II.  REGISTRATION

II.A.  Registration Eligibility

Students are officially admitted to graduate study at Georgetown only through a letter of admission signed by the relevant school dean. Only duly admitted, active students may register for classes. Admission to one school or program does not confer admission to another school or program. 

Students may not enroll in two programs concurrently except with the explicit written approval of both programs. Written approval must be issued prior to matriculation into either program. 

All graduate students are required to provide official transcripts or documents showing all previous degrees. This documentation should, whenever possible, be submitted by the time of initial registration and must be submitted before a student will be allowed to register for the second semester of study.

Eligibility to enroll in some of the registration categories below is determined by whether the student is pursuing a "thesis" or a "non-thesis" degree program. See Section IV. Requirements for Degrees for further information. The policies and procedures described below apply equally to all phases of the registration process, including all courses added or dropped after the student's initial program of courses for the semester has been recorded.

II.B.  Registration Requirements

All graduate students are required to register every semester until they graduate, including any summer sessions required by their degree program. Students enrolled in dual-degree programs only need to register in one program in a given semester to remain active. 

Students are responsible for all academic and financial outcomes associated with their registration decisions.

II.C.  Enrollment Certification

Based on their registration in a given semester, graduate students will be certified as enrolled on a full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time, or less-than-half-time basis. See Section II.F. Standard Modes of Registration and Enrollment Time Status for information on specific forms of enrollment.

II.D.  Enrollment Requirements of International Students

Federal law imposes strict reporting requirements on foreign nationals and on schools that enroll them. Foreign nationals must adhere to all requirements established by the U.S. government and by the University. These include minimum registration requirements and on-campus work restrictions. International students should work closely with their International Student Advisor in the International Students & Scholar Services in the Office of Global Services to ensure compliance with immigration laws. 

II.E. The Registration Process

             1.  Registration Holds

A registration hold may be placed on a student’s record for a variety of reasons, including financial holds, failure to provide residential and other necessary information or to complete required training. 

Students are responsible for resolving holds with the relevant office. While a student’s academic program or department may be able to provide guidance, it does not have the ability to remove holds. Similarly, Dean’s offices do not handle registration holds. Students who have not cleared holds (which may take up to 48 hours to be removed after requirements have been completed) will not be permitted to register for the semester. Students who have not registered by the Add/Drop deadline risk being withdrawn from the University for failure to register.

             2.  Registration

Students who are currently enrolled in a graduate degree program are encouraged to register for the following semester during the live registration period for their program and degree year. New students also will register during the scheduled live registration period for their program and degree year. Students should consult the registration schedule posted on the Office of the University Registrar’s website, paying special attention to any program-specific registration dates. 

Students on Leave of Absence must be reinstated before they will be permitted to register. The processes for seeking reinstatement from leave are described in Section VII. Graduate Leave Policies. 

             3.  Language Study Scholarships

Schools may provide tuition scholarships to cover a student’s enrollment in one approved language course per semester. 

All students who withdraw from or receive a failing grade (“F”) in a course for which they have received a scholarship will be held financially responsible for any non-refundable tuition, irrespective of the reason for the failure or withdrawal or of their subsequent enrollment status. In the case of a failing grade, the full scholarship will be revoked. 

Language Study Scholarships are subject to the following conditions:

a.   During Fall and Spring Semesters

1. Ph.D. students may register for language courses at any level that are taken for the purpose of developing research abilities.

2. Master’s students may register for courses designed to improve basic language skills necessary for their academic work. Normally, these are courses at the 3000 level or below, as the intention of the scholarship is to support basic language instruction. Requests for exception to this restriction must be addressed in writing by the student’s Director of Graduate Studies or program director to the instructor and the department chair responsible for the course, and the school dean’s office. As a general rule, language courses will not count towards degree requirements. 

3. Language courses covered by these scholarships must be taken for a letter grade. S/U grading is not permitted.

4. Requests to audit may only be granted to Ph.D. students who need to develop linguistic skills for their dissertation project and who have compelling reasons for not taking the course for a grade. The request to audit should be prepared by the Director of Graduate Studies and directed to the instructor, the department chair responsible for the course, and the school dean’s office.

b.   During the Summer Term 

1. The same aforementioned policies also apply during the Summer terms, except that Summer Language Scholarships are available only to students enrolled in a Georgetown Ph.D. program, including those who are pursuing a dual master’s/doctoral degree. Summer Language Scholarships are not available to students enrolled only in master’s programs.

2. Summer Language Study Scholarships for doctoral students may cover courses that extend over the entire Summer term, even if the course is broken into two parts with separate registrations in Sessions 1 and 2.

