Special Registration Categories

To participate as a graduate at the University, it is required that you maintain active status.

In order to maintain active status, you must register for every fall and spring term. If you do not register for every fall and spring term, your student status will be discontinued (considered inactive), and you must apply for readmission if you wish to return.

You can read more about active status in the leave of absence and reinstatement policy.

As a graduate student, there may be a time when you nee to register solely to meet your registration requirements and avoid inactive status. Special registration categories are options to help you remain active.

GRAD 999 is a zero-credit, zero-tuition registration option intended for graduate students who have completed all coursework and (if applicable) thesis credit requirements, and who must maintain registration to meet the registration requirement. GRAD 999 enrollment serves only to maintain active student status.

Students with GRAD 999 enrollment are not eligible for financial aid, and this status cannot be used for student loan deferment. Students may not hold graduate assistantships while enrolled in GRAD 999.

While registered for GRAD 999, you can:

· Meet the active status requirement

· File graduate degree plan; petition; application for degree

· Take master's final exam; doctoral prelim written/oral exam; doctoral final exam

· Submit degree clearance materials (e.g., exam forms, thesis)

· Use U Library resources

If you register for GRAD 999, you are not required to pay the Student Services Fee; however, you may elect to do so if you wish to use or support the services covered by the fee.

International students are strongly encouraged to confer with the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) office if they are considering GRAD 999 registration to discuss how to maintain legal status and maintain health benefits.

8333 is a one-credit registration option for eligible master’s students who must certify full-time status to be in compliance with requirements of the University and/or external agencies (e.g., employment as a graduate assistant; loan deferment). Students eligible for 8333 can be employed in one of the low- tuition/low-fringe job classes.

While registered for 8333, you can:

• Meet the active status requirement

• File graduate degree plan; petition; application for degree

• Take master's final exam

• Submit degree clearance materials (e.g., exam forms, thesis)

• Use U Library resources

• Hold graduation assistantships

• Carry health insurance, but only if TA/RA on Graduate Assistant Health Plan

• Retain legal status (international students)

• Defer loans

• Receive financial aid

Applications for Advanced Master’s Status must be submitted to the GSSP by the following deadlines:

-Aug. 15^th for the following fall term

-Dec. 15^th for the following spring term

-May 15^th for the following summer term

Graduate Student Services and Progress will review applications to ensure that you hold active status; have a college-approved Graduate Degree Plan on file; have completed all coursework included on the Graduate Degree Plan or GPAS Planner – with grades posted to the transcript (exception: Plan B project registrations); and, if you are a Master’s Plan A or Professional Master’s in Engineering (Design Track) student, that you have completed the 10-credit master’s thesis credit (8777) requirement. Upon approval of the 8333 application, the Office of the Registrar will notify you via email (with a copy to your DGS).

8444 is a one-credit registration option for eligible doctoral students who must certify full-time status to be in compliance with requirements of the University and/or external agencies (e.g., employment as a graduate assistant; loan deferment). Students eligible for 8444 can be employed in one of the low-tuition/low-fringe job classes.

While registered for 8444, students can:

• Meet the active status requirement

• File graduate degree plan; petition; application for degree

• Take doctoral final exam

• Submit degree clearance materials (e.g., exam forms, thesis)

• Use U Library resources

• Hold graduation assistantships

• Carry health insurance, but only if TA/RA on Graduate Assistant Health Plan

• Retain legal status (international students)

• Defer loans

• Receive financial aid

In addition to completing all degree program coursework, you will be eligible to apply for the 8444 Advanced Doctoral Status registration option the term after you:

-Successfully complete the preliminary written exam

-Successfully complete the preliminary oral examination; signed examination form on file with the GSSP office

-Complete all coursework included on the Degree Program form, with grades posted to the transcript

-Completed 24 doctoral thesis credits

Applications for Advanced Doctoral Status must be submitted to the student’s graduate program office for review and approval by the DGS. Your advisor also must review the application to determine whether you are making satisfactory degree progress.

Note: you must submit an application for 8444 Advanced Doctoral Status registration to your graduate program office prior to every term you intend to register for 8444.

8666 is a registration option for graduate students who must be registered for a specific number of credits (usually to be in compliance with requirements of the University and/or external agencies such as employment as a graduate assistant, loan deferment, etc.), and for whom neither coursework registration nor the other special registration categories are an option. This is registration is taken after your coursework is done and before your prelim oral exams is complete.

While registered for 8666, you can:

• Meet the active status requirement

• File graduate degree plan; petition; application for degree

• Take doctoral prelim written/oral exam; doctoral final exam

• Submit degree clearance materials (e.g., exam forms, thesis)

• Use U Library resources

• Hold graduation assistantships

• Carry health insurance

• Retain legal status (international students)

• Defer loans

• Receive financial aid

8777 registrations cannot be used to meet any degree requirements other than the master’s thesis credit requirement. Grades are not assigned to 8777 registrations. These credits can be taken at any point in your Masters career.

