Continuous Registration for Graduate Students
Doctoral Students
All doctoral students are required to register continuously from the time they first enroll in their graduate degree program until the semester or term in which they graduate. Doctoral Students must be enrolled for at least 1 credit hour each academic semester (fall and spring) to be in compliance with this policy. Doctoral students not in compliance with the continuous registration policy will automatically be assessed the $150 continuous registration fee each semester. Payment of the continuous enrollment fee does exempt the student from financial aid obligations or the health insurance requirement.
Doctoral students holding an academic-year graduate assistantship must enroll in a minimum of 3 credit hours (fall and spring); those holding a fiscal-year assistantship must enroll in a minimum 3 credit hours (fall, spring and summer) to be in compliance with the terms of their assistantship agreements and this policy. Graduate assistants are not eligible for the $150 continuous registration fee.
All doctoral students must enroll in at least 1 credit hour during the semester (fall, spring or summer) they take scheduled doctoral examinations (i.e., oral comprehensive examination or dissertation/capstone defense) and/or intend to graduate unless they have already completed all required credits for their degree (including 797 and 799 credits). Doctoral students engaged in the above referenced activities but who have not completed all required credits and have not enrolled in at least 1 credit will automatically be assessed the $150 continuous registration fee for that semester; these students will not have the results of their examinations recorded and will not be allowed to graduate.
Master’s and Specialist Students
All master’s and specialist students must register for at least 1 semester hour during the semester when they graduate (including the summer term) unless they have already completed all required credits for their degree prior to the semester when they graduate. Students who have already completed all required credits will be automatically assessed the $150 continuation fee for the semester when they graduate.
Master’s students holding an academic-year graduate assistantship must enroll in a minimum of 3 credit hours (fall and spring); those holding a fiscal-year assistantship must enroll in a minimum of 3 credit hours (fall, spring and summer) to be in compliance with the terms of their assistantship agreements and this policy. Graduate assistants are not eligible for the $150 continuous registration fee.
All Graduate Students
Transfer of credit from other institutions will not be considered in lieu of continuous registration.
Satisfying the continuous registration requirement and maintaining status as a graduate student will allow students to utilize various University facilities or faculty time. Students should be aware that paying the $150 continuous registration fee will not meet enrollment requirements for international students or for students receiving financial assistance (including loans, grants, and assistantships). Paying the $150 continuous registration fee only helps students meet the Graduate School’s program continuation policy if they are not otherwise enrolled for credits.
Failure to Continuously Register for Graduate Students
Students who fail to register continuously (i.e., enroll for at least 1 credit fall and spring terms) for one calendar year (three consecutive semesters, fall, spring, summer) will receive a letter of warning from the Graduate School at the beginning of the fourth consecutive semester of non-enrollment. At this time the student will be classified as inactive. Inactive students may be required to re-apply to the Graduate School within the fourth semester of non-enrollment, remit the application fee, be re-accepted by their program and the Graduate Dean, if they wish to resume their studies. Acceptance is not guaranteed. Additional coursework and examinations may be required for students who are reactivated.
At the close of four consecutive semesters of non-enrollment the student’s file is closed and may not be reactivated. Students who wish to return after four consecutive semesters of non-enrollment must file a new application for consideration with the University: acceptance is not guaranteed. Note: paying the $150 continuous registration fee does not fulfill the requirement to enroll for at least one credit within the one year time frame.