3. Summer Language Scholarships will normally be granted only for courses taught at Georgetown University. Under exceptional circumstances, permission to take courses in other local universities via the Consortium may be considered for Ph.D. students whose research requires a language not taught at Georgetown. Exceptions must be requested in writing by the Director of Graduate Studies to the relevant school dean and accompanied by a justification. Scholarships will not be provided for direct enrollment in courses at another university.

4. Scholarships will not be provided for English language (ESL) courses or programs for non-native speakers of English.

             4. Tuition and Fees

Rates of tuition and fees are determined by the Board of Directors and are non-negotiable. For more information, refer to Section X.C. Student Billing and Payment Policies. 

a.  Late Registration and Late Payment Fees

Some schools/academic programs do not permit late registration. In some cases, the Office of Revenue & Receivables may assess late payment fees, as well as a service charge on any tuition and fees that are not paid by the stated deadline. 

5. The Add/Drop Process

The Add/Drop period for the fall and spring semesters generally begins the first day of classes and lasts for ten days; see the Academic Calendars on the Office of the University Registrar’s website.

For information on registration changes involving tutorial courses, see Section II.F. Standard Modes of Registration and Enrollment Time Status.

Courses dropped during the Add/Drop period will not appear on a student's transcript; after the Add/Drop period, courses dropped will be considered a Withdrawal and appear on the transcript with a "W."

Courses cannot be added after the Add/Drop period. Students wishing to make any registration changes after the Add/Drop period should contact their academic program. Failure to withdraw properly will result in a failing grade and full tuition charges.

     6.  Withdrawal From Courses and Refund Schedule

Should a student voluntarily withdraw from a course, a tuition credit will be calculated according to the Withdrawal Deadlines & Refund Schedule on the Office of the University Registrar’s website. The official withdrawal date will be the date the academic program or school dean’s office receives written notification from the student requesting withdrawal from the course(s). 

The first week of classes is considered the week of the official start (the “First Day of Classes” as noted in the Academic Calendar) of the semester; it does not correspond to the first-class meeting for a particular course. Students in graduate programs that follow a non-standard calendar should consult their program about the withdrawal and refund schedule before withdrawing from a course.

Students are ultimately responsible for verifying the impact of any registration adjustments they make and should consult their program office and the following relevant compliance offices:

• Students receiving federal financial aid or loans should consult their advisor in the Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS). 

• Students receiving military benefits through Veteran Affairs (VA) or GI Bill funding should consult the Military and Veterans’ Resource Center and the Certifying Official in the Office of the University Registrar.

International students on visas must consult with their International Student Advisor in the International Student & Scholar Services, Office of Global Services (OGS), before dropping or withdrawing from a course(s). 

II.F.  Standard Modes of Registration and Enrollment Time Status

            1.  Academic Course Credits

Student enrollment status is verified in the following ways: 

Credits Fall/Spring Summer

9+ Credits Full-time Full-time

6-8.99 Credits Three-quarter-time Full-time

4.5-5.99 Credits Half-time Three-quarter time

3-4.49 Credits Less than half-time Half-time

0-2.99 Credits Less than half-time Less than half-time

            a.  Tutorial Courses

Reading or Research tutorials (special arrangements by which an individual student receives instruction outside the posted Schedule of Classes) require permission and registration by the Office of the University Registrar. Tutorial proposals must be prepared and submitted by instructors or a designated department or program official. Students may not submit proposals on their own. 

Proposals for tutorial courses must be submitted by the final day of the Add/Drop period at the latest and are subject to review. Academic programs may set earlier deadlines for submission of tutorial proposals. Tuition for tutorials will be assessed at the appropriate tuition rate for the student’s degree program.

            b.  Prerequisites and Skills Courses 

Some students discover that they lack requisite skills or coursework after they have been admitted and enrolled. In such cases, programs may allow students to enroll in or audit an undergraduate course. Courses under 4000 appear on the undergraduate transcript and cannot be counted for graduate credit under any circumstances. Graduate students who audit courses will be assessed full tuition.

            c.  Thesis Research

Registration for Thesis Research is limited to students who are enrolled in a graduate program that requires completion of a thesis or dissertation. Three sections of Thesis Research have been established to recognize different stages of the student’s progress toward the degree. A student enrolled in any section of Thesis Research will be certified as enrolled full-time.

Students are eligible to register for Thesis Research only if:

1. They have already completed the coursework registration requirements for their thesis master’s program or a doctoral program; or 

2. They have already completed enough credits that they would not be able to achieve full-time status by registering in all of their remaining course requirements. 