While registered for 8777, you can:

• Meet the active status requirement

• File graduate degree plan; petition; application for degree

• Take master's final exam

• Submit degree clearance materials (e.g., exam forms, thesis)

• Use U Library resources

• Hold graduation assistantships

• Carry health insurance

• Retain legal status (international students)

• Defer loans

• Receive financial aid

All doctoral candidates (i.e., doctoral students who have passed their preliminary oral examination) are required to register for 24 semester credits of 8888.

While registered for 8888, you can:

• Meet the active status requirement

• File graduate degree plan; petition; application for degree

• Take doctoral prelim written/oral exam; doctoral final exam

• Submit degree clearance materials (e.g., exam forms, thesis)

• Use U Library resources

• Hold graduation assistantships

• Carry health insurance

• Retain legal status (international students)

• Defer loans

• Receive financial aid

Graduate students are expected to maintain active status through continuous registration from the time they matriculate until their graduation. Students who are not able to maintain active status are strongly encouraged to consult with the DGS, their advisor, and student advising office to determine whether requesting a leave of absence is the most appropriate course of action.

In order to apply for a leave of LOA a student must complete the LOA form and have it signed by their advisor, the DGS, and then turn it into the Graduate Program Coordinator for processing. A student may request a leave for up to 2 academic years. https://policy.umn.edu/education/gradstudentleave

In order to return from a leave of absence, a student must fill out the leave of absence reinstatement form. Once the student returns from the LOA they need to contact the Graduate Program Coordinator for matriculating back into the Graduate Program. It is necessary that the student return by the date specified on the LOA form, or earlier. Once the student matriculates back into the program, it will be like they never left and there is no readmission fee.

https://policy.umn.edu/education/gradstudentleave

All-University policies on Cancel/Adds apply to all students in all colleges. Complete information about changing your registration can be found at the One Stop Registration Website.

The form for grad students to cancel or add is called the Graduate Registration Exception Request. That form can be found here.

If you decide before the semester begins not to attend, you must cancel before the first day of classes to avoid being charged for a percentage of the tuition, even if your RA appointment pays for a tuition waiver. However, no additional tuition is charged when any course addition is balanced by a course cancellation, i.e., a cancellation equals the number of credits being added, or a cancellation and course addition that keeps the total number of credits within the 14 credit tuition plateaus or bands.

On occasion, a course may be cancelled by the department offering the course. Contact the department immediately to see if other arrangements have been made. If no arrangements exist, it is then your responsibility to remove the course from your record by changing your registration. Cancellations are effective the day you officially cancel not on the date you stopped attending class. You will receive billing statements from Student Accounts Receivable for any credits over the maximum allowed with your assistantship (14 credits) and for fees or additional billing charge, if applicable. If you fail to pay by the due date on your billing statement, a hold will be placed on your records. The refund schedule can be found at the One Stop Registration Website.

Cancel/Add Deadline

*Note: The registration request for changing your grade after the end of week 2 of classes will NEVER be granted.

Approval may be required if you want to register for some CEGE 5xxx or 8xxx level courses.

See the instructor teaching the class for permission numbers.

Permission numbers for courses outside the department must be obtained from the department that offers the course.

You may not register for courses that have less than 5 minute separation or overlapping times without approval of the instructors of both courses.

If this happens you should fill out the Course Time Conflict Form found online here.

If you were admitted to the Graduate School with a "degree pending," you will need to provide an official transcript or other suitable material prior to registration. This is done in Johnston 309. Other holds may include Health Clearance, Immunization Holds, and Visa Clearance (document check for international students). You must clear all registration holds before registering.

See the Graduate Program Coordinator if you have difficulties.

Each spring semester a registration hold will be placed on your record. To get the hold removed to register for the next fall semester, you will need to turn in your annual student review.

You are responsible for paying all fees by the due dates defined on the original fee statements. A list of fees and a schedule for payment of fees can be found at the One Stop Registration Website. Fees are billed through Student Accounts Receivable.

Student services fees, late registration, and any non-refundable fees assessed are the responsibility of the student and are not covered under tuition benefits (this includes any fees associated with canceling a course).

A maximum of nine 4xxx level course credits may be used to satisfy MS or Ph.D. degree requirements.

Partial credits from a course are not accepted. If your 4xxx courses add up to 10 credits you will need to remove one course from your degree plan.

No approval is required to change the grading basis of a course through the first two weeks of the semester (A-F to S/N or S/N to A-F). After the add/drop/change grade basis deadline students who submit a petition to change their grade basis using the Graduate Registration Exception Form will get DENIED. This is not allowed after the first two weeks -ever.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is work authorization that allows a student to work in a job related to his/her field.

ISSS offers CPT/OPT Workshops; it is highly recommended that students attend a workshop before applying for CPT. To apply for CPT, you must:

1. Complete a CPT workshop to learn about the application process.

• Watch the CPT Online Workshop

2. Applying for the CPT. Go here for all steps to apply for the CPT.

3. Your academic adviser must sign the Course Instructor Verification Form.

4. Students will sign up for class CEGE 3190

5. Students will take this class as S/N for one credit.

6. To receive the “S” grade to fulfill the requirements of this course, you will need to provide the DUGS with a letter from the your employer at the end of the term to indicate your actual dates of employment and that you performed your work satisfactorily. Additional documentation may be required.