cancel and add in one action.

6. ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENT TO DEFER LOANS (ADVANCED MASTERS)

   Students in the Advanced Masters job classification may enroll in 1 graded or thesis credit per semester. To defer loans, Advanced Masters students must enroll in a thesis credit in 8333.

   To qualify for Advanced Masters status, the Graduate School must have an approved Degree Program Form on file and you must have completed all registrations on the program, with grades.

   Masters Tracking Flag Deadlines
   Fall Term: July 15th
   Spring Term: October 15th
   Summer Term: April 15th
   

   Application for Full-Time Status with One Credit Registration Request for Advanced Masters Tracking Flag

   http://www.grad.umn.edu/gsss/registration/fte%5Fprocedures.html

B. GRADUATE ASSISTANTS

1. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT

   Students holding classifications Teaching Assistant (9511), Research Assistant (9521), or Administrative Fellow (9531) must register for a minimum of six course, pre-thesis, or thesis credits during each semester of the academic year in which they hold the classification.

   Students holding classifications Advanced Masters Teaching Assistant (9518), Advanced Masters Research Assistant (9528), or Advanced Masters Administrative Fellow (9532) must register for a minimum of one credit during each semester of the academic year in which they hold the classification. Audit only courses do not fulfill the one credit registration requirement.

2. GRADUATE SCHOOL PROCEDURES FOR FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT WITH ONE CREDIT FOR ADVANCED GRADUATE STUDENTS

   The Office of the Registrar and the Graduate School have developed procedures which will permit eligible Advanced Masters candidates to be certified as "full-time" students when registered for only one credit. Faculty advisers and the DGS will affirm that each student is indeed working full time on the thesis (Plan A).

   These courses are intended only for advanced master's students who have completed all their program coursework and required thesis credits, but still are working full-time on the research or writing of their thesis, papers, capstone project or dissertation. The main impetus for this procedure is to certify as "full-time" for loan deferment purposes, teaching or research assistants who could be employed in the low-tuition-fringe job classes. The procedure is available, however, for any eligible advanced graduate student, whether employed as a graduate assistant or not, thus providing a less expensive (one credit rather than 6 or 3) registration for fellowship or self-supporting students who have loans to defer.

   The new courses are CE 8333 FTE: Master's. Students should complete the application form (see link below) each term they register for 8333. When it has been reviewed and signed, the form should be filed in the student's program file. Certification of full-time status to the federal government will occur automatically several times each term.

   The Graduate School data management office will "post-audit" the usage of these courses each term, to assure that only advanced students are registering for them.

   Masters students who have Graduate School approved Degree Program Forms on file and have completed all registrations on the program, with grades, can request that their Director of Graduate Studies submit a Request For Advanced Masters Tracking Flag form (link below) for them in 316 Johnston Hall. Masters students must apply, by the term deadline, (see below) for this official status in order to have the 08AM Student Group added to their record. Masters students are not eligible to register for 8333 or to be hired in a lower fringe assistantship job class unless this process has been completed. The Graduate School asks each graduate program to assist fellowship or self-supporting Advanced Masters students to complete this form as well, to verify their eligibility for the auditing process. (See deadlines and web form on the previous page.)

3. FAILURE TO REGISTER

   Failure to register for any credits during a semester, or subsequent cancellation of all credits will result in termination of your graduate assistantship without further notice or process. Withdrawal of all credits after receiving tuition benefits will result in repayment of all tuition benefit received at non-resident rates, if applicable.

   NOTE: International students filing for "Exemption from Full Time Status" with the International Student & Scholar Services office are not exempt from the minimum credit requirements for holding a graduate assistant position.

4. 6 CREDIT ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENT

   Students who work any number of hours on a standard assistantship fall or spring semester must be enrolled for a minimum of 6 credits each semester. A minimum of 1 credit must be for a grade (A-F or S-N, thesis or pre-thesis credits, if eligible). Audit (V) enrollment alone is not sufficient to hold an assistantship. (Students may apply for an exception from full-time study. See description below.) If you fail to enroll, or if you drop all credits, your graduate assistantship will be terminated, and you will be billed for all tuition for the semester. Your eligibility for insurance may be affected as well.

5. EXEMPTION TO THE 6 CREDIT ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENT -- ADVANCED MASTERS CANDIDATE

   The Office of the Registrar and the Graduate School have developed procedures which will permit eligible Advanced Masters candidates to be certified as "full-time" students when registered for only one credit. Graduate Assistants who feel their circumstances argue for exemption from full-time registration for a specific semester may complete Special Graduate Assistant Registration Status (SGARS) form, students must obtain approval for SGARS from their faculty adviser, their director of graduate studies (DGS), and their employer. This provides an exemption from 6-credit registration requirement (eligible students may register for 1-5 credits). Eligibility is determined on a semester by semester basis by the Graduate School.

   Note that SGARS eligibility does not exempt students from other rules which govern their registration; e.g., international students, loan deferrals, and FICA withholding all have higher requirements. Students should check with these offices or other agencies which impose registration requirements to ensure those requirements are met.

   See the graduate School website for more information http://www.grad.umn.edu/gsss/

6. CANCEL/ADD IN ONE ACTION OR YOUR BENEFITS MAY BE AFFECTED

   If you must make cancel/add adjustments to your enrollment, you must cancel and add in one action -- failure to do so may adversely affect your benefits.

7. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU WITHDRAW FROM ALL COURSES DURING A TERM

   Students dropping all credits during a term in which they hold an assistantship will be billed for all of their tuition benefits at the non-resident rate, if applicable. The exception to this is if an assistantship ends due to graduation. In that case, tuition benefits will be pro-rated based on the percentage of appointment and hours worked.