Students may not register in Thesis Research to gain full-time enrollment status at earlier stages.

Thesis Research registration is required for all semesters until the student defends the thesis or dissertation or completes the doctoral project.

Students registering for the first time in Thesis Research 9999, Section 1 will be registered automatically in the appropriate section of Thesis Research according to their academic progress and fellowship status in each subsequent Fall, Spring, or Summer semester. Students not on scholarship support will be responsible for the tuition and fees associated with automatic registration unless they are on either an approved Leave of Absence or have withdrawn from the University. 

a.   Thesis Research - 9999, Section 1

Graduate students enrolled in a master’s thesis program or a doctoral program who have completed all coursework, including those who plan to take language-proficiency or comprehensive examinations before beginning their research and writing, must register for Thesis Research - 9999, Section 1, in each Fall and Spring semester. The current tuition rates can be found here: https://studentaccounts.georgetown.edu/tuition/graduate/ 

Those who wish to receive thesis direction during the summer must register for Thesis Research - 9999, Section 61, for the summer term; no registration fee is charged for Thesis Research registration during the summer.

b. Thesis Research - 9999, Section 3

Students enrolled in a master’s thesis program or a doctoral program who are near the end of their coursework and for whom

registration for the remaining required course credits would result in less than full-time enrollment may qualify for Thesis Research -

9999, Section 3. 

Students cannot self-enroll in Thesis Research - 9999, Section 3. The student’s department or program must coordinate the student’s 

need for Thesis Research - 9999, Section 3 with their school dean’s office before the close of the Add/Drop period for the semester.

Registration in Thesis Research - 9999, Section 3 does not convey full-time enrollment status for federal financial aid eligibility except

for students who are working on a required thesis or dissertation.

Those who do not need to be certified as enrolled full-time are not required to do so. No additional registration fee will be assessed

for this enrollment (i.e., the student will be charged only the tuition rate for the enrolled course credits). Note that a student who

has received a language study scholarship and is enrolled solely in courses to develop language proficiency must enroll in

Section 1 and pay the associated tuition.

c. Thesis Research - 9999, Section 5

Students who are the primary instructor of record for a course (Teaching Associates) must be enrolled in Thesis Research - 9999, 

Section 5. No additional registration fee will be assessed for this enrollment.

Students cannot self-enroll in Thesis Research - 9999, Section 5; rather, the student’s department or program must communicate the

student’s status as a Teaching Associate to their school dean’s office as soon as the teaching assignment is finalized. This section of

Thesis Research is open only to students appointed as Teaching Associates and only during the semester(s) in which they hold such a

teaching appointment. 

d.  Continuous Registration

Two sections of Continuous Registration have been established to recognize different stages of the student’s progress toward the degree. Each section of Continuous Registration certifies a different level of enrollment and carries a different tuition charge. 

a.   Continuous Registration - 9991 / 9992, Section 1

This section is for students in non-thesis master’s programs who are not registered in other coursework and who are studying for comprehensive examinations or for language proficiency examinations or who are working on their master’s research or capstone papers; it also applies to graduate students awarded an external fellowship that requires active matriculation in a graduate degree program during the period of study or research abroad (e.g., the Boren Graduate Fellowship). A student enrolled in Continuous Registration - 9991/9992, Section 1, will be certified as enrolled half-time. 

Students cannot self-enroll in Thesis Research - 9999, Section 3. The student’s department or program must coordinate the student’s

need for Thesis Research - 9999, Section 3 with their school dean’s office before the close of the Add/Drop period for the semester.

Students are limited to no more than two semesters of Continuous Registration - 9991/9992, Section 1. See the Office of Revenue and Receivables website for the current academic year registration fee. Students in this status who require continuous registration during the summer period may register for Continuous Registration - 9991, Section 61; no registration fee is charged for Continuous Registration during the summer. 

b.   Continuous Registration – 9993 / 9994, Section 1

This section is for master’s students who have completed all degree requirements except incomplete course grades, or for master’s 

and doctoral students who have completed all degree requirements, including defense of the doctoral dissertation but have not yet 

graduated.

Students cannot enroll themselves in Thesis Research - 9999, Section 3. The student's department or program must coordinate the student’s need for Thesis Research - 9999, Section 3 with their school dean’s office before the close of the Add/Drop period for the semester. No registration fee is charged. A student enrolled in Continuous Registration - 9993/9994-01, will be certified as enrolled less than half-time. 

II.G.  Other Modes of Registration

            1.  Provisional Student Status

Some students who have applied in the normal manner, but who are found to require one semester of additional coursework before their application can be properly evaluated, may be enrolled in Special Student Status; however, because this status is not associated with a degree, it may not be an available option for some international students. Applicants cannot seek admission to Special Student Status. 

Students may be enrolled in this status only for one semester, during which they may take a maximum of six credits of graduate coursework. Standard tuition rates apply for all coursework. Special Students are not eligible for merit-based assistantships, scholarships, or fellowships, student health insurance, or federal financial aid. Additionally, they may not register for courses through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Students who have been admitted under Special Student Status will be evaluated by their academic department and/or school to determine their eligibility to become a fully admitted degree-seeking student during the semester.

            2.  Enrollment during Summer Session

Students enrolled in programs for which summer course offerings are routinely offered by their academic program and school should discuss the relevant academic calendar and registration options. 

Students enrolled in programs for which summer enrollment is not expected must consult their academic program and school. Students should consult the academic calendar for summer sessions for further information. 

            3.  Enrollment through the Consortium

Students enrolled in a graduate degree program may enroll for courses through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, with the following restrictions:

a. Graduate students may not enroll through the Consortium for courses that are available at Georgetown University.

b. With the limited exception of PhD students whose language is not offered at Georgetown, Graduate students may not audit Consortium courses or enroll in undergraduate language courses through the Consortium for the purpose of meeting Georgetown language proficiency requirements.

c. Special Students may not register for courses through the Consortium.

d. Students simultaneously matriculated at another Consortium institution are not permitted to use the Consortium to cross-register between Georgetown and the other institution. Tuition for courses registered through the Consortium will be billed at Georgetown University rates and paid to Georgetown University. Further information is available on the University Registrar’s Consortium Registration page. 

e. Course records and grades for Consortium registrations appear on the Georgetown University transcript, but will not be used in the determination of the student’s Georgetown GPA.

f. Graduate students who are enrolled in a master’s-only program must complete at least 75% of the credits required for the master’s degree at Georgetown (i.e., Consortium transferred credits may not account for more than 25% of the credits required for the degree).

g. Students enrolled via the Consortium will be responsible for abiding by all regulations of the other institution regarding enrollment, attendance, and withdrawal.

            4.  Enrollment in Georgetown University Law Center Courses

Graduate students may be admitted to Law Center courses on a space-available basis. Students who wish to register for courses at the Law Center must submit their request to the Law Center Registrar during the Law Center’s Add/Drop period. Law Center courses for which students have not registered in this manner will not appear on the graduate transcript.

II.H.  Withdrawal from Coursework or Graduate Program

            1.  Voluntary Withdrawal

a.   Withdrawal from one or more courses

A voluntary withdrawal from one or more courses will be granted through the Withdrawal Deadline for the semester to any student who is not subject to disciplinary action. Students request withdrawals by submitting an Add/Drop form to their school’s academic affairs office. The University Registrar will record a “W” on the student’s transcript for any withdrawals requested after the end of a semester’s Add/Drop period. Failure to withdraw properly may result in grades of "F" in the current semester’s coursework and, if the student does not return the following semester, removal from the University's rolls for failure to register.

b.   Withdrawal from a graduate degree program

A student who wishes to formally withdraw from a graduate degree program must notify their school dean’s office in writing.

Refunds for withdrawals will be calculated from the date the school receives the request to withdraw, according to the Withdrawal Deadlines & Refund Schedule posted on the Office of the University Registrar website.

Students withdrawing from courses or from their program must notify the Office of Student Financial Services if they have received financial assistance from Georgetown University or from a state-guaranteed or federally insured lender outside the University. Withdrawal may result in a reduction in the financial assistance the student is eligible to receive.

International students should first consult with their International Student advisor before withdrawing from a course(s) to ensure they remain in compliance with their visa.

Under typical circumstances, a student is not allowed to withdraw while a disciplinary process is pending. Where for good cause and a student is allowed to withdraw, the University may maintain a continuing interest in a final resolution.

            2.  Forced Withdrawal for Failure to Maintain Registration

 Students may be involuntarily withdrawn from their programs if: 

• They fail to register for any required semester by the end of the Add/Drop period without being on an approved Leave of Absence. 

• They have failed to submit a formal request to extend an authorized Leave of Absence.

            3.  Reinstatement or Readmission after Withdrawal

Students who have voluntarily withdrawn, or who have been withdrawn for failure to maintain registration, may request reinstatement from their program and school within three years or their school’s allowed period, whichever is shorter. After this period, students must apply for readmission. Reinstated students pay a reinstatement fee of $1,475.

Students whose degree candidacy has been terminated for other reasons should refer to Section III.G. Appeals Regarding Termination of Degree Candidacy.